Enhance Performance And Safety With Easy Exercises For Golf

Golfers will find the greatest gains in performance and protection from injuries through regular practice. Performance and safety are further augmented with sport-specific fitness routines. Many exercises for golf are possible, but these should be chosen to meet a few concerns.

Golfers will need to focus on three key areas in designing a fitness routine. Any routine should be kept simple to maximize time playing the sport. Boredom should also be avoided. Fitness routines provide the most benefits with regular use.

## Power

Muscles of the abdomen and lumbar region are the most important to a fast swing. Isometric forms can be used for maximal effect with minimal effort.

* Grip the arms of a chair while seated, and raise the legs straight up as high as possible. Hold this for ten seconds only. This should be done once per day. For an advanced exercise, raise the legs and then raise one knee to the chest. Lower it and raise the other leg. Perform this as many times as desired.

* Lay on the stomach with arms at the sides. Lift both legs to the upper thigh for 20 seconds. Next place the arms above the head in line with the legs. Lift the right arm and left leg simultaneously for 20 seconds. Lower and lift the left arm and right leg. Repeat as often as desired. Focus on contracting muscles in the lower back.

## Stability

Muscle strength contrasts with stability, which is best gained through functional exercises. Free weights are one avenue to increasing stability. Another is a variation on the traditional push-up.

Lay on the stomach with arms tucked and palms down beside the face. Lift the body using the forearms, elbows to palms, and balls of the feet. Hold for thirty seconds. This can be repeated safely.

## Alignment and Flexibility

The shoulders and hips are critical for ensuring a straight swing and stance. Two basic exercises will provide a solid foundation for incorporating more.

* Stand with legs at shoulder width and arms to the sides at shoulder height. with palms down rotate the arms in a circle with diameter of six inches. Do this twenty times. Face the palms up and rotate the opposite direction twenty times.

* Lay on the back for a crossover stretch to increase hip flexibility and alignment. With knees up at 45 degree angles. Lift the right leg toward the chest, and grip the knee and ankle. Pull both toward the chest while ensuring the knee crosses the mid-line. Hold this for a minute. Repeat with the other leg.

There are many more basic exercises in this genre. Isotonic and isometric exercises will save time and require no equipment or gym memberships, so the focus can remain on the game.