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 Junior golfers have multiple avenues to develop their performance, and fitness has become one of the mainstays. Just hitting balls won’t get you to the PGA Tour anymore, and developing other athletic skills that carry over to the golf swing is important. When starting a junior golfer on a fitness routine it’s important to seek professional guidance to ensure proper technique and avoid injury. Most juniors need to participate in workouts geared toward movements, not individual muscles. During the golf swing, the mind recruits groups of muscles to perform in a certain pattern and should be trained accordingly. Flexibility exercises are just as important as strength training since the golf swing requires optimal flexibility in the shoulders, hips, lower back and hamstrings. Here are two exercises and a stretch routine that should be part of a junior golfer’s regimen: Diagonal chop 1. Start with your arms extended, holding the medicine ball up and to your right. 2. Bring the ball down in a chopping motion toward your left foot. 3. Keep your feet stationary and rotate at your trunk. Dumbbell squat with rotational swings 1. Get in a squatted position and hold a 5- or 10-pound dumbbell in each hand between your legs. 2. Stand up, keep your arms straight and rotate your shoulders and trunk to the left. 3. Return to the starting position and repeat to the other side. Supine twist stretch 1. Lie on your back with your legs bent and knees together. 2. Keep your knees together and rotate your trunk and legs to one side. 3. Go as far as you can without lifting your shoulders off the ground. 4. Hold for 20-30 seconds. 5. Repeat on the other side. Mike Hansen runs Hansen Fitness Company in Irvine. He can be reached at (949) 251-0533. |
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