By Christopher Noss conditioning coach to several elite PGA tour players, including Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink and Sean OHair
See the issue: October 2008

Even though golf is one-sided, you need to use a balanced, whole-body approach to training. If you don’t, you’ll have timing issues and lower back problems, and quirks will appear in your swing.

The game is all ground reaction, so it all starts at the feet and works its way up. I make sure my athletes are balanced through their legs, hips, back and shoulders. We accomplish this by training explosive power through compound movements.

About 90 percent of the exercises I use with my clients involve compound movements. I’m trying to get the athlete as strong as I can in as many different positions as possible. You have to figure out how the body works when the legs are put in certain positions. We accomplish this by performing a lot of plyometric drills and multi-plane lunges.

You have to work outside of the box, so when you get in your golf stance, you have more balance, fluidity and flexibility through a larger range of motion.

One exercise I like to use is Scoop Jumps. Begin standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a 15-pound med ball in front of your chest. Perform a three-quarter squat, bringing the med ball down between your legs. Explosively jump as high as possible, fully extending your arms above your head, like you’re trying to dunk a basketball. Land in the start position, and repeat.
Make sure you keep your back flat, and load your glutes and hips in the squat position. Keep your eyes on the med ball throughout the entire movement. During the season, I usually superset these with a rotational or back exercise, performing two sets of 10 to 15 reps.
 

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