Part 2: In-Season Balance Training

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As of last week we introduced the concept of balance training into your in-season golf fitness program. A quick review will indicate balance is the ability to maintain proper joint alignment and center of gravity during any functional movement pattern, sport-related or not. This definition tells us balance is the ability of one's body to maintain a fixed spine angle and the correct postural positions during each phase of the golf swing.

Sean Cochran

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA TOUR regularly and works with TOUR professionals, most notably Masters and PGA Champion Phil Mickelson.
He has been involved in the production of numerous golf fitness videos and books including Core Golf Fitness. He has authored numerous articles with publication credits in Golf Digest, Sports Illustrated, and Golf Magazine.
In addition to working with Mickelson, Cochran has worked with LPGA Champion Hee Won Han, U.S. Open Champion Corey Pavin, world-renowned golf instructor Rick Smith and short game expert Dave Pelz.
Cochran continues to speak at seminars and clinics around the country on golf fitness. In his free time he enjoys golf and surfing. He resides in Del Mar, Calif.
To learn more about Sean and his golf fitness programs, click here

If one is lacking in the physical parameter of balance, executing the phases of the golf swing efficiently will be challenging. It is also important to note this is an area where a golfer can physically improve through golf fitness training and see a direct effect on their golf swing.

Last week we began this process of improving your balance capacities for golf by utilizing an assessment to test your current levels of balance. The test we used was the Single Leg Balance Test. At this time, take a moment and review your results and then continue reading.

During this assessment we asked you to time yourself as well as rate the difficulty of the assessment. According to data captured by the Titleist Performance Institute, if you found it difficult to perform this assessment for a time less than 10 seconds, this could very well indicate you lack the balance capacities required for the golf swing. In addition, I have empirically found top professional golfers perform this assessment for a time of 60 seconds with great ease.

Secondly, a scale of 1 to 10 was provided to rate the difficulty of the assessment. On the scale if you rated this assessment an 8,9, or 10 in terms of difficulty, this again points to the possibility of a lack of balance existing for the golf swing.

Now that we have completed the assessment of your current levels of balance, we can begin to build this section of your in-season golf fitness program. Before we begin this task lets us take one moment to review how the following exercises will improve the balance in your golf swing.

The process by which we improve your balance capacities consists of a systematic approach that is continually challenging both the muscular and nervous systems of the body. The systematic approach of challenging and improving your balance capacities hinges upon the concept of limits of stability.

Limits of stability can be defined as the distance outside of your current base of support where you can go without losing control of your center of gravity. (Michael Clark, Integrated Training for the New Millennium, 174)

Typically, your normal base of support is standing on two feet. Once you begin to move outside of this base of support (i.e. two feet on the ground and not moving), balancing becomes more difficult because you are challenging your own limits of stability. For example, if you were to stand on only one leg (i.e. single leg balance test), it would become more difficult. If you closed your eyes, it would become even more difficult. The reason again is you are challenging your own limits of stability.

Increasing your limits of stability through balance (stabilization) training allows your nerves and muscles to operate more efficiently, adjust to the requirements of athletic movement with greater ease and perform such actions with less fatigue. The greater the increase in your limits of stability, the better your chance of success with any athletic movement, golf swing included.

The first exercise we will incorporate into this section of your program is Address Position Single Leg Rotations. Begin this exercise by raising the left foot slightly off the floor while maintaining your address position and fixed spine angle. Begin to slowly rotate your shoulders to the right to the point of a complete shoulder turn. Return to the starting position of the exercise and repeat for 10-15 repetitions maintaining balance on the right leg. Repeat the exercise balancing on the left foot.

Remember balance is key to executing each phase of the golf swing efficiently and effectively. Next week we will continue with building this section of your in-season golf fitness program.