A Golf-Pro Workout from Pro Golfer Blair O’Neal
Blair O’Neal, a model and pro golfer, shared this workout with our readers and explains why she does these specific exercises to improve her strength, power, and performance both on and off the golf course. Check it out:
Dumbbell Side Lunges
Stand holding one dumbbell with both hands in front of your body. Starting with the right leg, lunge out to the right perpendicular to the direction you are facing. Lunge to a low, yet comfortable squat, before exploding back up to your original standing position. Move on to the left side. Remember to keep the dumbbell free hanging at all times in order to avoid your arms helping with the exercise. I recommend women do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps and men do 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
BLAIR: The dumbbell side lunges help with power in the golf swing. The lateral exploding motion closely replicates what we do particularly off the tee and how we get our power from the lower body.
Bosu Ball Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows
With dumbbells in hand, start by stepping on a Bosu ball and establishing an athletic foundation with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart. By engaging the core muscles, bend over slightly into a position similar to your golf swing. Drop your hands to your knees so that your arms are essentially free hanging to your knees. With an overhand grip on the dumbbells (palms facing your knees), lift the dumbbells from the hanging position to just under your chest line. Make sure to keep the rest of your body locked in position by continuing to engage your core. Squeeze your upper back muscles as you lift the dumbbells. Return to the hanging position. I recommend doing 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.
BLAIR: I do this exercise to help my posture on and off the course. As golfers, we spend a lot of our day hunched over so it is important to work out your back in the opposite direction. Also, I do this exercise with a Bosu ball because I try to engage my core in almost every exercise I do. Core is the fundamental strength for every golfer.
Medicine Ball Planks
To start this exercise, assume the top of a pushup position with a medicine ball under your body. With your core engaged, shift your hands one at a time onto the medicine ball. Once you’ve established your balance, make sure your body is a straight line with your legs, back and neck all in line. Hold for as long as you can. I recommend super-setting these with elbow planks, abdominal crunches or other core exercises. As long as you’re going to failure, two sets should do the trick.
BLAIR: I do a lot of variations of planks so this is just one of many. The core is so fundamental to the golf swing so I try to incorporate it into whatever exercise I am doing if possible. Working out the other parts of your body without working out your core is like inflating the tires on your car and filling up the gas tank, but forgetting to fix the engine. Working out the other parts of your body and your core will make you more powerful!
