Golf Exercises: 10 Effective Ways To Add Power To Your Swing

Your back, neck, shoulder, core, and hip muscles are key components of a powerful golf swing and how you use these muscles determines the power and accuracy you exhibit. How you use these muscles will determine whether or not you make birdies or bogey. With that in mind, here are 10 exercises to add power to your swing.

10 Exercises To Add Power To Your Golf Swing

The key to golf exercises for power is timing and body turn. You want to use your entire body to generate power, not just your arms. This is also known as the “weight shift.” The weight shift involves turning your hips and shoulders toward the target during the downswing. 

Pelvic Rotations

This exercise can increase your range of motion and improve your spinal stability. Pelvic rotations help to align your spine during a golf swing. The pelvic rotation’s main function is to correct any pelvic tilt that may be causing muscular imbalances in your body.

How to perform:

• Start with the feet shoulder-width apart, toes forward. 

• Place hands on buttocks, fingers pointing down towards feet. 

• Inhale and as you exhale, use hands for support and gently rotate the pelvis to the right side, then return left side to the center position; inhale in center position before rotating right again. 

• Do about 10-12 repetitions on each side for 1-2 sets 3 times per week.

Windshield Wipers 

This exercise will strengthen your wrists and forearms so that you can hit solid golf shots without having to worry about wrist or forearm injuries during the golf swing process.

How to perform:

• Grab a broom or some other long object, like a garden stick or baseball bat. 

• Bend your knees slightly, sit down on the object, place the handle against your thighs, and keep it level with your waist. 

• Using your forearms to push off from the floor, stand up straight. 

• Alternate between forward and backward direction for 5 to 10 reps.

Shoulder Wall Slides 

This exercise is also good for the shoulders and chest. It would be best if you relaxed the shoulders throughout. You should find this exercise most comfortable in a slightly bent forward position.

How to perform:

• Get into a pushup position with the palms flat on the floor for support, exhale as you slowly lower yourself forward over the hands, keeping the elbows out and the shoulders relaxed, then slowly press back up to the starting position.

• For a greater challenge, place your hands in front of your body and walk your feet through them as you lower yourself down over the top of them. This makes it more challenging to maintain good form and balance.

Anti-Rotation Band

This exercise helps to remove the whip from your golf swing.

How to perform:

• Take a resistance band and tie both ends together.

• Attach the band to a higher point, such as a door handle.

• Start in a standing position with your back facing the band. Hold the band with both hands, one hand closer to each end of the band. Place your arms outstretched, then turn away from the band by rotating your body.

Stability Ball Jackknife 

Ideal for flexibility & core strength, this exercise will improve your game both in the short and long term.

How to perform:

• Grab a stability ball 

• Lie on your back, with your knees bent. 

• Raise one leg 90° off the floor until it is parallel to the floor 

• Keeping your torso flat on the ball, bring your top knee to meet your bottom knee.

• Lower down for 10 reps

Sword Pulls 

Sword Pulls is an exercise that can work on your core strength and stability and help you achieve a flatter back while executing it.

How to perform:

• Try to stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. 

• Grab the handle of a sword with one hand, and pull down as far as you can. 

• If this is too easy, put it against a table and pull down while keeping your arms parallel to the top of the table. 

• You should feel the muscles in your lower back working on this exercise.

Skater Squats

Skater Squat is an exercise that will improve your lower back health while helping to reduce lower back pain over time in golf players who do not have much lower back strength.

How to perform:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 

• Slowly shift your knee to the right while bending your left leg. 

• Return to a standing position and repeat with the opposite leg 

• Start with 5 reps, then increase to 15 reps as you get stronger.

Wrist Roller

This exercise will help strengthen your forearms by using a resistance band that you can wrap around the handle of a dumbbell or even a piece of PVC pipe. You can also find something similar in the form of a wrist roller at a sporting goods store where they sell gym equipment.

How to perform:

• Using a resistance band, wrap it around your wrist and make sure it is secure 

• While holding on to the resistance band, bend your wrist forward 

• Return to a standing position and repeat with the other dumbbell hand 

• Start with 5 reps, then increase as you get stronger.

Prone Obliques 

This exercise will strengthen both of the side muscles responsible for lateral flexion – the obliques – so that you hit straight shots without twisting or turning in your shoulders while taking down the golf ball.

How to perform: 

• By supporting yourself on your forearm, lie on your stomach with your legs stretched out. 

• Using a resistance band, hold the ends in each hand and stretch them out while keeping your elbows at 90 degrees. 

• While keeping the resistance band tight, twist your back and hips to the left. 

• Return to a standing position and repeat with the other side 

• Start with 5 reps, then increase as you get stronger.

Prone Extension 

This exercise will strengthen both of the muscles responsible for flexing – the pectorals – so that you hit straight shots without twisting or turning in your shoulders while taking down the golf ball.

How to perform:

• Lie face down on an exercise mat with just your lower back supported. Ensure that your knees are hip-width apart 

• With your lower back firmly supported, perform the prone extension by lying flat on the floor, keeping the arms out in front of you at shoulder length.

• Now rotate from side to side with control. 

• Hold for 10 seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat. 

• Perform the exercise 10 times in total

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Golf Swing Exercises For The Golfing Range 

Exercise #1:

1. Take a flat golf club and hold it in front of you.

2. Put your palm on the club grip and turn it so that your hand is vertical to the ground. 

3. Now swing up and backward with as much power as you can. 

Do this for 5-10 minutes, 3 times a day (morning, lunchtime, evening) until you feel your muscles getting stronger. You can do this exercise outside or in a gymnasium if there isn’t enough space to swing back on the spot where you are standing.

Exercise #2: 

1. Take the club back and down with a normal backswing. 

2. At the bottom of the swing, place your hands on the top of the shaft, keeping them as close to parallel to each other as possible. 

3. Turn your hands over so that your wrists face each other and your forearms are parallel to each other. 

4. Now rotate your arms up until they are fully extended but still vertical to the ground. 

5. Then pull up on them again. 

Do this for 5 minutes 3 times a day until you feel stronger.

Exercise #3: 

1. Take golf balls or tennis balls that you can use for medicine balls and place them in front of you to be at waist level. 

2. Now take the club back and down with the swing that you used in exercise 2.

3. At the bottom of the swing, drop your hands down to shoulder height and stop them in front of your hips, keeping your wrists facing each other. 

4. Now turn your wrists over so that they are parallel to the ground. Whipsaw them up to full extension, but keep them vertical to the ground at all times. 

Do this for 5 minutes 3 times a day until you feel stronger.

Exercise #4: 

1. Take a golf ball or tennis ball and place it in front of you to be at waist level. 

2. Now extend your arms out straight, and lift the ball off the ground. 

3. Swing the ball back and let it go as hard as you can. As soon as you let it go, bring your arms back for another swing. 

Keep doing this for 10 sets of 10 repetitions.

This video shows how laying down can improve your golf swing. Watch to learn more:

Wrap Up

While practicing these drills, keep in mind that the goal is not only to practice your form, but also to remind you of the principles of power in your swing.

Knowing these principles, you can develop your own exercises that simulate resistance training in a golf swing. Work hard if you want results, but know your limits and continue to drill safely!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best golf swing?

The best golf swing will vary depending on the person. For example, some swings might be better for short courses while others might be better for long courses. There are various of golf swing exercises you must try to be able to improve your golf swing.

2. What muscles are used in golf?  

The muscles typically used in a golf swing include the biceps, triceps, deltoids, trapezius, and pectoralis major. In addition to these muscles, many people also use their lower body as part of their golf swing, and this can include their abdominals and quadriceps and their glutes and calves.

3. What is the proper golf grip?  

Finding the proper golf grip depends on multiple things, such as your body type, gender, and the type of club you’re using.