WHAT EXERCISES WILL HELP HIT A GOLF BALL FARTHER? 

On Tour Golf Fitness Expert, Tyler Parsons shows you the 5 golf-specific exercises that helped him increase his club speed head from 120 to 152 in several months. The exercises are:

1. Side hip extensions with band resistance
2. Lateral bounding with body weight
3. Kneeling presses on a cable machine
4. Seated jump squats
5. Dumbbell snatch
   
   

If you've ever wondered if working out could help you hit the golf ball farther? Well, the answer is a definite yes. All top tour pros embrace physical fitness and working out to improve their golf games. As with any exercise program or athletic endeavor, check with your healthcare professional before beginning and also know your capabilities and limitations.

While each of these 5 exercises is wonderful for building power where it counts in the golf swing, each of these exercises can be modified to fit different levels of athleticism or even physical limitations. For example, exercise number 1 can be done without the use of a rubber band providing resistance, just use gravity. Lateral bounding can be done without having to leave the ground and instead can be wide straddle steps. It won't be quite as effective, but it will still help establish that power from the ground. If you don't have access to a cable weight machine, you can perform kneeling presses with either a rubber band or as controlled punches. Seated jump squats can be easily modified so that you don't actually leave the ground and instead rise up on your toes. Hanging snatches can be performed with something as light as a soup can to start. It is important to have a small weight. And finally, if you don't have access to a medicine ball, you can substitute any number of items such as a large pillow.

Side Hip Extensions

For this first exercise we're going to use our blue resistance band. Bands come in many colors representing different levels of resistance, but we've found that for the majority of you, the blue resistance band is going to be about the right tension. This exercise works the hip and glute complex, where you generate core stability and leg power. Step onto the band by placing both feet on the floor a little bit wider than shoulder distance apart. By standing on the band with your right foot you will anchor the band in place. Now use your left foot to push toward the side, using the band for resistance. We are really trying to extend the left leg to the side while using our core to stabilize the upper body. Don't allow your body to lean or go to the sides. We want your leg to go straight in and out. There's no requirement for an exact number of repetitions but anywhere from five to ten would be great when just starting out. Please remember that you can simply use your body weight and gravity for this exercise. The resistance bands come in a variety of tensions and you can start with an easier band and progress up as you get stronger.

Lateral Bounding

The next exercise is called lateral bounding. This exercise will work large muscle groups from your feet to the top of your head.  For absolute beginners or golfers at a lower level of fitness, lateral bounding can be done without having to leave the ground and instead can be wide straddle steps. It won't be quite as effective, but it will still help establish that power from the ground.

As you progress you want to leave the ground from side to side, working to extend the length of your bounding and speeding it up.  This is an explosive movement and you should use caution to make sure that you are nicely warmed up.

Again, a good target for repetitions will be between five and 10 for beginners but more fit and advanced golfers can go until they start to feel some fatigue.  This exercise will definitely increase the power in your legs and lower body.

Kneeling Presses

In this exercise we're going to drop down into a kneeling position. Turn around and grab the handle of a cablecross machine or a resistance band that is anchored about chest high. We're simply going to push forward using a punching motion in a rather explosive movement. We'll engage our legs and core for stability. What we're looking for the upper body to rotate around and then extending out with that arm in a chess press movement. This definitely works the upper body and core. 

Seated Jump Squats

For this exercise we'll start in a seated position. We're going to be doing a seated squat jump. As raise yourself off the bench to stand and to jump, we're getting explosiveness out of the legs. This movement is somewhat duplicated in the full swing, when you wind up and pause and then explode through the downswing and through swing. This will definitely improve the fitness and explosiveness of your legs. Seated jump squats can be easily modified so that you don't actually leave the ground and instead rise up on your toes, when you are beginning.  Between five and ten repetitions is great when starting out but more advanced golfers could easily work up to 25 repetitions.

Dumbbell Snatches 

The next exercise is a hanging snatch which is a form of an Olympic lift with a dumbbell. Start with an extremely light weight and work your way up over time. You can use something as light as a soup can to start. It is important to have a small weight. This will be very taxing on the body. Grab the weight and then using your legs and your upper body to drive this up, you will lift the weight from the floor to an overhead press position. One of the big key things to remember while we're doing this is for you to drive with your legs but still maintain that nice straight back we don't want to see any rounding.  

Medicine Ball Throws

For this exercise I want you to grab a ten pound medicine ball. If you don't have a partner to throw the ball to, you can use a concrete wall - this will rebound the ball back to you. So we'll grab our medicine ball and load up much like the golf swing. I'm favoring this right side and as I turned through I'm going to explode trying to create more explosive power. If you don't have access to a medicine ball, you can substitute any number of items such as a large pillow.

Implement these five exercises and watch the power increase in your swing.