By Sean M. Cochran
Special to PGATOUR.com

In previous weeks, we’ve talked about the relationship between the body and the golf swing and how golf fitness exercises can improve the golf swing. We began with the address position and now look at phase two of the golf swing -- the takeaway.

This is the point where the golfer begins the dynamic movement of the golf swing and where the body really starts to get involved. The bottom line is the takeaway transitions the golfer from the address to the beginning of the backswing. In talking with swing coaches, they often reference the takeaway as one of the greatest problems for many amateurs. This is where the golf swing is either started correctly or taken off-track from the start.

Looking at the body in terms of the incorporating it in the takeaway, this is where it gets involved in the swing. It’s the beginning of weight shift, dynamic stabilization and rotation in the body. One of the most problematic areas is the takeaway gets out of sequence and is not unified with the body. You often hear swing coaches say you need to create a one-piece takeaway and need the body to move in unison with the club.

For this to work, the body must maintain a stabilized position, but in a dynamic movement pattern. When I say dynamic stabilization, I mean the body must maintain the fixed spine angle position it started in the address and hold that while body parts start to move in the takeaway.

When thinking about a golf exercise in terms of dynamic movement patterns, we want something that incorporates the lower back and core region in a stabilized position with limb movement. A great exercise for this is the alternating arm and leg extension. What this does is create strength and endurance in the core area. In addition, it’s an exercise that forces you to maintain a stabilized core while having movement with the arms and legs. It’s cross-specific in terms of training movement to the golf swing.

It’s an easy exercise and you begin by placing hands and knees on the floor, with your hands directly under the shoulders with the knees directly under the hips. The back remains flat and the eyes focus on the floor. This is very important because you want to keep the hips and core area stable and not moving. A little trick to help is to visualize balancing a glass of water in the middle of your back.

From the start position, simultaneously extend the left arm and right leg to positions that are out in front and in back of the core. Throughout extension, hold the core stable and keep balancing the glass of water on your back. Hold the extensions for two seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg and alternate back and forth for 10-20 repetitions. The number of reps should correlate to your ability to maintain a stabilized core throughout the exercise.

It’s a nice cross-specific exercise that forces you to stabilize the core and has movement of limbs within the exercise, which is exactly the type of action your body does during takeaway.