Last updated 13:18, Tuesday, 04 March 2008

WELCOME to part two of my golf special.

Now we concentrate on forearms and upper arms.

As mentioned last week, shoulders play a major part in the transition from the top of the backswing to the power of the down swing.

Hopefully all of you will know now that muscle balance is of great importance especially in a sport like golf where BALANCE is the key.

In order for your shoulder muscles to be strong you need to ensure that the attached muscles are equally strong.

Biceps and triceps have always been considered a showpiece of the human body, this time we are going to use them in a functional manner not just for show.

You’re probably thinking how will having strong biceps and triceps improve my golf? Well the answer lies in how far you want to hit the ball.

I’m certainly not the best golfer in the world but I did notice a huge difference from when I never trained to the consistent trainer I am now. I found my swing more compact and the balance promoted from that extra strength allowed me to hit the ball at least 75 yards further than before.

I trained my arms constantly and I found it helped shoulder rotation in the follow through which in turn provided greater distance on certain shots.

Muscle bulk isn’t the objective, muscle strength is and that doesn’t necessarily mean muscle tone either. Performing the same old exercises of biceps and triceps won’t trigger the strength necessary for golf. It’s the sport specific movement you should consider to strengthen this area.

Most golfers tend to have a slack grip on the club which in turn can cause slices, hooks and even your club going further than the ball.

Increasing forearm strength will ensure a compact grip which will provide better feel for the club.

Let’s look at the exercises.

What equipment do I need to start? – Cable machines and pull-up bar.

What benefit will this have on my game? Cable machines are the best way to improve your golf game as it can simulate the back swing and the down swing.

What we are looking at doing is improving the left side for the down swing and the right side for the follow through.

What exercises will I be performing? – Tricep woodchop, bicep curl follow through, hanging pull-ups.

TRICEP WOODCHOP

Please excuse my exercise names, there is no true title on these exercises but you will get the idea as you perform them.

 What’s involved? – Use the cable machine in the gym. Adjust the setting so the cable is level with your eyeline.

Stand with your right lateral deltoid facing the cable. Ensure you stand two feet away from the cable machine so you don’t bang the weights. Knees flexed and maintain neutral alignment throughout. Grasp the handle with your left hand.

Your left arm should be across your chest at this point. Now pull the handle down towards the left side of your body by extending your elbow. Now go back to the starting position.

How does this benefit me? – We've already mentioned the woodchop for the shoulder, this is a similar movement.

However, this time we are extending the elbow fully to flex the tricep. This is very similar to a tricep extension the only difference is the deep pull you get from the starting position.

This compares to the down swing in golf. As the club starts the down swing so the left shoulder and tricep utilise the power part. The tricep extends at the point you hit the ball. With this exercise you will develop more spring and snap to that transition.

How many reps and sets should I perform? – Look to perform 15 reps with a reasonably light weight. Perform four sets of this. Remember to think rhythm, timing and correct form.

BICEP CURL FOLLOW THROUGH

What’s involved? – Same starting position as the tricep woodchop but instead of having the cable attachment on eye level adjust the attachment to the bottom.

Stand with your right lateral deltoid facing the cable machine. Grasp the handle. Flex your knees and maintain neutral spine throughout. Extend your right arm out to the side. This is the starting position. Now pull the handle up across your chest by flexing your right elbow.

At the point when the handle reaches the central alignment of your body position your feet like you are on the follow through of the golf swing. You should now have twisted your body so that your back is facing the cable machine.

At the same time keep flexing your elbow as this will increase the biceps strength through the concentric phase. You should finish with the cable touching your left front deltoid. Return to the starting position.

How does this benefit me? – This is perfect for simulating the follow through on a golf swing.

By making your feet act in the same manner as you should during that phase ensures you still flex your elbow to ensure added contraction on your right bicep.

It will work your obliques to a degree but the primary contraction is the right bicep. This will add power but also get you thinking about the follow through as it is practised on the golf course.

How many reps and sets should I perform? – Again look at performing four sets of 15 reps on a light weight.

HANGING PULL-UPS

What’s involved? – Find a pull up bar and grasp it shoulder width apart. Let your body weight hang for a maximum of 10 seconds. Now perform a one rep pull-up, hang for 10 seconds, perform a one rep pull-up, and hang for 10 seconds one rep pull up.

How does this benefit me? – This may seem quite extreme for a golfer but this actually promotes major strength and discipline in your forearms.

If you can hang your body weight for 10 seconds your grip strength will develop over time as it ensures you grip the bar correctly just like holding a golf club.

The pull up places your forearms and bicep under strain, however if you can manage to grip the bar lightly then the pull up will be manageable.

Every person's grip is different and the best golfers have tended to be the ones that don’t need to grip the club hard but rather feel the club as they hit the ball.

This pull up strategy develops a mental picture of the perfect grip which you can then switch to the golf course.

How many reps and sets should I perform? – Perform four sets.