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Fix Your Swing In The Gym

By Ron Kaspriske
Illustrated by Brown Bird Design

These exercises can cure your misses

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SLICING
A shot that curves dramatically right of your target (or left, for left-handers).ADDUCTOR SIDE PLANKStrong adductors (inside of your thighs) help the hips rotate, not slide.A: Lie on your side, arm under your shoulder, top leg resting on a bench.B: Lift your bottom leg off the ground and hold. Don't sag.
PELVIC ROTATIONSProper hip function allows the lower body to initiate the downswing.A: Anchor and stretch a band until it pulls your upper body in one direction.B: Engage your abs, and rotate your hips in the opposite direction.
HOOKING
A shot that curves dramatically left of your target (or right, for left-handers).EXTERNAL SHOULDER ROTATIONSGood shoulder mobility keeps you from flaring the right elbow and closing the clubface.A: Hold an anchored band in your right hand.B: Rotate and pull the band up and back, keeping the elbow down.
ELBOW WALL PLANKStable muscles around the shoulder blades keep the arm swing in control.A: Rest your back on a wall, arms bent, palms up, with your feet a foot or two away from it.B: Push off the wall using only your elbows.
TOPPING
A ball that's struck on or above its equator, causing it to tumble along the ground.POSTURAL ROTATIONSGood upper-body mobility helps maintain consistent posture.A: Anchor a band and harness it to your torso. Feel it pulling you as you stand in your address position.B: Keep that posture while you rotate your torso to the left.
TWIST AND TILTLower-body stability and a strong core can improve the torso's rotation.A: Get in a half-kneeling position, right knee behind the left heel, arms crossed.B: Rotate the trunk so the right shoulder moves forward and down.
STAY CHARGED
Your body needs electrolytes for a variety of reasons, including cellular function, muscle contraction and transmission of nerve impulses. If you want to play your best golf, make sure the right mix of sodium and potassium is in your system, says nutritionist Amanda Carlson-Phillips of Athletes' Performance in Phoenix. Her recommendations:1. SODIUM: The body loses sodium rapidly. (Eight ounces of sweat have 240 milligrams of sodium.) Dehydration, cramping and poor muscle function are often the result of having too little of this electrolyte. Assuming you're eating well and avoiding processed foods loaded with salt (the maximum daily intake should be no more than a teaspoon a day), Carlson-Phillips suggests adding electrolyte mix to a bottle of water. Consume this instead of downing a sports drink, which might include unwanted calories, carbohydrates and sugar.2. POTASSIUM: Most people consume too little of this electrolyte, which optimizes cellular function, regulates sodium and helps prevent weakness and fatigue during a round. Consume at least five grams a day (bananas, tomatoes, carrots, almonds, etc.).
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