There are some people in the golf business who are very good at creating content. James Nicholas is one of them.
If you haven’t checked out his YouTube channel, it’s worth checking out. He has a lot invested in it and you can tell. Nicholas is a really fun player to watch because he leaves it all out on the court and I’ve seen him do some crazy things when the pressure is on.
In this video, he goes through one of his workouts as he prepares for the 2026 season, and I think this side of golf content is still underserved. Many people want to get in better overall shape, but learning how to get better “golf shape” can have a serious impact on your game.
Here are some things that amateur players can take directly from this training.
Start with glute activation
The first exercises in training were not heavy lifting. They were activation exercises focused on getting the glutes working properly before loading the body.
Nicholas and his trainer used:
- Thigh high plank hoops
- Single leg glute bridges
- Gang activation work
The coach explained that many golfers become four-dominant and stop using them efficiently during the swing. If this is happening in your game, you may experience lower back pain, poor balance in transition, and loss of stance when hitting.
You don’t need to duplicate the entire warm-up. Even doing two sets of 10 single-leg glute bridges before a beam session is a good start.
Add more single-leg stability work
One of the biggest themes throughout the training was single leg training.
Nikola worked through:
- Single leg presses
- Split stance movements
- Rotational stability training
- One Leg Curl
- Side jump variations
This is important because the golf swing is constantly shifting pressure from one side of the body to the other. If you have difficulty with balance, gliding, or staying focused on movement, this type of training can help.
A simple place to start:
- The stairs
- Split squats
- Balance on one leg is maintained while rotating your torso
You don’t need heavy weights. Control is more important than loading here. Gain some stability with each leg.
Train for speed and power, not just strength
The deadlift section of the workout was interesting because they weren’t just tracking the weight lifted. They measured power output and movement speed at each repetition.
This is a good reminder for amateur players.
Golf fitness isn’t just about getting stronger. It’s about producing force quickly and efficiently. Nicholas paired barbell deadlifts with side jumps and explosive moves throughout the session.
This combination matters because speed training in golf usually works best when you mix strength, stability and explosiveness. I even wrote one last year’s article on how your jumping ability can be a great predictor of power you can create in your golf swing.
Pay attention to hip rotation
There were several moments in training where the coach emphasized hip positioning and internal rotation. This is a huge part of the golf swing that amateur golfers often overlook.
Limited hip mobility can lead to:
- Early extension
- Standing up through impact
- Reduced rotation
- Time matters
One of the exercises in the video focused on controlling the movement of the knee while rotating at the hip correctly. Even basic mobility with controlled lunges and twists can help with this.
Don’t ignore core durability
At the end of the session, Nicholas finished with a simple ab circuit that he says he does three to four times a week.
The district included:
- Flutter kicks
- Push-ups
- Essential endurance work
This is another thing that amateur players sometimes get wrong.
You don’t necessarily need an advanced “six-pack” golf workout. You need a core that can stabilize your body repeatedly over four hours without breaking your posture or sequence late in the round.
Final thoughts
The biggest thing I noticed watching this workout is how much of it was focused on quality of movement. Nikola wasn’t just trying to lift heavy weights. Most of the session was about balance, stability, rotation, ground strength, mobility and recovery.
Getting in better golf shape doesn’t mean training like a bodybuilder. It means improving the specific movements your body needs to swing a golf club more efficiently.
