Golf Fitness Exercises To Help Your Short Game

The connection between golf fitness exercisestheir short game on a physical level.
and the short game often times goes unnoticed.The second problem area indicated by Christopher
It is usually thought golf fitness exercises help uswith his student's short game centered upon the
generate more clubhead speed, add morefinite motor skills of these shots. These types of
distance to our drives, hit longer iron shots, andshots require a very high level of motor control.
play more consistently from the fairway. In thisMotor control is centered upon the interaction of
mix of benefits the short game is often lostthe brain, nerves, and muscles. It is essentially
when discussing golf fitness. Believe it or not golfyour brain telling your body what to do, how to
fitness exercises can benefit your short game indo it, and in what order. This is a result of your
a big way.brain coordinating movements of your muscles
The idea of golf fitness exercises and theirthrough the nervous system. The execution of
benefit to short game play came into focus duringyour brain "telling your body what to do" can be
a conversation with PGA Teaching professionaleither efficient or inefficient.
Christopher Smith. Christopher is a greatIf your brain, nervous system, and muscles are
instructor; he works with Nike Golf, is rated as aoperating efficiently, the execution of finite motor
top instructor in the Pacific Northwest, and wascontrol movements such as short game shots
recently featured in Golf Digest Magazine. Not toare easy. On the other hand, if your brain telling
long ago Christopher and I filmed a couple of golfyour nerves, and consequently your muscles
instruction videos together. One of the videoswhat to do is inefficient. The execution of finite
was on the short game.motor control movements, again such as short
The video we filmed was not your "typical" shortgame shots will be more difficult.
game video. Where we instructed you to placeI told Christopher motor control is the second
your feet here, clubface in this position, handsarea in which golf fitness exercises can be of
forward of the ball, etc, etc. It was a muchbenefit to the short game. The types of golf
better approach in the video and discussedfitness exercise beneficial to the short game are
concepts of the short game. Christopherbalance exercises. Balance exercises are a type
presented ways to think about short game shots,of golf fitness exercises.
and processes to improve your short game.These types of golf fitness exercises incorporate
One area he touched upon was how finite of anyour brain, nerves, and muscles. They have many
athletic action chipping and pitching are in the bigbenefits when it comes to the golf swing. Outside
picture. For example, the muscular strength in thethe benefit of creating higher levels of muscular
hands, forearms, and wrists are integral parts ofstrength and endurance, these exercises assist in
the short game. In addition so are the motor skillsmotor control.
of the nerves and muscles coordinating theLet me explain, we understand motor control is
movements involved in such golf shots.the interaction of your brain, nerves, and muscles.
Christopher's question to me in the video was inThe interaction can either be efficient or
relation to these exact topics. He flat out askedinefficient. Efficient motor control is good,
me:especially for finite muscular activities such as
"Sean, are there golf fitness exercises that canshort game shots. Golf fitness balance exercises
help in the short game? I find as an instructor,"challenge" your nervous and muscular system
physical limitations are showing up in some of myinteraction. Over time as these two systems are
student's short game. This is limiting their ability to"challenged" through exercise they become more
perform chips, pitches, and most shots from 100efficient. Essentially they operate together more
yards in. What are your thoughts?"efficiently. Resulting in higher levels of motor
I told Christopher there are absolutely golf fitnesscontrol and the ability to execute finite motor skills
exercises that can benefit any golfer's short(i.e. short game golf shots).
game. I first discussed the hands, wrists, andSo lets summarize this discussion between
forearms. To perform chip shots and pitches theChristopher Smith and myself. Golf fitness
hands, wrists, and forearms come into play. Inexercises are often overlooked as a benefit to
order to execute such shots consistently andshort game shots. The reality is different than
correctly a level of strength is needed withinmany individuals think. Golf fitness exercises can
these muscles. If the muscles within these partsassist the golfer's short game on a physical level.
of the body are weak and lack endurance, theIt does this in two ways; golf fitness exercises
ability to set the hands where they need to be,increase the strength in the muscles involved in
and hold the clubface in the correct position canshort game shots. Secondly, the short game is a
be compromised.finite motor control activity. Golf fitness balance
I said the easiest way to correct this problem onexercises can improve a golfer's motor control
a physical level is to implement a series of golfabilities, allowing them to execute finite activities
fitness exercises for the hands, wrists, andsuch as short game shots with greater ease.
forearms. These exercises will increase theBottom line, golf fitness exercises can benefit
muscular strength and endurance in these bodyevery aspect of the golf swing and the amateur's
parts. The end result will be an improvement ingolf game.