It’s officially 2025 and, if you remember, I wrote an article a few weeks ago starting your golf fitness journey. Maybe you’ve taken that leap and implemented a new strength training routine, which is great!
If you haven’t, there’s never a wrong time to start. Whether it was lack of motivation, fitness or access to equipment or just not sure how to do it get things startedthis article will serve as a great place to start.
While having access to a gym full of barbells, dumbbells, and other equipment is great, it’s not necessary to get an exercise routine off the ground. Steps can be taken to improve your fitness level using only your body weight as resistance. This article will highlight just that. All you need is some open space and a willingness to show up!
Benefits of bodyweight strength training
“How much will really do I benefit if I don’t lift weights?” The answer is quite a bit! Regardless of your current fitness level, there are benefits you’ll find from implementing a bodyweight strength routine. Below are some of what you can expect to see from implementing a bodyweight strength training routine.
Improving functional fitness
Bodyweight strength training mimics daily movement patterns. This will help improve functional strength as well as muscular endurance, which has a direct impact on the 18 hole walk. Coordination, balance and stability will also be positively affected, which will facilitate daily tasks and performance on the course.
Improved coordination
The golf swing is a complex movement, requiring multiple muscles and joints to work together to hit the ball effectively. Bodyweight exercises involve multiple muscle groups at the same time, which leads to increased muscle and joint coordination. As we progress through an exercise program, the motor neurons sent from the brain to our muscles, causing them to contract, become more efficient. This directly affects the performance of the muscles during training. This increased efficiency will allow our muscles to perform better and deliver more power in every movement.
Increased core strength and endurance
Performing body weight strength exercises requires our core muscles to be active during every movement to maintain a safe and strong posture. While a strong core is not only necessary for things like improving posture, alleviating back pain, and overall stability, it is critical in maintaining posture in the golf swing.
Mental health and well-being
As discussed in a previous article, golf offers numerous mental health benefits. Exercise is no different, and bodyweight strength training can help improve our mental health while improving our physical health. Exercise has been proven to help reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Self-esteem also provides a boost when we set an exercise goal and achieve it. Improving physical health and mental health? I call that a win-win.
Building a strength training plan
Creating a training plan doesn’t need to be complicated. For the sake of the exercises in this article, we will keep the placement and iteration schemes simple. If you are just starting out with exercise, two to three sets of 10 repetitions will be effective. Can’t complete 10 reps of an exercise with good form? No problem. Do as many as you can and then modify the exercise or stop at that number. Be sure to record it and then try to do more the next time you exercise until you get to 10 consistently. Once three sets of 10 become easy, add another set or increase your reps to the 12-15 range.
Another way to increase the challenge of these exercises is to increase your time under tension, TUT for short. Simply put, perform the exercise more slowly while still maintaining good form. This increases the overall amount of time your muscles are under stress, causing a greater response to exercise.
Aim to perform these exercises two to three days a week with at least one rest day in between (I like to use two of my rest days for cardiovascular training).
The exercises
Now it’s time to get into the exercises you’ll be performing for this workout. I will go into as much detail as possible about the technique and tips for each one, and a video demonstration will accompany each exercise. I will also provide modifications to make them more manageable.
Here’s what you’ll be performing:
- Squats
- Push-ups
- Bird dogs
- Lunges
- IYTs
- Shoulder Tap Boards
These exercises will provide a full body workout that targets muscles in the lower body, upper body and core.
Squats
The squat is one of the best “bang for your dollar” bodyweight exercises. You’ll work your quads, pectorals and hamstrings while improving your ankle and hip range of motion. You will also use your core muscles to maintain proper posture throughout the movement.
Performing the squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Shoulders are down and back with chest up
- Begin the movement by pushing your butt into the wall behind you, lowering your body until your hips are parallel to or lower than your knees.
- Stay in a long position and repeat
Techniques, signs and modifications
- Your weight should be distributed through the heel and midfoot. Too much weight on your toes means your knees are too far forward at the end of the squat
- If you can’t perform the squat at or below parallel, modify it to a smaller range of motion. As you get stronger, increase the depth of the squat
- If you have trouble keeping your heels on the floor, raise them. This will make it easier to bear weight on the heels. Use light weight plates, a slanted board or piece of wood, etc.
Push-ups
This upper body exercise mainly targets the chest, shoulders and triceps. However, you will still need an active core to maintain proper form. This can be one of the more challenging exercises in this workout if you’re just getting back into exercise, so when it comes to form, leave your ego at the door and modify as needed.
Doing push-ups
- Start on the floor with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and outside your chest
- Starting in a high plank position, lower your body toward the floor by bending your elbows, creating a 45-degree angle between your arms and your body, and keep your core engaged to maintain proper form.
- Push yourself back to the starting position and repeat
Techniques, signs and modifications
- At the end of the push, squeeze every muscle in your body and try to return to the starting position as quickly as possible.
- If you can’t perform full ROM push-ups from your toes, modify the exercise by performing them from your knees or placing your hands on an elevated surface such as a table, desk, or step.
Bird dogs
The best core exercise you’ve never heard of, bird dog not only strengthens and stabilizes the core, but works the lower back at the same time. This anti-rotation exercise challenges core and trunk stability when performed correctly.
Performing bird dogs
- Stand on the floor with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees directly under your hips.
- Brace your core like you’re about to punch your stomach and slowly extend one arm and opposite leg, keeping your toes pulled toward your leg.
- Hold the stretch for two seconds, then return to the starting position.
Techniques, signs and modifications
- Focus on keeping your hips parallel to the floor in the extended position. This is great for training some anti-rotational strength in the core
- Your eyes and nose should point directly to the floor between your hands. This will keep the neck in line with the spine
- Modify the exercise if it is too challenging by extending the leg and resting the foot on the ground instead of lifting it up.
Lunges
Lunes are a great unilateral lower body exercise that targets all the muscles of the lower body while improving range of motion in the hip flexors and strengthening the stabilizing muscles of the ankles. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: your core will also get a workout.
Performing lunges
- Take a step forward and lower your hips until both knees are at a 90-degree angle.
- Keep the front knee over the middle of the foot so it doesn’t go past the toes.
- Walk through the heel of your front foot to return to a standing position, then repeat with the opposite foot.
Techniques, tips, modifications
- Feel like you’re pulling your shoulders down and back to maintain a long stance
- Engage your core throughout this exercise to help with stability
- Modify this exercise by performing a smaller range of motion if you cannot maintain good form when lowering the track knee to the floor
IYTs
IYTs refer to the letter that your body and arms simulate while performing the exercise. This exercise targets the upper back muscles. They may look simple, but when done correctly they are more challenging than you think!
Conducting IYTs
- Lie on your stomach with your toes dug into the ground and your forehead resting on the ground
- Extend your arms up with your thumbs up to form an “I” position, raise your arms and hold for two seconds. Lower your arms and move to the “Y” position, lift and hold for two seconds. Lower your arms and move into a “T” position, lift and hold for two seconds, completing one repetition
Techniques, tips, modifications
- Focus on contracting your shoulder and upper back muscles to move your arms. Don’t just passively “lift” them off the ground. Purpose is key!
- Contract your core on each repetition to maximize the effectiveness of the exercise
Shoulder Tap Boards
This takes the standard high plank exercise and adds additional challenges. Core strength and shoulder stability will be tested while performing this exercise, and maintaining proper form is essential.
Performing shoulder thrust planks
- Get on the floor with your hands directly under your shoulders, moving your legs into a high plank position. Feet should be at least shoulder width apart to ensure stability
- Brace your core, raise one hand and touch your opposite shoulder. Return the hand to the floor and repeat with the other hand.
- Perform in a controlled manner for 30 seconds
Techniques, tips, modifications
- Brace your core like you’re about to punch yourself in the stomach
- Emphasize pressing the hand into the floor and the opposite foot firmly into the ground to keep the hips level
- If you can’t maintain stability, perform a standard plank
- Shorten the duration of the workout if necessary to maintain good form
Go to work!
This bodyweight strength training routine is a great place to start if it’s been a while since your last workout or if you’re limited in the equipment you have to train with. As you get stronger, find ways to keep pushing yourself to get better. Your golf game – and overall fitness – will thank you.
Looking for some extra weight training? Check out this article.If you’re looking to add some extra core exercises, add this routine to your plan 2 times a week!
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