The QUICKEST golf strength training!

If you’re the typical golfer, the idea of golf strength training inspires visions of long and drawn-out workouts for which you don't have time. Truth is, for long-term golf improvement and health, total body exercise is helpful. For immediate increases in drive, however, strengthening the forearm muscles will suffice for most golfers.

According to golf conditioning specialists Jeff Travis and Eric Martinez, most men have enough strength in the body to drive the ball further but are limited by forearm strength! This makes sense considering the wrists and hands are the last interface of force transmission between the body and club. As such, forearms/hands must be durable enough to transmit force output from the body.

Without enough forearm/hand durability, the nervous system will limit force output via inhibition/faulty-recruitment of muscles.    Both inhibition and faulty recruitment will limit drive yardage; and faulty recruitment, in fact, can also lead to injury/irritation. If you're trying to drive the ball further with weak wrists/forearms, you might as well also use a driver with a bendable shaft!

So now that we know that stronger forearm muscles yield the quickest drive increases for most, what are the best exercises for golf strength training? Well any type of exercise that challenges the forearm muscles to produce more force will suffice; but without much thinking, getting as strong as possible on the following exercises will deliver. Perform the following exercises no-more than 3 x/week.

Loaded Radial Deviation

As seen in the pictures above, performing loaded radial deviation can be done with the forearm supported in front of you while holding the end of an adjustable dumbbell or hammer. Repetitions are performed by allowing the far end of the dumbbell to descend to a pain-free limit followed by raising the end of the dumbbell to a vertical position. Once 15 reps can be performed add the smallest increment of weight.

Loaded Ulnar Deviation

In the above photos, the ulnar deviations are performed from above the head holding the end of an adjustable dumbbell. To perform reps allow the far end of the dumbbell to dip down to a comfortable limit then raise until the dumbbell is vertical. Once 15 reps can be performed add the smallest increment of weight.

Loaded Wrist Flexion

As depicted in the above photos, loaded wrist flexion is done with the forearm supported on the knee while the palm is facing upward. Start the reps by allowing the wrist to bend downward to a comfortable limit then bend the wrist fully upward. Once 15 reps can be performed add the smallest increment of weight.

Loaded Wrist Extension

The photo above looks almost identical to that of wrist flexion; however, the palm is downward. Start the reps by allowing the wrist to bend downward to a comfortable limit then bend the wrist fully upward. Once 15 reps can be performed add the smallest increment of weight.

Loaded supination/pronation

 As is the case with deviation, supination/pronation is performed by grasping the barrel of the dumbbell at one end. With supination/pronation, however, keeping the elbow bent +/- 90 degrees is critical to ensuring that shoulder rotation isn't being mistaken for supination/pronation. Perform the exercise by rotating the dumbbell in a windshield wiper motion to horizontal in each direction. Once 20 reps can be completed increase by the smallest increment of weight.

Conclusion

Though total body workouts are helpful for long-term improvement in fitness and sport, golf strength training can entail as little as forging forceful forearms. The forearms/hands transmit force produced by the body to the club and, if not strong enough, will incline the nervous system to artificially limit force to protect the wrists. Using forearm strengthening exercises for golf strength training, however, will forge wrists that transmit ball-destroying force!