The Loop

Fitness Friday: Unveiling the final two exercises in the new 20-in-20 workout

April 26, 2012

*Every week my colleague Ron Kaspriske, Golf Digest Fitness Editor, presents Fitness Friday on the Instruction Blog. This week he continues his series of his 20-in-20 workout. it will definitely get your golf muscles in shape. Look for Weekend Tip tomorrow, and remember to follow me on Twitter: @RogerSchiffman**.

Roger Schiffman

Managing Editor

Golf Digest*

Here's Ron: The 20-in-20 advanced workout for golfers (#20in20) was born from the notion that there has to be a more efficient and more engaging way to exercise than what is offered in traditional programs.

As I stated at the beginning of this series, a recent survey showed that more than half of new gym-goers quit working out within two months of starting for two reasons: It's too boring and it takes too much time. Having tried and tested a number of routines over the years, I couldn't agree more. There's nothing exciting about going to the gym and jogging on a treadmill for 30 minutes and then doing a circuit of weight machines for another 30. I just yawned typing that sentence.

Before unveiling this group of 10 exercises, which are meant to be done in a total of 20 minutes (two sets per exercise), I spent a lot of time speaking with golf-fitness experts about their training programs. Not only did I want to understand what types of conditioning a golfer needs to not only swing the club effectively, powerfully and safely, but I also wanted to know how much time it truly takes to get something out of exercising. There were many different opinions on those topics, but whenever I heard a common theme from the trainers, I jotted it down. From those commonalities came this total-body workout that not only conditions golfers for the punishment they take from repeatedly swinging a golf club, but also improves their stamina.

The final two exercises in the 20-in-20 are perfect examples. Alphabet Soup (T's, Y's, M's and W's) help build scapular stability as well as rotator-cuff strength and mobility. Those are two critical areas for golfers. And the squat thrusts train the lower body to use the ground as leverage to create a more powerful swing. They also will improve your cardiovascular health.

Note: You'll hear me say in the video that the squat thrusts are a "bonus exercise" that can replace any of the other lower-body moves in the 20-in-20, or be used as an add-on (a 21-in-21). Disregard that statement and consider squat thrusts as the final exercise of the workout routine. I originally intended for another exercise called the "lateral Heisman" to be the 10th exercise of the new 20-in-20 but changed it to the squat thrust at the last minute to help train explosive movement. In the coming weeks, I'll show you the lateral Heisman as well as three other exercises that you can use to mix and match and make your own 20-in-20 workouts if this one should become stale.

*Ron Kaspriske

Fitness Editor

Golf Digest*