A strong golf swing relies on the coordination of your leg, hip, trunk, shoulder and arm muscles. If one link in the chain is weak, you'll disrupt the efficient transfer of energy from your lower body to your hands. The core rotation is key to creating the club head acceleration that results in long golf shots. Improve your core strength and you'll hit your balls farther.
Russian Twist
To work the core muscles responsible for the side-to-side movement in a golf swing, perform eight to 12 repetitions of a Russian Twist, doing three sets of this exercise during your workout. Sit on the floor with your legs bent, heels toward your buttocks. Hold a medicine ball or other weight arm's length away from your body and move side to side, using your core muscles, not your arms. You can perform this exercise standing, as well. Don't "bounce" at the end of your twist--slow down into your stop, pause for one second, then slowly twist back the opposite way. Try to feel constant tension in your core muscles.
Ab Roller
An ab roller is a small wheel with a short bar through it that you use to roll forward and backward, balancing your body's weight with your core muscles. You can start from a kneeling position with your hands on the handle of the ab roller, which should be situated under your chest. Slowly lean forward, letting the ab roller move forward, until you are as straight and low as you can get. Using your core muscles, bring yourself up to your starting position. As you build arm and abdominal strength, you can try this exercise on your toes instead of your knees, like a push-up. Eventually, you can begin the exercise standing. Moving the ab roller forward and then to one side adds an oblique workout.
Oblique Crunches
Standard sit-ups and crunches have you move forward and backward. To work your oblique muscles, which are located to the side and middle of the front of your torso, and help you rotate during a golf swing, perform oblique crunches. Lie on your side with your hand behind your head, using the hand on the side that is closest to the ground. Bend your knees forward, toward your chest. Slowly raise your head and upper body far off the floor as you can using your core muscles, and hold for one second before lowering. Try to keep yourself off the floor the entire time to keep constant tension in your obliques. As you build strength, raise your knees off the ground at the same time you are raising your head. Perform eight to 12 reps and three sets during your workout.
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