While balancing on one leg, lift the other so your foot is resting above the knee. Extend your arms in front of your chest and clasp your hands together. Simultaneously open your arms out to your sides (as shown) and swing your knee away from the other leg until it's parallel with your shoulders. Switch legs and repeat in the opposite direction.
10 REPS WITH EACH LEG
WHY IT WORKS
This improves hip mobility, which is crucial to making a good golf swing. It also helps train the lower body to move independently of the upper body, and vice versa.
← FOLLOW-THROUGHS
Grab a club at both ends and hold it next to your right hip (left hip for lefties). Stand with your legs flexed, feet close together. Now take a big sidestep to the left with your left foot. After that, rotate your upper body as if you were finishing a swing—you should even end up on your right toe just like in golf (as shown). Your arms should remain extended.
2 SETS / 10 REPS
WHY IT WORKS
This helps train the proper sequencing of muscles in the downswing, with the lower body leading and the upper body following.
← WALL TOUCHES
Get into your golf address posture while holding a folded beach towel, or balance a disc against a wall just behind your hips (as shown). Simulate the trunk rotation of a backswing while keeping your arms extended. Touch the wall behind you with both hands, hold for a second, and then return to the start position without altering your posture.
2 SETS / 10 REPS
WHY IT WORKS
This improves your backswing, allowing you to turn your upper body while the lower body remains still (torso separation).It also helps you maintain your posture, crucial to hitting the ball solidly. And by stretching the muscles around your midsection, you can store more energy—and expend it—for longer drives.
← PRISONER SQUATS
Stand in an athletic position with a physio ball behind you. Hold a sport ball between your knees with your feet slightly wider than your pelvis. Place your hands behind your head, elbows flared (left). Tighten your thigh and butt muscles and squat until your butt touches the physio ball. As you do this, bring your elbows as close together as you can.
2 SETS / 10 REPS
WHY IT WORKS
This strengthens the leg and butt muscles, which create a powerful base for your swing. It also improves the function of muscles around your shoulder blades and chest, which are necessary for swinging—and stopping—the motion of the club.
← PHYSIO-BALL PLANKS
Rest your forearms on the ball so your elbows are stacked under your shoulders. Extend your body until your legs are straight and you're up on your toes. Feel like your spine is stretched and your head, back and butt are creating as flat a surface as possible. Keep your chin down. Hold for as long as you can.
REST AND REPEAT
WHY IT WORKS
This strengthens the muscles of the midsection. Those muscles stabilize the body and provide some of the rotary power of the swing. As a bonus, the instability of the ball also strengthens the shoulder muscles, which are needed to control the club.
← CONE REACHES
Place three cones or similar objects on the ground in a triangle in front of you. While balancing your body on a flexed leg, lower your upper body, and then reach down as if you're trying to touch the middle cone. Your other leg should extend behind you (as shown). Return to an upright position and then repeat this action, but rotate your upper body toward the cone to your left and then reach for it.
5 REACHES TO EACH CONE / SWITCH LEG POSITIONS AND REPEAT
WHY IT WORKS
This improves stability in the lower body, strengthens the hamstrings, and helps you control your body movement as the center of gravity changes—just like it does during the golf swing.
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