We are pleased to announce that Sean Cochran, a nationally renowned golf fitness instructor and the personal golf fitness trainer to 2005 PGA Champion Phil Mickelson, has joined PGA.com as a fitness advisor. Cochran, who also has served as strength and conditioning coach for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres major league baseball teams, will write a weekly fitness blog that will appear exclusively on PGA.com. He'll update it a couple of times a week, telling you about how to achieve better fitness, life on the road -- and in the gym -- with Lefty, plus answer your questions about fitness and how it can help you play better golf. More of Cochran's articles and his acclaimed fitness aids are available at his web site, www.bioforcegolf.com.
Dynamic Balance Exercises
It's hard to believe the third major of the year is just a couple weeks away. It is amazing when you are out on Tour how quickly the season goes. I feel like it was only a month ago we were up in Palm Springs at the Bob Hope Classic. I am back on the road this week in the Chicago area for the Western Cialis Open at Cog Hill. We then travel "across the pond" to prepare for the British Open. I am looking forward to the trip to England and hopefully I can provide you with some "blogs" of information when I am at Royal Liverpool.
Last week we discussed the importance of balance in relation to a successful golf swing. I always like to keep the following phrase in mind when I talk about balance and the golf swing -- "balance is a component of your body, often times swing faults are misdiagnosed, and in reality should be classified as balance faults."
This was quite evident in a round of golf I played with a friend over the weekend. I observed him during his swing -- multiple times -- change his posture, alter his spine angle and implement a poor weight transfer. The outcome of this was not good -- he was topping the ball, slicing it and just not hitting it well.
Typically, you would jump to the conclusion that he needs to work on the mechanics of his swing, which I would agree. In addition I would say improving his balance capacities would also be of great benefit. Realizing the ability to maintain spine angles, postures, and implement weight transfers is a responsibility of your body, specifically the ability of your body to maintain balance during the golf swing.
Speaking of your body's ability to balance and the golf swing two types exist, static and dynamic. Last week we presented a static balance training exercise to assist you in the ability to set-up in the correct position to begin your golf swing. This week we will provide you with assistance in developing your dynamic balance capacities.
The golf swing is a dynamic (movement) athletic action. Requiring your body to maintain postures, spine angles and implement weight transfers through all phases of the golf swing. In order to execute these components of the golf swing with greater success you must develop your dynamic balance capacities within your body. This can be achieved through the implementation of dynamic balance exercises in a comprehensive golf fitness program.
A dynamic balance training exercise I have found to be very successful with the golfers I train is the side-to-side stabilization hop. Begin the exercise by standing upright, feet shoulder width, hands on your hips, and eyes looking forward.
Raise your right foot off the floor and bend the left knee approximately 45 degrees. Begin the exercise by jumping laterally to your right. Land on your right foot only and balance for 2 seconds.
Repeat the jump laterally back to your left. Limit the distance of the jumps to a length that allows you to land properly, balancing on only the correct foot. I like my golfers to perform 5-15 repetitions of this exercise.
Remember, "swing faults" are often caused by limitations by your body and some of them should be classified as "balance faults."
Previous blog entries:
07/04/06 Two Types of Balance are Key to Your Golf Swing
06/20/06 Balance in Your Golf Swing Leads to More Power
06/13/06 Getting Yourself Ready for a Round of Golf
06/06/06 Joint Range of Motion and a Fluid Golf Swing
05/29/06 Flexibility Exercises to Help with Those Tight Muscles
05/23/06 Guidelines for Your Golf Flexibility Program
05/16/06 Assess Your Flexibility First
05/09/06 Better Golf Exercises to Improve Your Swing
05/02/06 Developing a Repeatable Golf Swing and Your Body
04/26/06 Increasing the Clubhead Speed in Your Golf Swing
04/18/06 How To Prepare for Your Round
04/17/06 Swing Faults are Not Really Swing Faults
03/27/06 You can improve balance in your swing
03/24/06 Improve Your Flexibility and See Results in Your Swing
03/20/06 Your Body is the Foundation of Improving Your Golf Swing
