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Here is Freddy with Ken Pierce and Coach Joey D looking very happy that his conditioning session is over for today. We are also laughing because Ken told Freddy that his shirt was too short....and Freddy told Ken that his pants were too high.

Coach Joey D performing a Tri-Plane Movement Pattern

In the following video, Coach Joey D performs his Tri-Plane movement pattern to the right and to the left. Try to perform these movements in a rythmic and fluid motion. It is best to perfomr these while holding a weighted club like the GolfGym Club 28 or 38.

Perform this movement pattern at least 5 times in both directions. It will help to open the shoulders and hips. The pattern is: 1) Right Front Lunge and lift, 2) Right step to 2 o'clock and lift, 3) Back to the starting position, 4) Right turn to 4 o'clock with full rotation, 5) Back to the start and perform the same sequence to the left at front, 10 o'clock, 8 o'clock with full rotation and back to the start. Good Luck!

Strength, Flexibility and Balance – Developing a “Strong Swing”

Is there such a thing as a Strong Swing? I say yes, and here’s why. Think about it. If you strengthen the muscles in your legs you walk easier and for longer distances, and you would say you have strong legs. If you strengthen the muscles in your arms you pick up and carry things more easily, and you would say you have strong arms.

I think the same holds true for your golf swing. If you strengthen the exact muscles you use in the golf swing, odds are that your swing will become stronger, smoother and more consistent. Your swing should then be able to withstand the rigors of 18 holes with 70 – 100+ golf swings, some of which have to be dug out of the deep rough or sand.

The following exercise will help you develop a strong consistent golf swing while working on your balance, posture and flexibility. I am using the GolfGym® PowerSwing Trainer. It is a latex resistance tube based unit attached to a golf training grip. Place the foam pad under your left foot (for right handed golfers). You can put it under your right foot, but for this exercise go with your left foot in order to feel more resistance on your backswing.

Get yourself in a really good set up position (golf posture) with the end of the grip pointing to an imaginary ball. Feel your weight over the inside center of your feet and in balance. This will create a very solid foundation. Start to take the grip back to a full backswing position. You will feel the resistance. As you take it back to the top, try to use your big turning muscles, not just your arms. Concentrate on doing the exercise correctly and slowly. Feel yourself “loading” over your right foot. Hold that position for the count of 2. Take a quick peek at your arms hands and shoulder position and make corrections if need be.

Start your downswing slowly (with your hip turn), resisting the pull of the tubing, but allowing the tubing to pull you into the slot. That sounds contradictory, but you will feel what I mean when you do it. Keep that good wrist cock until you get to the impact position. The tubing actually helps to keep your hands in the correct position.

Continue through impact to a finished position somewhere between your belt and your shoulders. Hold that fully extended position for the count of 2. You will feel the muscles in your core, legs and arms firing to hold that position. Come back to the start position and do 8 - 10 repetitions. When 8 - 10 repetitions become easy, simply pick up the pace and do 15 - 20 repetitions without stopping to set up or holding at the top.

Key points to remember while doing this exercise:

Maintain a good foundation and posture in your stance (a mirror really helps).
Concentrate on turning around your spine. Not swaying side to side.
Turn as far as you can on the backswing. That will help with your flexibility.
Stay in balance as you swing. Think of your weight centered over the inside of your feet.

This exercise can be done every day, and is especially good to do about 10 minutes before you step up to the first tee when playing. When you use it to warm up before playing, swing as smoothly as possible and stay in a good golf posture. Be sure to pick up your driver and take 10 – 12 smooth swings to adjust to the weight. You are now ready to play the best round of your life....or at least this month.

Balance In Your Stance

Balance is defined in the dictionary as:

A Physical Equilibrium, the ability to retain ones balance
Mental and Emotional Steadiness
To bring to a State or Position of Equipoise

These definitions are all well and good, but what is meant by balance when it comes to golf? Let’s try to explain it a little better to your body.

To develop better balance overall, you need to strengthen the muscles in your body that are responsible for keeping you in balance. These muscles are mainly in your core and legs. If you are able to stand on one leg for 30 seconds while focusing on a spot on the wall or floor, it would indicate some ability to maintain balance. But, add in a golf swing while still on one leg and you will notice some added challenges. You are now requiring all the “stabilizing” muscles to fire and assist in holding you in that position.

The following exercise will help your stabilizing muscles to get stronger and help you become more balanced and stable in your stance and your swing. This exercise also helps to strengthen your quadriceps and your golf posture.

I am standing on foam half rounds while holding a weighted training club out in front of me while maintaining a good golf posture. If you don’t have foam half rounds, you can use pieces of 2” x 4” wood or another type of balance pads. If you don’t have balance pads or a weighted club just do the exercise on the floor with two clubs.

There are a few elements at work here. Balancing on the pads is one aspect, holding the weighted club out in front is another, and moving over your right foot to get the feel of balancing on your right side is the third. The ideal situation is to have the weight on the inside of your right foot. Notice in the photo that my weight has incorrectly shifted over the outside of my right foot. It is one of the faults in my own stance which I have to work on regularly.

Hold that position for a count of 10 if possible. You will feel this in your legs big time. Your stabilizing muscles are really working and will become stronger.

Now move your weight to your left side to balance over the inside of your left foot. Hold that position for the count of 10. Be sure to keep from going too far with your hips. This exercise is about keeping your weight within the area of the width of your stance.

Perform this exercise every other day if you can. You will notice a more stable and balanced stance. It is said that the golf swing starts from the legs up. Practicing this exercise will definitely help you develop your swing from strong stable legs up.

Your best golf score is waiting for you to make it happen….so make it happen.

Resistance To Change

For the last few years we have been hearing the word “change” being used over and over as it related to political campaigns. Change is good if it means you are improving or changing your circumstances to have a better life, better marriage or even a better golf swing.

There are some people who resist change because it might be too scary or too challenging. Whatever the reason, change may be necessary in order to move to a better place or circumstance in life.

In my opinion, neither your body nor your golf swing will change without resistance, resistance training, that is. Simply stated, resistance training is that which causes your muscles to work harder than normal in order to, over time, get stronger to perform better.

Body builders realize the benefit of resistance training when they use barbells or free weights do develop a stronger, more muscular body.

Golfers need to develop more muscle strength if they want to ward off injury and perform better overall. Although, heavy duty weight training, like body builders is not the answer. Using lighter weights or best of all, resistance cords or bands, is the best way for golfers to get the benefit of the resistance along with the smooth consistent motion or action the bands promote.

PGA Tour Coach Joey D has been using resistance cords with his touring professionals for over 10 years. Just recently, he and GolfGym® created his Signature Series of PowerBandz that are designed for, and used in, the PGA Tour Vans. The great part is that they are portable and come with a DVD that includes the exact same exercises and techniques that he uses to train his players on the Tour.

Because rotation and club head speed go hand in hand, here are some specific exercises to help you train those muscles to perform at their best. Another benefit to using the bands is that you can maintain a good golf posture throughout the entire range of the exercises. Free weights or machines are not set up to allow you to stay in good golf posture while performing the exercises.The consistent resistance of the bands helps to achieve noticeable results.

This exercise can really help with the “slingshot” effect. Start your takeaway and feel the resistance as you go back. The bands want to pull you back into the slot. As they pull you, be aware of the negative resistance and the position of your hips as they rotate along with your hands to just past impact. As you get better with this, you can work with the resistance to “slingshot” your hands and hips through impact, thereby increasing club head speed.

This movement pattern opens up the chest area to help with flexibility while strengthening the chest, shoulders and back. Perform this movement to the left and right, it will help you to develop greater rotation and strength while maintaining a good golf posture.

Here, Joey D is performing another rotational exercise designed to help with the association of the hips and the torso. It is also great for strengthening the shoulders and back.

Finally, Joey D is working with the PowerSwing Trainer on the takeaway drill. This helps to ingrain the feeling of the one piece takeaway. This is a perfect warm up exercise just before stepping up to the first tee.

So, if you are resistant to change….that may be a bad thing.

But, if you use resistance to change…. that is a good thing, a very good thing.

Click here to learn even more about
PGA Tour Coach Joey D

Richard Johnson

Fredrik Jacobson