Different types of Core exercises exist. Many of you are
probably familiar with an exercise such as the sit-up, which is
a great exercise that can be utilized to train the core. If you
have read any of our other articles, you are well aware of what
the word core means, and its relation to the golf swing. Let us
do a quick review for your benefit, and introduce the types of
core exercises to perform for your golf swing.

According to chiropractors the core is an anatomical region of the body. It can generally
be defined as the part of your body between the hips and chest.
It in encompasses many muscles groups on the front, side, and
backside of the body. In general the core consists of the
muscles that make up your; abdominals, lower back, obliques, and
hips.

The core region is important to the golf swing for many reasons.
The core is essentially called the “engine” of the body. It is
the area that “drives” the body for most any human movement,
including your golf swing. It is primarily responsible for the
capacities of: balance, stability, and power development within
the body. For these capacities to occur efficiently it is
necessary to train the core for improved performances.

Core Training Concepts

Many of us correlate core training to only the abdominal section
of the body. In order to develop the core correctly for the golf
swing, we must train all areas of the core equally. This means
to address the obliques, hips, and lower back with the same
number of exercises and repetitions as you do for the commonly
trained abdominal region.

A quick note from experience: More times than none, the majority
of individuals have what are termed “imbalances” in the core
region. This statement means that certain muscles or muscle
groups are weaker than others. The key for optimal performance
in golf is to have a balanced core when it comes to the
strength, endurance, and power levels in the muscles within this
area of the body. Keeping this thought in mind, many times the
lower back region is “weaker” than the abdominals (imbalanced
core or not balance core as we like to say). If this is the
case, additional attention/exercises are needed for the lower
back, to bring it “up to speed” so to speak, in level with the
abdominals.

Moving forward, knowing that we must train the entire core and
create balance between all the muscles. It is time to discuss
what type of exercises to utilize in training the core region.
To develop the core region for golf you will want to perform
exercises in the following categories: stability (balance),
strength, endurance, and power. All four of these categories are
necessary for an optimal swing. Leaving one of the categories
listed above out of your training program is like building a
boat with a hole in it. It won’t work!

Let us define the differing training categories of a “golf
specific core program” to help you better understand the purpose
behind each category. The categories of core training are
incorporated in golf training are: 1) Stability (balance)
training, 2) strength training, 3) endurance training, and 4)
power training.

Stabilization exercises are exercises that develop the balance
capabilities of the body. A large portion of your balance
capability is directly related to the core region of the body.
We know that if you are unable to maintain your balance through
out the golf swing. The efficiency of the swing, contact with
the ball, and club head speed, will be compromised. For example,
when you swing your driver and are not able to maintain that
perfect “finished position”, the problem may be related to you
ability to balance.

Balance training develops the integration of your neural and
muscular systems. Improvement in the functioning of these two
systems of the body and integration of these two systems will
result in a better swing. Follow the logic and it will all make
sense. If you improve the ability of your body to balance, then
the ability to maintain balance within your golf swing will
become easier. Implementation of exercises into your core
program that improve your balance (stabilization) capacities
then a direct transfer into your golf swing will result.

The golf swing requires that certain body parts remain in a
stable position, while other body parts are moving. These
actions occur simultaneously. To perform a powerful golf swing,
the body must have the capacities to perform this action.

In order to perform the above activity it is required to develop
the strength parameters of the core. If you have a weak core
then the ability to maintain a posture, keep a posture, and
perform this over a period of time will be compromised. To
repeat, the core region of the body is involved in the
stabilization process of the body. To improve this capacity, we
must train the body to be more efficient at stabilizing itself
during the golf swing. Strength exercises develop and improve
this capacity within your body for the purpose of improving your
golf swing.

The golf swing is a repetitive movement performed by the body.
You are doing the same activity over and over. An efficient golf
swing and good scores require that you perform the same swing on
the 18th hole as you do on the 1st hole. If you are unable to
repeat your swing mechanics of your swing will suffer, as will
your scores. To eliminate this situation it is necessary to
develop the endurance capacities of the core region. Endurance
exercises allow the body to perform the same activity over and
over without getting fatigued. As a result of the golf swing
being a repetitive athletic movement, endurance training will
enhance the ability to maintain your optimal swing mechanics
over an extended period of time.

Power Exercises are geared towards improving the power outputs
of the body. The core region of the body is directly related to
torque development in the golf swing. Power can also be defined
as torque (rotational power) when discussing the golf swing. In
order to create high amounts of club head, it is required of the
body to create large amounts of torque. Creating greater power
in the golf swing is the result of inputting power exercises
into a comprehensive core training program.

Summary

In this article we have describe the core and how to train the
core specifically for the improvement of your golf game. A few
points to keep in mind from this article: 1) the core is a
region of the body that includes all muscles from your hips to
your chest, 2) you must develop the capacities of stability,
strength, endurance, and power within the core for a benefit in
your game, and 3) the development of the core must be balanced
in terms of all muscles involved, and in all the training
components (equal amounts of stability, strength, endurance, and
power) within the core.