H2G – Shoulder Exercises

H2G – Shoulder Exercises:

So, after a brief break from the training, thanks to a fantastic holiday abroad, it’s time to get back into the gym and into the H2G world!

When we last left off, I had dealt with ‘Back Exercises Part 1’. The entire back exercise article is to be split into three separate training guides, this is because of the importance of having a strong, pain free back during a round of golf. Back pain and lower back strain are some of the most common aliments which affect golfers (not forgetting knee joint injuries) which can ruin a day of golf, or even lead to long term injuries where you’re forced to sit out for several weeks, and possibly even months.

This week however, we’ll be dealing with the Deltoids, or more commonly known as The Shoulders!

As can be seen in the diagram, the deltoids are made up of three different sections of muscle;

The Anterior deltoids (Red), The Lateral deltoids (Green) and The Posterior deltoids (Blue).

Having a strong, healthy and fit pair of shoulders can increase your stamina on the course, as well as enhance your golf swing, giving you more accuracy and greater distance. So how does it all work?

The average weekend golfer, who carries their own golf bag, doesn’t realize the amount of strain a heavy bag has on their shoulders, whether you sling the bag over one shoulder, or strap the bag to your back using both the straps. While the duel strap ‘backpack’ style golf bags have managed to better distribute the weight of a golf bag being carried, the overall weight of the bag is still pulling down on your shoulders.

Firstly, this dragging down effect translates into stiffness in the shoulders overall as well as pain and aches along the lateral and anterior deltoid, this leads to a lack of flexibility in the shoulders, thus affecting your swing.

The lose of flexibility leads to a reduction in ones ability to execute a full shoulder turn when playing a shot. Remember for a full shot, you should look to turn your shoulders 90⁰ degrees, so that your back is facing the target, and your left shoulder is tucked in under your chin (for a right-handed golfer), if you’re stiff and sore, this action may become too uncomfortable. Making a full shoulder turn allows you to create a larger arch in your swing, resulting in greater ‘clubhead’ speed when bringing down the club to hit the ball, which results in an increase in distance.

Secondly, your stamina is affected as your body uses up resources in an attempt to heal and protect the sore aching shoulders, resulting in a lack of concentration.

Like with any muscle there are a ton of different exercises available to train the shoulders. In addition, and beneficially to a serious golf trainer, there are several exercises which can focus on each section of the shoulder muscle, thus allowing you to concentrate your training on each of the three sections of the deltoid individually.

One exercise which I have found to successfully train all three regions of the deltoid at once, without cross-training and the energy lose associated with cross-training, is the Arnold Press!

So to start; sit on a bench with a dumbbell positioned in front of your shoulders, in each hand, with your palms facing your body, and with your elbows under your wrists.

Initiate movement by bringing elbows out to sides, so that your arms are in the same plane as your chest, with elbows cocked at 90⁰ degrees. Continue to raise elbows outward while pressing dumbbells overhead until arms are straight. Lower to front of shoulders in opposite pattern and then repeat.

All three sections of the deltoids get worked in this exercise, with the main focus being on your side laterals in the overhead extension. This exercise is the quickest, but toughest, way to strong, fit and well-rounded shoulder muscles.

Remember this is a tough exercise, especially if you’re doing it right, I recommend starting with a very light weight and perfecting your form from day one. Going too heavy to fast, with bad form, will likely result in severe strain being placed on your lower back.

Feel the burn, enjoy the pain, and yield the results!

Mulligan