Are You Strong Enough For Golf?

The golf swing is very complex and involves multiple dynamic movements through a number of powerful muscle contractions. In addition to the massive forces generated by your swing, your body also has to endure up to eight times its body weight in compressive forces, ie: decelerating the swing, absorbing force from hitting the ground and ball, as well as the twisting forces of the swing itself.

Can your body tolerate these forces?  Have you ever felt lower back fatigue after your round?

It is the musculoskeletal system's job to absorb these forces, however, your body's strength starts to decrease drastically as early as age 30.  Typically, an adult will lose 30% of their muscle mass  between the ages of 40-70, with 3-5% of muscle mass being lost in their 30’s. This phenomenon is called sarcopenia, and yes, it can be stopped or, at a minimum, slowed down.

Functional strength training will mitigate and in some cases reverse loss of strength.  Functional Training should incorporate compound exercises, such as lunges, back rows, squatting, running, pushing and rotational exercises.  A lot of people “believe” they know the proper form for these exercises since you’ve done most of them since you were a child, but if you have poor form with back rows, for example, this could compound the problem.  Proper form not only will make the exercises easier to complete but also allow you to gain the most out of the activity.   

Performing this type of training will not only mitigate the effects of aging but will reduce injury and allow you to hit the ball further and more consistent!  Take 15-20 minutes before each round and see the results both physically and on the course. 

Meet the Author:

Dr. Brandon Cruz, PT, DPT, OCS, SCS, CSCS, FAAOMPT

Founder, Pursue PT

www.pursueptnow.com

Dr. Brandon Cruz is a Partner at Mosaic Golf and the Founder of Pursue Physical Therapy. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from Temple University and continued his postgraduate work at UMDNJ, now Rutgers University, where he went on to graduate with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. Dr. Cruz is fellowship trained and has obtained an elite distinction holding duel Board Certifications in Orthopedic and Sports Rehabilitation (OCS), (SCS) putting him in the top 1% of all practitioners in the country.

During his time at Temple, Dr. Cruz was fortunate enough to work side-by-side with the university’s top physical therapist and strength coaches to help facilitate rehab programs for their Division 1 athletes. Dr. Cruz also spent time at The University of Florida’s Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute where he had the opportunity to work with rising D-1 Athletes across a number of sports. He is also an active member and advocate for the APTA sports, orthopedic sections, and (AAOMPT). 

Dr. Cruz is also Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Certified. He leverages this expertise to help golfers construct their body for their perfect swing. As an avid golfer, he is continually striving to enhance the game.