Improving your back strength has many positive implications for a golfer. Firstly, if you strengthen you’re back your will have greater power to use in your golf swing. You will also improve flexibility, stability and posture, amongst other things. And, as a lot of golfers are aware the golf swing applies a large amount of stress on the lumbar spine which explains why the most common injury in golfers is lower back pain. Therefore, training your back as a golfer is a great form of injury prevention.
Bio-mechanical forces on the trunk, shoulders and hip rotation place huge amounts of strain on the lumbar spine and research has found that the amount of compression loads during one single golf swing can be the equivalent of up to eight times our body weight.
This is quite startling when you consider the number of repetitions an average golfer performs a week during practice and play.
Amateur golfers have also been found to be more prone to lower back injuries and pain than professionals, this is largely due to being less skilled, so generally having less efficient movement patterns when swinging, while repetition of these inefficient movement patterns through lots of range time increases the injury through overuse. That and hitting more golf shots during a round.
In addition to less skilled movements which places more stress on the lower back, there are also the postural issues that may come from the sedentary lifestyles that we live; prolonged sitting at our desks and driving to work.
Long periods of time spent in these positions impacts our posture and can lead to muscle imbalances. Commonly people will tend to get tight in their hip flexors and lower back, the opposing muscles of the glutes and abdominals, and will become weak due to this.
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These muscle imbalances impact the position of the pelvis, creating what we call anterior pelvic tilt. TPI refers to this as S-Posture as the lower back takes on an S shaped curve.
This adds a lot of pressure on the lower back and combining this with high repetitions of the golf swing, the lower back will be placed under a lot of stress and strain that it will struggle to cope with and there comes a point when it will start to break down.
I often find with the general population that the glutes are not working as they should. This can lead to lower back pain as the glutes create movements in the hip that are key to an effective golf swing such as rotation and extension. When the glutes are weak or not used, the lower back often is the area that picks up the added load.
Best Back Strength Workout for Golfer’s
1) Dumbbell Row – Single Arm
These are a great workout, that targets the upper back. One leg and hand is resting on a bench, with the dumbbell in the opposite hand. Keeping the back as flat as possible, bracing the core, pull the dumbbell up. As the you’re at the top of the movement squeeze the shoulder blade and then slowly release down.
These should be repeated 8-12 times, for 3 sets. Remember to choose a weight that you’re confident with.
2) Lat Pull Down
This is a great exercise for golfers as it targets the lats which are the main source of power during the downward pulling motion in the golf swing. They also play a huge part in rotational movement and power.
There is a few different grip options for a lat pull down but the standard overhand grip works well. Choose an appropriate weight to perform 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets. As you pull down squeeze at the bottom and don’t rush through each rep.
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3) Pull Ups
Whilst pull ups may sound daunting to a lot of golfers there are many different regressions to help build yourself up to a pull up.
Many gyms now have assisted pull up machines, or alternatively banded pull ups provide a level of support.
Negative pull ups work the same muscles and are a great way of training your back.
4) Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a great whole body exercises but work well for golfers at it targets the lower back. These are traditionally done with a barbell, with an emphasis on keeping the back straight as you don’t want any unnecessary strain to be caused.
Choosing a suitable weight, bend the knees and hips to pick up the bar and drive upwards. As this is a strenuously exercise keep reps low around 6-8 and aim for 4 sets. This will vary depending on the weight.
5) Seated Cable Row
Much like any row, this exercise is a great part of any golfer’s workout. It’s great for increasing strength in the lats as well as increasing core stability.
Sitting on the machine with a neutral spine is important. Your body shouldn’t be dragged by the weight, so choose something you feel comfortable with. Pull the cable towards you and squeeze your should blades at the top of the movement.
These can be repeated 10-12 reps through for 3 sets, dependant on your chosen weight.
Mobility Exercises to Prevent Back Pain for Golfer’s
1) Glute Bridges
2) Banded hip extensions
3) Single leg glute bridges
As well as developing glute strength and pelvic stability, it’s also very important to strengthen the abdominals (anterior core) and oblique muscles. Again to help resist the forces that the golf swing places on our lower backs.
These exercises are great to help develop our ability to avoid extension and rotation of the lumbar spine. Of the whole spinal process, the lumbar is designed to have the least amount of movement. These exercises help to keep it stable and able to better resist rotational forces.
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4) KB Leg Lowers
4) Cat Cow Stretch
Having the ability to segment and move through the spine helps to maintain a healthy back but also allows us to create movement.
Cat camels are a great exercise for this as you work through flexion (rounding of the spine) and extension (arching of the spine). Any limitations in either of these movement patterns will result in some form of compensation.
Dynamic Golf: Rachel Tibbs
The above golf exercise videos are by our resident strength and conditioning coach Rachel Tibbs. She is a TPI L2 certified S&C coach, who is the owner of Dynamic Golf at The Bunker in Leeds. She offers a range of services designed to improve your golf performance, health, and fitness.
If you’re not local, you won’t miss out as Dynamic Golf also offers online coaching! Each session includes personalised programming through the DynamicGolf app. This allows players to receive tailored guidance and track your progress remotely, ensuring that your golf performance and fitness goals are consistently met, no matter where you are. There are four different package options available to choose from here.
In person sessions include a one hour assessment session to help see where Rachel can best help your golf game, followed by an introductory session. From here, there are four membership package options to choose from to continue your golf fitness development.
If you want to find out more, you can visit the Dynamic Golf website, email info@dynamic-golf.co.uk or follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube.
Conclusion
Not all back issues are muscular and I would always seek medical advice for severe or prolonged cases. But if it’s muscular or you know you are restricted in movement, then performing these exercises can help improve that and will make a real difference to your golf game.
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Strengthening of the surrounding muscles will help support and protect the lumbar spine from the inevitable forces that the golf swing places on our body.
If you’re struggling to get to the gym, why not check out our at home workout for golfers.
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