By Randy Taylor, Teaching Professional
Randy Taylor
Everyone wants to hit the ball longer while maintaining stability. With these two simple exercises, you can learn the most efficient way to use your body to create power in the golf swing.
Backswing Exercise
Place an exercise ball between your legs, a couple of inches off the ground. Apply just enough pressure to keep the ball from touching the ground. Place a golf club or PVC pipe across your shoulder blades. Make a shoulder and pelvis turn until you feel your lead shoulder slightly behind the ball and back facing the target. Do five sets of eight reps.
At this position you should feel greater lower body stability, with close to 60% of your weight distribution on the trail hip for a solid, powerful loading position. This position will prevent you from swaying away from the ball, which results in the loss of balance, posture, and power.
Downswing Exercise
The downswing is where your start to release the power that you created during the backswing.
Start with a medicine ball at whatever weight works best for you. Place the ball on a flat surface about hip high, positioned at the trail hip. Make a shoulder and pelvis turn reaching for the medicine ball while keeping your eyes down at the impact position.
Then start the downswing rotation toward your target line with a full pelvis and torso turn. You should feel the ball in a powerful lagging position coming from the inside out of the downswing. As you follow through, release the ball. (This exercise works best with a partner to catch the ball or a wall to throw it against.) Do five sets of eight reps.
If you work on these two exercises, you will gain distance and lower body stability in no time. Contact Teaching Professional Randy Taylor, our certified TPI and K-Vest pro, at [email protected] for a total game assessment today!
