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4 Essential Tips to Stay Consistent with Your Golf Fitness Routine
By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on
Welcome to the fourth installment of the PGA.com Fitness Series! Today, we're focusing on a topic that hampers a lot of fitness gains.
Consistency.
Consistency is the cornerstone of any successful strength training program for golf. To make meaningful progress, you must commit to training sessions and, when you run into roadblocks, having alternative workout strategies ensures you maintain momentum toward your golf performance and overall fitness goals.
And we're here to help. The guide below focuses on practical solutions to maintain your training consistency. Let's get started.
Resistance Bands: Your Most Versatile Travel Companion
The first critical tool for training consistency is a quality set of resistance bands or tubing. These lightweight, packable tools provide remarkable versatility for on-the-go workouts. When purchasing bands, ensure they include door anchors for secure attachment during exercises.
Bands excel at facilitating functional golf movement patterns and can effectively:
- Activate key golf muscles through golf-specific positions
- Develop core stability through exercises like "stir the pot"
- Challenge your body through rotational movements that mimic the golf swing
For the stir the pot exercise (pictured below) adopt a slight squat position while creating large circular movements away from your body in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. This exercise builds the core stability and endurance essential for maintaining posture throughout your swing.
Advanced golfers might consider investing in the GOLFFOREVER Swing Trainer — a specialized core bar with band attachments designed specifically for golf-related strength and stability training. These systems include multiple resistance levels and secure anchoring options for both home and travel workouts.
Light Dumbbells: Maximizing Limited Weight Options
Keeping a pair of light dumbbells at home provides another valuable training option. Most hotel fitness centers also offer basic dumbbell selections. When limited to lighter weights, increase exercise intensity by:
- Adding band resistance to basic movements like bicep curls or front raises
- Incorporating instability elements or compound movements
- Increasing time under tension or repetitions
For example, performing a chest press from a bridge position challenges your core stability while engaging your chest muscles, even with lighter weights. This approach targets both strength and the stabilizing muscles crucial for golf performance.
Bodyweight Training: Available Anywhere
Never underestimate the effectiveness of properly executed bodyweight exercises. These require zero equipment and can be performed in even the most confined spaces:
- Spider-Man push-ups (with one leg raising during the movement) increase the challenge to your chest and core compared to standard push-ups
- Postural exercises like planks and bird dogs develop the stabilizing muscles essential for maintaining proper golf posture
To enhance bird dogs (pictured below), try adding a soccer ball squeeze to increase hip extension and glute activation. For maximum benefit from isometric exercises like planks and side planks, focus on holding perfect positions for 5-10 seconds rather than compromising form for longer durations.
Creating Effective Backup Routines
Consider working with a fitness professional to develop personalized circuits using these equipment options. Alternatively, specialized applications like GOLFFOREVER offer tailored workouts based on your specific goals and available equipment.
When designing your own backup circuit, include at least one exercise from each of these categories:
- Pushing movement (e.g., push-ups, band chest press)
- Pulling movement (e.g., band rows)
- Core exercise (e.g., planks, stir the pots)
- Rotational movement (e.g., band rotations)
- Lower body exercise (e.g., squats, lunges)
This balanced approach ensures comprehensive development even when traditional gym access isn't possible.
Commitment to Consistency
The most sophisticated training program is worthless without consistent execution. By preparing these alternative workout options in advance, you eliminate the opportunity for excuses and significantly increase your chances of maintaining momentum toward your golf performance goals.
Remember: champions are made when no one is watching. Stay committed to your training—especially when it feels inconvenient—and watch your golf performance transform as a result.
PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his three weekly columns on RG.org, and to learn more about Brendon, visit OneMoreRollGolf.com. Scott Shepard, the GolfPFX Program Manager for AdventHealth Sports Med and Rehab of Central Florida, is a nationally recognized sports physical therapist and three-time winner of the Golf Digest Top 50 Golf Fitness Trainers award, brings invaluable expertise to these discussions.
