Exercises to develop lower body strength, stability

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We began golf fitness exercises for the development of strength and stability in your golf swing in last week's article. This week, we will continue the process of developing strength for improvement in your swing for this upcoming season.

Tubing walks

If you recall the mobility/stability pattern of human movement first noted by physical therapist Gray Cook, we know the body operates in an alternating pattern of mobile joints and stable body segments during all movement patterns, golf swing included. Keep in mind if this pattern of mobile joints and stable body segments is altered in any way, dysfunction in movement patterns will occur. What does this mean for the movement patterns involved in the golf swing?

Simply, if joints that require mobility are limited in terms of ranges of motion or body segments that need to be stable are weak, compensations in the fundamental biomechanics of the golf swing will occur.

How do we guard against limitations in the body that cause compensations in the golf swing?

We address the mobility and stability requirements of the swing with a series of golf fitness exercises. The development of mobility for the golf swing hinges upon flexibility and range of motion exercises, whereas stability for the swing is contingent upon the development of strength within specific segments of the body.

Last week the process of developing stability for the golf swing began with the implementation of the Single Leg Cone Reach into your off-season golf fitness program. The goal of this exercise is development of stability (i.e. strength) in the knee, legs, and hips. This week we will continue this process of developing stability with the introduction of Tubing Walks into your program.

This exercise again focuses upon developing stability in the knee, legs, and hips for the golf swing. Execution of this exercise will require the utilization of elastic tubing.

Place the elastic tubing loop around both legs just below the knees. Stand upright with the knees slightly bent, feet shoulder width apart, torso upright, and hands on your hips.

Press the knees outward creating tension in the tubing. Hold this position throughout the entire exercise. Raise the left foot slightly off the floor and take a mini-step sideways to the left and keep the right foot in place. Continue the exercise by taking a mini-step with the right foot towards the left. Alternate stepping left and right for 10-15 repetitions. Remember to keep the knees slightly bent and pressed outwards throughout the exercise.

Again, keep in mind the mobility/stability pattern of human movement during the implementation of your golf fitness exercises, and know the knees, pelvis/lumbar/sacral joint, scapula-thoracic joint, elbow, and cervical spine are joints requiring stability for the golf swing.

To learn more about Sean Cochran and his golf fitness programs go to www.seancochran.com.