With Shawn O’Neil
There is a big difference between what training for golf looks like on the internet and what it should look like for the vast majority of golfers.
Jon Rahm smashing heavy deadlifts or Rory McIlroy squatting almost double his bodyweight may be what we see on social media, but this isn’t what most club golfers should be doing… at least not straight away!
What we don’t see on social media is the preparation that leads up to being able to do these things in the gym.
For club golfers, and top professionals, injury prevention is a top priority so they can play more golf, to a better standard, for longer.
Rory started training because of back pain, so putting loads of weight on his shoulders and squatting didn’t happen straight away. When Bryson DeChambeau spent 18 months preparing his body for his size and strength gains, he too started to work specifically on reducing back pain. Both of these players, like all top athletes, have done the groundwork first in order to safely gain strength and build speed to ultimately increase driving distance and improve their scoring.
Back, neck, knee and elbow pain are so often down to what your body can do, or rather, what it can’t do. That may also be the cause of struggling to create a new position with your swing coach.
If you’re considering training to help your golf in any way, it’s vital you are assessed by a professional in order to address your individual needs effectively and safely. From there, creating a programme to move better and build strength both reduces the risk of injury and sets you on the right track to improve your golf game.
