Cochran: Golf fitness exercises for the core

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Golf fitness exercises for the core are an integral part of any golf fitness program and key to improvement in your golf swing. As we continue with the development of your off-season golf fitness program, this week we will shift our attention to an area of the body commonly referred to as the core.

Physio-Ball Reverse Crunch

The core is simply a reference to an anatomical area of the body. It is a buzzword in golf simply because much of the rotary movements within the swing incorporate this anatomical section of the body. As a result the core plays a significant role in the execution of the golf swing as well as power development.

The core is comprised of all the musculature within the lumbar/pelvic/hip complex. This is essentially your hips, lower back, abdominals, and obliques. These are not all of the anatomical structures or muscles of the core but these are the major components.

We can take this information about the core and input it into the Mobility/Stability Pattern of Human Movement discussed in previous articles. We are aware the core (i.e. lumbo/pelvic/hip complex) is a stable joint relative to the golf swing, which means that the musculature in this portion of the body must be stable in order to execute a biomechanically efficient golf swing.

If the core is unstable, the execution of the golf swing will be compromised and compensations (i.e. swing faults) will develop. The compensations within the mechanics of the swing are an attempt to overcome this weakness within the body. Common swing faults resulting from an unstable core are a loss of posture in the backswing, s-posture in the set up, and an over-the-top move in the downswing. As you can see from these swing faults, stability within the core becomes a "major player" in executing the golf swing.

The development of stability hinges upon the development of strength within the musculature of the core. This process is accomplished in the same fashion as we have with other muscles within the body requiring stability for the golf swing, and that is through the implementation of golf fitness exercises.

Golf fitness exercises for the core will again develop strength within these muscles in order to provide the required stability to execute a biomechanically efficient golf swing. These golf exercises will focus upon the musculature core and, over time, will develop the required stability for the golf swing.

To begin the process of strengthening the muscles of the core, we will introduce a golf fitness exercise primarily focused upon the abdominals. In conjunction with the glutes, these two muscle groups are primary stabilizers within in the golf swing. As a result, it is pertinent to develop strength within this muscle group of the core.

The golf fitness exercise we will utilize to strengthen the abdominals is the Physio-Ball Reverse Crunch. This exercise not only utilizes the abdominals but also recruits the musculature of the lower back and hips into the movement.

A physio-ball -- often referred to as an exercise ball -- will be needed for this exercise. To perform this exercise, lie flat on your back, arms next to sides, knees bent, and physio-ball between your legs.

Begin by compressing the lower back into the floor bracing the core. Attempt to maintain this bracing of the core throughout the entire exercise. Slowly roll the physio-ball up towards your chest, allowing the hips to elevate off the floor. Continue to roll the ball towards the chest until the glutes and lower back are off the floor. Pause slightly, return to the starting position of the exercise, re-brace the core if necessary, and repeat for 10-15 repetitions.

Keep in mind the importance of stability within the core for the golf swing, and know golf fitness exercises can develop the strength in these muscles required of the swing.