Stability for Golfers
The way practitioners use the word "stability" drives me almost as crazy as when they use the term "imbalance."
If you've been following for awhile, you know how I feel about imbalances...
What I am referring to as Stability...
To me, stability plays two different roles in our movement.
First, at the joint level, we need to look at the stability of the joint. Is the joint capable of achieving all ranges of motion in a controlled, stable manner?
This would fall under the "core stability" bucket too as a central job of our core musculature is to stabilize the many joints found in our spine and pelvic areas.
Secondly, we can look at a more holistic stability and ask, can my body maintain a position amongst diverse and dynamic external forces?
For example, your golf swing falls within this second bucket.
Both of these are important definitions and ways to viewing stability. We need both of them - the micro-joint stability and more macro-holistic stability.
How do we GROW STABILITY?
This goes for both levels of stability, we need to first and foremost strengthen.
Strength is the singular most critical component of stability.
A weak joint is going to be unstable.
A weak body is going to be unstable.
In order to build stability, we need to get stronger.
There are many ways to get stronger, but to sum it up, progressively load the joint and body with diverse stresses.
There are other elements of stability such as coordination, mobility (yes mobility plays a role in stability), and motor control.
But strength is by far the most important.
BE SKEPTICAL...
Stability is one of the most butchered terms on social media.
Coaches will put athletes through ridiculously complex exercises and say they're doing it for "stability."
Buncha bs.
You aren't creating any adaptations.
If there's a bosu ball, a light flimsy band, or a golf club involved... they more than likely aren't growing true stability.
The BEST WAY TO GROW STABILITY
[1.] Load the body holistically via strength training exercises.
Squats.
Lunges.
Rows.
Deadlifts.
RDLs.
etc.
[2.] Challenge joints and the body in diverse and progressive ways.
For example...
Slowly progress the weight being lifted.
Change the variation of squat or lunge that you are doing consistently.
Change the loading tool being applied - a band, barbell and dumbbell will all load the body in slightly different ways.
Here are 3 of my current favorite STABILITY exercises for Golfers.
You'll quickly see, they aren't much different than our primary strength building exercises.
DB Goblet Lateral Lunges
Barbell RDL
Single Arm DB Bench Press
Let's go low.
Carter Schmitz
Founder and Head Coach SCRATCHGolfTraining.com - And Part-Time Looper
CSCS, TPI
Carter is a strength and conditioning coach out of the Milwaukee area working with athletes, in-person and virtually. Having helped hundreds of athletes, ranging from the middle school to the professional level and beyond, Carter brings a breadth of experience and knowledge to every athlete he works with. He launched SCRATCHGolfTraining.com in the summer of 2021 to help empower golfers to greater performance and longevity.
Carter believes ALL golfers are athletes, and they should be training accordingly.
Become a SCRATCH Athlete today, and start training like the ATHLETE you are!
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