Exercise for Golfers: Improve Your Swing and Alleviate Golfer's Elbow

Exercise for golfers is incredibly underrated, but it's crucial. Golf injuries aren't uncommon, and while they're sometimes out of the players' control, they're often the result of poor form, a lack of stretching, or a lack of strength. Do you exercise when you're not on the golf course?

We're here to talk about some of the best golf exercises to improve your swing and prevent (or ease) golfer's elbow. Read on to learn more.

Walk-Downs

This is one of the best simple exercises for golfer's elbow, and it's one you can do anywhere. As long as you have enough space to lay down flat, you have enough space to do walk-downs. Some people also refer to this exercise as a hand walk.

It's helpful to have a yoga mat to protect your hands, but it's not necessary.

Start standing up straight (at the back of the yoga mat, if applicable). Stretch down so you touch your toes, or at least, go as close to your toes as you can.

From there, walk your hands forward and start to straighten your body until you're in a push-up position. Then, walk your hands back up. If you want an extra challenge, do a pushup when you've reached the push-up position. You can also add a hop when you're standing up again, but this isn't necessary (but helpful if you're using this exercise as a warm-up).

Seated Rotations

Seated rotations are easy for people of any fitness level. They'll help you improve your rotational mobility. This should improve your swing.

Seated rotations will also strengthen your core, which should also improve your golf game over time.

Sit straddling a bench or put something (like a medicine ball) between your knees. Put your hands on your chest with your elbows sticking out straight on either side. Slowly twist your body in one direction, hold for up to 3 seconds, and then go in the other direction.

Do this about 10 times per side.

Lunges With Rotations

Lunges add an extra challenge to rotations. This will help you improve your strength and balance and give you a stronger and more accurate swing.

Hold a medicine ball or weight in your hands. Lunge forward with one leg and rotate your torso so the opposite shoulder is going in the direction of that leg. In other words, if you lunge forward with your left leg, your torso will be going right.

Switch legs and repeat until you've done 20 total lunge rotations.

Side Plank

Side planks are challenging, but they're excellent for your core, shoulders, and even elbows. You can modify them to make them easier.

For a full side plank, lay on your side and support yourself with the arm on the side you're laying on by bending it at the elbow and resting your forearm in front of you. Your bottom ankle and foot should also be pressing against the ground.

Push your hips up by engaging your arm and shoulder until your body is in a diagonal line. Repeat this 10 times before switching sides.

If this is too challenging, you can bend your knees so you have more support and less mass to lift.

Glute Bridge

Glute bridges aren't just excellent for your glutes. They'll also stretch out your back and hips and activate the muscles that have been dormant all day while you were sitting and doing work. You can elevate this exercise by turning it into a hip thrust and adding weight, but this isn't necessary for the average golfer.

Lay flat on the ground (or on a yoga mat). Bend your knees so they're pointing up and your feet are flat. Push your hips up by putting more weight on your shoulders and feet.

Try to get your hips as high as possible. Hold that position for 5 seconds before easing back down and doing it again. Aim for 10 repetitions.

You can make it more challenging by not fully resting between repetitions or by keeping a single foot on the floor at a time.

Dumbbell Bench Press

Bench presses are excellent for your shoulders, elbows, chest, and core. By doing them with dumbbells, you have the ability to do single-arm bench presses as well, so you get added flexibility.

This should be a flat bench press. Lay flat on the bench with one dumbbell in each hand. Raise them up over your face with your arms mostly straight and then bend your arms so the dumbbells are at chest-level before lifting them back up.

For a single-arm dumbbell bench press, which is better for your core stability, lift and lower only 1 arm at a time. Aim for 10 reps per arm (or 10 reps total if you're doing a standard bench press).

If you have no bench, lay on the floor and elevate your hips into a glute bridge. You won't get quite the same range of motion, but this does allow you to combine 2 exercises.

Woodchopper

Woodchoppers are excellent for golfers, and you'll see why as soon as you try. You're going to need a dumbbell. Opt for a weight lighter than you think is necessary until you're used to the movement.

This is great for your core, your shoulder mobility, your elbows, and your overall swing strength, but if you're not careful, you can get injured. A light weight with good form is far better than a heavy weight with poor form. At an appropriate weight, this is one of the better golf elbow exercises.

Hold the weight with your hands positioned like you were holding your golf club and have it rest over one shoulder. Turn your body and shoulders by acting as if you're chopping wood on the other side of your body with the dumbbell. So if you're starting on your right side, you're swinging down and to the left as if the wood was in front of your left foot.

Repeat this 10 times per side.

What Is Your Favorite Exercise for Golfers?

We can't overstate the importance of exercise for golfers. These golf exercises can help you improve your swing and minimize (or even prevent) the effects of golfer's elbow. Incorporate them into your pre-golf routines and see how much your golf game improves.

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