Power Development for Golfers

GolfFitPro · December 8, 2007

Everyone wants to develop more power in their golf swing. The only problem is that most golfers jump too quickly into power development exercises that they see in magazines or on television, without properly developing the stability, mobility and strength needed first.

World renowned Strength & Conditioning Coach Michael Boyle has developed a 2 DVD package that walks you through the whole process and progresses you through the exercises with a 9 week, 3 phase cycle.

It's called Power Development for Golfers and I think every golfer who is interested in improving fitness, decreasing the potential for injury and potentially improving performance, should get it.

The first DVD is Mobility and Stability.

Coach Boyle takes us through the different components of the warm up, including: foam rolling, 3-D stretching, thoracic and ankle mobility, core/activation exercises, lunge matrix and a few other movement preparation drills. This is not your average warm up!

If you purchased these DVDs and stopped at this section, you would be getting a better program than 90% of the programs out there. This part of the workout will:

Decrease the density and increase the length of your muscles
Mobilize your ankles, hips and thoracic spine
Teach you to activate your core and use your glutes
Prepare you for any activity

Although the fun stuff starts in DVD 2, the exercises in DVD 1 are so important and it's what I believe so many golfers are missing.

He starts DVD 1 out by working on thoracic mobility. He accomplishes this with a drill using 2 tennis balls taped up (it sounds funny but it really works), and wall slides.

Next, he takes us through some foam rolling (a concept I have gone over a few times on the blog and podcast) to work on decreasing tissue density.

After that, he introduces a Gary Gray concept called 3-D stretching. While the foam roll decreases density of the muscle tissue, stretching will work to lengthen the muscle. This takes your stretching to the next level by working on flexibility in the 3 planes of motion. There are stretches for hamstrings, groin, hip flexors and the rotators of the hip.

Coach Boyle then takes us through some different ankle mobility drills using just a wall. I have used these drills with my clients and they have seen incredible improvements in their squat depth. Often, the physical limitation in squatting is immobility in the ankle and these drills will help really open the ankles up.

He then moves into a core/activation sequence that prepares you for the Lunge Matrix series right after. I can tell you that for some of you, the phase 1 Lunge Matrix will really fatigue your legs and it's just a "warm-up!"

He finishes DVD 1 with a few great movement preparation drills that will really prepare you for the Power and Strength workouts in DVD 2.

I will go over DVD 2 tomorrow.

Power Development for Golfers is really a great couple of DVDs that golfers can immediately benefit from. Coach Boyle has trained some of the world's best athletes and he is the guy that thousands of trainers look to for advice. He has a way of taking difficult concepts and putting them into an easy to understand system.

Special Bonus- I loved these DVDs so much that I made a companion worksheet that my clients can use when they are not with me. If you purchase Power Development for Golfers, I will send you the companion worksheet (PDF) that you can use to track your progress. Just forward me the receipt from Perform Better and I will email it to you. Send your receipt to [email protected].

http://fitnessforbettergolf.typepad.com/be...f_with_fitness/