Fitness
This super-ripped tour pro tells how to get explosive
When it comes to generating power in the golf swing, the legs feed the wolf. And the simple squat is perhaps the most popular exercise for strengthening key muscles like the hips, glutes and quads.
The traditional back squat, with the bar resting behind the neck, is a common power exercise, but PGA Tour player Scott Stallings prefers the front squat, where the weight stays in front of the chest. “Golfers are in a bent-over position so much that we don’t need to put more vertical load on the spine,” he explains.
Stallings offers a great variation called the Goblet Squat. It helps golfers gain explosiveness through the legs by increasing ground-force production. Equally important, it protects the back from injury and emphasizes form and mobility over heavy weight.
Grab a dumbbell that you feel comfortable with and hold it under your chin, cradling it in the base of your palms with your elbows pointed out. Because the weight is in front of you, it should be easier to keep your chest up and your body in posture. Before getting started, Stallings says to double-check that your wrists, hips and knees are vertically aligned.
Watch Stallings demonstrate below:
Once you reach the bottom of the squat, pause and take a moment to open up your hips, Stallings says. “Sometimes I’ll drive my elbows out to stretch my hips.” From there, make an explosive push off the ground and return to the starting position. Complete 8-10 reps at a slow and controlled pace.
Stallings has become something of a fitness legend on tour for his physical transformation from 240 pounds to 185, from soft to shredded. He’s also authentic and likable, which bodes well for his new YouTube channel (click here to check it out). Each episode gives a glimpse of life as a tour player, along with some golf and fitness tips from Stallings.
Learn to work out like the pros or just get started with a golf-specific routine on Golf Digest Schools. Pick from more than two dozen full fitness programs, and boost your power, mobility and energy level. Find out what a little at-home fitness can do for your game.