Powerlifting and Golf

[Chili dog]

I am curious what opinion people have on weight training in the sport of golf. I am a 9 handicap and play fairly frequently but i also Powerlift in the USPA. Do other golfers weight train? If so how have you been able to stay mobile? Let me hear what y'all have to say!

[ThunderBuzzworth]

Yes... well I used to for 4 years. Last fall I was diagnosed with a kidney disease so my lifting days are over but I found that powerlifting really helped my golf game in ways that are actually easy to describe. The big 3 lifts and some secondary work on certain muscle groups had my swing really working well for that period of time. When I began powerlifting I noticed an increase in swing speed of about 8 mph over the first winter which I associated with a much stronger core and better posture resulting in faster rotational speed. I also noticed how much help it was having stronger lats in the golf swing. I was able to feel positions much better. Overall I have to say that powerlifting and oly lifts teach your body how to perform as a whole unit instead of individual parts which in turn helps tremendously with syncing your golf swing. I used to spend about 10-15 minutes stretching with a pipe after workouts to make sure I was still mobile and didn't get stiff and short with my swing. If I was really looking to train more towards golf instead of reaching a new max I would do a lot of speed pulls (from deficit as well as with bands), a lot of extra back work (pull-ups, pulldowns, face pulls, rows), varying stance often in squats so that I felt I was powerful from most any stance. Bench press to me was the most useless of the 3 lifts in relation to golf but I did enjoy benching a bit. I also did a ton of heavy overhead seated presses when I was my strongest although I cannot say I felt that transfer into my golf game. For reference my total was in the 1400 range at my peak so I was not elite by any means. I started as a hobby for the winter off-season and got hooked on powerlifting and continued with it for another 4 years until last fall. I miss it quite a bit.

[Dr. Block]

I am curious what opinion people have on weight training in the sport of golf. I am a 9 handicap and play fairly frequently but i also Powerlift in the USPA. Do other golfers weight train? If so how have you been able to stay mobile? Let me hear what y'all have to say!

 

I power and Olympic lifted 3-4 days a week through the last few golf seasons. I stopped this season and my game improved immensely. Particularly my touch around the greens and wedge game. I'll probably go back to lifting, but not till the snow starts falling

[Rob G 89]

I've been lifting all my life currently 34 current calculated maxes are 400 bench 505 squat and 525 deadlift. I'm 6'0 240 so those are ok numbers. Golfing isn't an issue when I'm warmed up, it's after where the problems lies. My back and my left knee kill me. Ice and Vicodin help but I can't lift as hard after I golf.

 

i think my main issue is flexibility and poor swing mechanics. Need to probably lose 20 lbs and stretch everyday.

[Spoon]

I've been weight training half my life. I'm 40 now and my routine actually has helped me stay in shape.

heavy compound lifting for 5 reps. none of those lightweight high rep movements for definition.

has not affected my golf at all on the contrary it has improved. I've gained distance, and don't have to swing thru the roof.

 

forgot to mention that i am recovering from a slipped disc l4/l5 s1/s2 back in 2010. thought id never walk again and did not

get surgery, i trucked thru 1 year of painful therapy and added squats and deadlifts slowly back to my routine. i no longer get

back pain and spasms. it was when i wasn't doing any back work did my back actually hurt and because sore. weird.

 

go lift! eat well and don't neglect warming up, and stretching. you will have lifelong benefits that will carryover into golf and daily life.

 

strong is the new fit.

[somaplr]

You don't lose mobility while doing Olympic lifts...quite the opposite. Numerous studies out there that they actually increase flexibility and ROM. The talking heads on TV like Chamblee have no experience whatsoever in biomechanics or kinetics and the relation to how they work...their whole rational is "blah blah blah if you lift weights the golf club will feel lighter and you lose your touch" which, is basically pseudo science at best. Powerlifting and golf can definitely coexist.