Three exercises to strengthen your swing (golf and tennis)
Three exercises to strengthen your swing (golf and tennis)
These counterintuitive movements may be just what your game needs
By Tania Haas, Staff Writer
They are among the most important, and the most neglected, areas for golf and tennis players to strengthen. Weak side-to-side mobility and rotational muscles could be the reason your game has plateaued according to Brendan Fox, Head Fitness Trainer at Medcan.
“Many tennis players and golfers focus on the more familiar sagittal plane exercises, where the body moves forward and backward, or they focus on routines that are deficient from a biomechanical approach,” says Fox. “Strengthening all three planes enhances your game and prevents you from developing back pain and injuries.”
Fox recommends following a program created by a fitness professional that helps you master the movement patterns related to your chosen sport.
These three exercises (modelled by fitness trainers and team leads Sean Trotman and Tremayne Mischey) are a great start to enhance your flexibility, stability and power.
Upward diagonal rotations. Strengthens upward core rotation and shoulders. Develops all three planes.
Set cable pulley (or resistance band) at mid-thigh height, with a single handle. Set resistance to 12 to 25 lbs.
Stand sideways to pulley. The wider the stance, the more stable you’ll be.
Grab pulley with outside hand on handle first, inside hand wrapped over outside hand.
Keep hips still, wrists firm and arms straight, as you bring handle up and across body in a diagonal arc.
Reverse and repeat. If pulley cable hits your shoulders, slide further back or push handles further out in front of you.
Do 4 to 6 slow reps and then immediately “krank out”.
Low pulley side bends.
Strengthens obliques, quadrates lumborum and forearms. Develops frontal plane.
Set cable pulley (or resistance band) at ankle height, with single handle. Determine your resistance level with a personal trainer. 40 to 80 lbs is reasonable weight.
Stand sideways to pulley, grab pulley with inside hand, and stand with a really wide stance for better stability.
Place free hand behind your head. Side bend your torso away from the pulley.
Side bend back up to center and repeat, completing all reps before changing sides.
Progression: do 6 slow reps (6 seconds on the way back) followed by 12 fast reps.
Do 4 to 6 slow reps (1 second up, 6 seconds down) then immediately “krank out” 12 fast reps (1 up, 1 down).
Downward diagonal rotations.
Strengthens downward core rotation and lats. Develops all three planes.
Set pulley high (or resistance band) above head height, wing a single handle. Set resistance to 20 to 35 lbs.
Stand sideways to pulley. The wider the stance, the more stable you’ll be.
Grab pulley with outside hand on handle first, inside hand wrapped over outside hand.
Keep hips still, wrists firm and arms straight, as you bring handle down and across body in a diagonal arc.
Reverse and repeat. If pulley cable hits your shoulders, slide further back or push handles further out in front of you.
Do 4 to 6 slow reps and then immediately “krank out”.
These three exercises are taken from “The Krankenstein”, one of the many customized circuits created by Head Trainer Brendan Fox, BA.KIN, CSCS, SPN, EFT, FMS 2, CHEK 3, HLC 2, GPS.
