Stronger Abs for Golf

Everyone wants a firm midsection. For the golfer, it delivers much more than just a coveted physique. Stronger abdominal muscles convert to better balance and a more powerful swing. Your abs are part of a group of core muscles, which also includes the back and glutes. Strength in these muscles are vital to a golfer's stability and power. Stronger core muscles can also prevent injuries to the hips and back.

The abs play an integral role in the core muscle group. Weaker abdominal muscles can place more work on the other core muscles, therefore reducing overall strength as well as open the door for possible injuries and strain. It's important as you work to strengthen your abs that you try to exercise in a manner that will have some carry-over to your golf swing.

Regardless of your current fitness level, strength in the core muscle group should always be one of your top goals.

Here are some exercises to help strengthen your abs and better prepare you for your next round of golf.

Reverse Crunch

Instruction:

? Lie on your back with your legs bent on top of a Swiss ball. Find an area of the ball you can grip well with your leg muscles.

? Contract your abdominals and roll the ball up towards your chest

? Lift your hips off the ground using your abdominal muscles

Target initially for 1-2 sets of 10-12 reps each.

Double Crunch

Instruction:

? Lie on the floor face up.

? Bend your knees until your legs are at a 45-degree angle with both feet on the floor.

? Your back should be comfortably relaxed on the floor with your hands behind your head.

?Contracting your abdominals, raise your head and legs off the floor toward one another.

? Slowly return to the starting position stopping just short of your shoulders and feet touching the floor.

? Keep your eyes on the ceiling to avoid pulling on your neck.

? Your hands should not be used to lift the head or assist in the movement.

Target initially for 1-2 sets of 10-12 reps each.

Remember, a stronger core can result in a more predictable, powerful and consistent golf swing.

Susan Hill is a CHEK golf biomechanic and President of http://www.fitnessforgolf.com. Her work is featured in Golf Illustrated, Resort Living and SELF magazine among others.

---

How To Create Better Shoulder Stability For Golf

Shoulder stability is essential to packing a powerful golf swing. Without stability, flexibility and strength in your shoulders your swing is not going to be as efficient or effective as it could be.... Read More

Top of the Mountain: The Masters, Augusta, GA

If you're a stockbroker, the center of the world is New York. If you are a commodities trader, it's Chicago.But if you're a golfer, the center of the world is?a little further south."You... Read More

Golf Club Swing Weights

A golf club's swing weight helps the player to be able to feel the club head hit the ball. This helps each of the clubs to have the same feel for continuity purposes.Low... Read More

Golf Swing Technique And How To Improve It

There are two approaches to achieving a better golf swing. There is improving your physical capabilities?and improving your golf swing technique.How many times has your teaching pro recommended a golf swing technique change... Read More

Choosing a Golf Swing Training Aid

Golf swing training aid clubs are a great way to learn how to swing your golf club correctly and more powerfully. There are many different kinds of training aid clubs available on the... Read More

Golf Exercise Tip ? How To Warm Up

A useful golf exercise tip to take into consideration is the fact that warming up before your game of golf can dramatically help you improve the quality of your game.The warm up session... Read More

The One Lever Golf Swing Involves Chipping And Putting

The one lever golf swing involves chipping and putting. To improve you one lever golf swing these are the two areas to work on.First of all we will talk about chipping as part... Read More

5 Keys to Mental Toughness for Junior Golfers

If you have any interest in seeing first hand the impact that mental toughness has on sport performance, go no further than the PGA or LPGA Qualifying tournaments or "Q-School". Each year for... Read More

Facts and Fallacies of Strength Training for Golf

Various aspects of golf training have expanded rapidly, but one area of development that has caught on somewhat slowly is golf-specific strength training. Not until very recently has this specific need been addressed.... Read More

My Golf Buddies Belly Laugh Watching My Stiff and Choppy Golf Swing - How Can I Fix It?

We would all like to have a fluid, beautiful swing like Adam Scott, power off the tee like Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, and the ability to repeat that swing round after round,... Read More

Gaining the Correct Golf Swing Plane

The golf swing plane is the direction that your golf club travels during your swing. This is a very important key to playing golf correctly and well. Imagine a sheet of glass that... Read More

Unique Mental Challenges for Women Golfers

The game of golf provides trials for every player, independent of the player's gender. However, for some women in our society, there is a special challenge.Women in the Western world have traditionally been... Read More

Improve Your Putting By Developing Rock Solid Confidence On The Green

All of us have missed a short putt before. It is frustrating to miss something you know you can make! And most often a missed short putt can cause a chain reaction of... Read More

Get Moving and Save Strokes

Whether you walk the course or ride a cart, a round of golf can leave the aerobically unfit golfer dragging by the late holes. Aerobic training improves lung capacity, circulation, and muscular endurance... Read More

Functional Exercise For Golf WarrantsThe Quickest Results

Functional exercise for golf can mean different things to different golfers. But the key is to take a look at the golf swing mechanics and devise golf exercises, drills, and golf programs to... Read More

Mental Toughness for Golfers: Avoiding Comfort Zones in Golf

A comfort zone becomes a problem whenever a player is playing better than expected or is breaking new ground. I teach golfers how to break out of self-limiting expectations and preconceived beliefs. Comfort... Read More

Top 14 Tips for Selecting A Golf School

With the increase in number of schools for learning Golf, it has become necessary for the learner to find out a school that suits him best from all the angles. Here are the... Read More

The Inspirational Power Of A Golf Training Video

Many golf training videos in the market today will show you in great detail, how some of the PGA professionals do it and the so-called secrets behind their success.From detailed specifics on why... Read More

Selecting A Golf Gift That No Golfer Will Forget

Even as you contemplate on getting a golf gift for a close friend or acquaintance, you may have heard other golfers complain on numerous occasions about how useless some golf aid equipment they... Read More

What Can A Golf Exercise Routine Do For Those Who Are Happy With Their Game

Can a golf exercise routine be useful to a golfer who is happy with the current quality of their game?You bet it can. While there are many useful benefits of a golf exercise... Read More

Golf on Historic Rice Plantations of South Carolina; a Special Treat! Plan Your Next Golf Vacation!

Nothing could be finer...Just a few short miles south of Myrtle Beach South Carolina, well known for it's 100 plus golf courses, you'll find Georgetown County, a monument to the fine tradition of... Read More

Hogans Real Golf Secret

Ben Hogan's secret was his extraordinary ability to focus. This was not a gift from heaven. No, Hogan spent long hours perfecting his focus technique.Robert DeLeon, my mentor and a golf biomechanics instructor,... Read More

Are You Having Trouble Sustaining Energy On The Back Nine?

Loss of stamina and endurance toward the end of an eighteen-hole round of golf happens to many golfers and can often be attributed to poor nutrition. To keep up the pace and go... Read More

Who Invented The Game Of Golf?

Well, who actually did invent the game of Golf? The question has been asked and argued for many years with no true winner. Many countries have a valid claim to an early game... Read More

How Better Course Management Can Lower Your Golf Score

Whether you are just starting to learn golf, or you have been golfing for many years and you're just looking to refine your game, this will provide a good direction of focus for... Read More

Improve Your Golf Game With Perfect Golf Swing Drills

Perfect golf swing drills will help your golf game improve dramatically.There are perfect golf swing drills you can do on your own. You may want to take lessons that will center around perfect... Read More

Essential Information on Choosing the Best Golf Clubs to Suit Your Game

Most golfers, whether a beginner or a pro, struggle when trying to decide which golf club to buy. The buying process becomes easier when the consumer has a good understanding of the types... Read More

The Basic Golf Swing Is Pure Physics

If you've been on a golf course and have tried to use all your strength in the basic golf swing so that you hit the ball as far as possible, then you will... Read More

Training For Golf Combines Technical, Physical, Mechanical and Tactical

When most golfers think of the elements of the game upon which they want to improve, the vast majority think in terms of either technical elements or think about outcome. "I want to... Read More