3 Glute Exercises to Improve your Golf Game

The Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) calls the glutes the “King of the Golf Swing.”  Why?

Your glutes play a very important role in the golf swing.  Two words:  Power and consistency.

One of the main roles of the glutes is to stabilize the hips.  In the golf swing you generate power from the ground up.  To maintain power throughout the backswing, your glutes must maintain pelvic stability as you internally rotate on the back leg and your upper body rotates.  Stability is also important to allow rotation in the downstwing and the follow through.  If you’re lacking stability, your consistency will suffer and it could even lead to some swaying and sliding swing characteristics.

If your glutes are not firing properly, other muscles may compensate and could also lead to overuse injuries of the hamstrings and lower back.

Strengthen your glutes for more power and consistency!  Here are 3 glute exercises to try…

Clamshell

What: Glute Medius, Hip External Rotation

How: Lay on your side with your knees bent and your legs stacked on top of each other.  Keep your feet together and lift your top knee as far as possible without rocking.  I like to suggest putting your hand on your hip so you can feel any rocking.  Try 2 sets of 10 repetitions then repeat on the other side.

Reverse Clamshell

What: Hip Internal Rotation

How: Lay on your side with your knees bent and your legs stacked on top of each other.  Keep your knees together and lift your top foot as far as possible.  Try 2 sets of 10 repetitions then repeat on the other side.

Bridge

What: Glutes

How: Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.  Lift your hips off the ground.  Hold for 1-2 seconds then lower.  Try 2 sets of 10 repetitions and focus on using your glutes.  If you feel your hamstrings, your glutes are not firing correctly!

Blog post by Jen Skiba.