Muscles Used In Golf Swing

Written By Mike Pedersen

For a golfer, the muscles used in the golf swing should be both strong and flexible to produce the desired results. But I can reassure you, you don't have to train as hard as Tiger does to play better golf! If you want power and consistency in your game, you'll focus on the muscles used in your golf swing.

Key Golf Muscles

I get asked quite often what are the most important muscles used in the golf swing? My answer can get quite long, and I don't want to have you reading 10 pages of this article, so I'll condense it.

Core muscles for a stronger turn and stored torque.
Hamstrings for maintenance of golf posture and low-back injury prevention.
Quadriceps to help maintain knee flex throughout the swing.
Upper back muscles to help keep an erect upper spine for ease of rotation.
Shoulder muscles to allow for consistent top-of-the-backswing position and better control of the club throughout the swing.
Forearms for a strong impact position with no break down in the wrists.

Core Golf Muscles

The core golf swing muscles are the engine to your golf swing. Like in all athletic movements, your core drives the power. It's the same in baseball, in throwing a discus or shot put, hitting a slapshot in hockey, or any other dynamic power movement.

If your core is weak and inflexible, you will not be able to generate any clubhead speed, resulting in a massive loss of distance. By training your core in both strength and flexibility, from a rotational standpoint, you will see dramatic improvements in your power and distance.

Lower Body Golf Muscles

These muscles play a critical role in stability and generating power. The hamstrings are the most important muscles to help maintain golf posture. These muscles are the most restricted on the older golfer. A simple test is how far can you bend over and attempt to touch your toes?

Developing both strength and flexibility in your hamstrings will not only result in a more consistent golf posture throughout your golf swing, but will greatly reduce the strain on your lower back, helping prevent the very common, "golfers low back" injury.

Your quadriceps help maintain knee flex throughout your golf swing. The key to golf is getting in a dynamic golf posture position (which involves knee flex) and keeping this position throughout the golf swing.

The ONLY way to do this is to strength training and stretch this key areas. Hitting more balls will not be the answer.

Upper Back Golf Muscles

The main contributor for the lack of ability to make a full backswing is the upper back area. Many older golfers have that big hump when in their golf posture that inhibits them to rotate fully in the backswing.

This is a "physical" issue, not mechanical. The ONLY way to improve this is stretching and strengthening the spinal muscles in the upper back. The stronger those muscles are, the better able you'll be to maintain an erect upper back throughout the golf swing.

Shoulder Golf Muscles

The shoulder muscles have many roles in the golf swing, and they are an area that gets over-stressed and injured (rotator cuff). Throughout the golf swing, the shoulder joint rotates open and closed, while the golf club is moving at up to 100 mph.

If the shoulder muscles are weak, you will have no control over your club throughout the swing. If they are inflexible, you will not be able to get to an optimal "top-of-the-backsing" position consistently. Being able to get the club in the right positions is critical to golf swing consistency.

Forearm (Wrist) Golf Muscles

The golf muscles of the forearm (wrist) play a critical role at impact. If the lead wrist is weak, it will break down at impact, robbing you of distance and solid ball contact. One swing fault that will happen is "flipping" the club which increases loft and loses distance.

If your forearm muscles (wrist) are inflexible, you will not be able to get a full wrist cock, which results in less release of the club at impact. Again, the result is a massive loss of distance with all clubs.

Improper Golf Swing Technique

It is a proven fact that muscles used in the golf swing that are not exercised and conditioned on a regular basis with the correct exercise, will usually not respond to the correct golfing techniques.

Without being conditioned to obtain the necessary stamina and staying power it is unlikely that muscles used in the golf swing will be able to deliver the required performance.

Hopefully this article has shown you how important it is to focus on your golf specific muscles to improve your golf swing. There are specific golf exercises, programs, tips in our best-selling golf training system.

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Mike Pedersen is the creator of the "Power Golf Training Online Membership - What Every Golfer Should Know About How To Hit Longer Drives And Play Pain-Free Golf", and has taught thousands of golfers how to add up to 40 yards to their drives.