DynamicAxis Golf Conditioning Program

Before we can look at the program itself, it's important you have an understanding of golf biomechanics.

What is Golf Biomechanics? Golf biomechanics is the way in which a golfer swings the club, as well as the movement the body undergoes to complete the swing. In essence, it's the rhythmical timing and sequencing of the muscles, joints and connective tissues, all acted upon by the nervous system, to perform what your brain sees as the proper golf swing. The study of biomechanics also takes into account the internal end external forces imposed on the body and how these forces affect the body.

Improving the Golf Swing
Performing the golf swing with compromised posture will almost always result in a loss of swing consistency, especially during later game play. The body is inefficient when performing in a state of improper posture, and the muscles required for stabilization fatigue prematurely. Thus, once the stabilizers become fatigued and weak, the ability to maintain a consistent swing diminishes.

Improving the biomechanics of your golf swing will increase swing consistency, decrease injury and allow for faster recovery following a game. Ball flight factors (angle of attack, club face alignment, swing path, hitting the sweet spot) are all influenced by flexibility, mobility, and static/dynamic stability within the body. These influences, particularly flexibility and mobility, are what keep the body in good static posture, which contributes to good dynamic posture that is crucial for a consistent golf swing.

The DynamicAxis Golf Conditioning Program
Through the DynamicAxis Golf Conditioning Program you will improve swing consistency using a biomechanical approach. All exercises are specifically tailored to what your body needs. Every golfer presents a different set of concerns, so plans based on generalizations are ineffective at best, and sometimes harmful. A thorough assessment of over 30 tests is completed. From these tests a group of low intensity strength and flexibility exercises are put in place. Your schedule and time restraints help dictate the exercise time and sequence for the plan. With a combination of the assessment and your schedule we will come up with the best possible plan. This program can be individually customized to fit any lifestyle if the golfer is truly committed to a better golf game.

Once swing consistency is established, and as the golfer desires increased distance on his/her drive, a strength and power program can follow. Before getting to this level, however, it's important the golfer has achieved a consistent swing though proper biomechanics. Otherwise you will be casting (strengthening) the body in faulty form. This is analogous to casting a broken bone without first resetting it. The DynamicAxis program focuses on the entire body as an integrated unit with close attention to the pelvis, trunk, and shoulder regions for increased stability and power.

Athletic Event
The DynamicAxis Golf Program in no way mimics a typical bodybuilding routine. Conversely, those routines can actually impair performance on the golf course. The focus is not on building larger muscles; you don't need to lift heavy weights or belong to a gym. Typical bodybuilding plans do not contribute to athletic performance and movement.

Let's face it, golf is an athletic event. Amateur golfers achieve approximately 90% of their peak muscle activity when driving a golf ball.1 With this level of muscular activity occurring frequently throughout a golf game, it's clear that the athlete should be in good physical condition to maintain staying power as well as reduce incidence for overuse injuries. Because a high level of skill and an elevated expression of power are needed in golf, a highly scientific approach must be taken to designing a strength and conditioning program specifically for golfers. At Scott Bevins Biomechanics, you will have a program that balances the muscular/skeletal system, improves swing consistency, and increases power on your drive.

More Efficient Golf Lessons
Shortly after embarking on the DynamicAxis Golf Conditioning Program you will start to realize an improvement in the skill training you receive (from your golf pro). Your lessons will be much more productive because your body will be able to achieve the optimal positions required for a great swing. No longer will you have to compensate for range of motion imbalances, weakness, and instability.

Conditioning For Years of Injury Free Golf
A priceless benefit to adopting the DynamicAxis Golf Program is the fact that golfers will greatly reduce their chance for acute and overuse injuries. Golfers who present current symptoms of aches and pains will likely see a reduction in this after following the program.

Golf is a one-sided, dominant sport which will inevitably lead to asymmetry within the body. A study done by Dr. John McCarroll, et al, reported that most shoulder problems, in right-handed golfers, were found to be in the left shoulder.2 Pain usually occurred at the top of the back swing. This pain is likely a cause of high demand for range of motion (ROM) within the shoulder that is compensating for lack of ROM within the trunk. The proper conditioning program should be in place to address these issues and bring about balance within the body.

Importance of the Trunk Musculature
The golf swing is an integrated motion with all muscles working together in perfect harmony. Therefore it's difficult to say that one muscle is more important than the other. But if one had to argue for that most important muscle it would be the trunk musculature.

The trunk muscles (the core) are responsible for stability and power throughout the golf swing. In a group of professional golfers, a dynamic electromyographic analysis (a device for showing the level of muscle stimulation) showed a high level of trunk activity during the golf swing.3 In addition, adequate range of motion (ROM) within the trunk is needed to get into the full back swing and follow-through positions. If ROM is lacking, the golfer has no choice but to compensate in other areas, which will eventually lead to overuse injury in that area of compensation. Since the core muscles are comprised, partly by the back muscles, and low back pain is the most common complaint by pros and amateurs4, it makes sense to strengthen the trunk muscles to make for a stronger, healthier back.

1)Chek, P. (2001). The Golf Biomechanics Manual (2nd ed.). Encinitas, CA: C.H.E.K Institute.

2)McCarroll, J.R. (1996). The Frequency of Golf Injuries. Clinics of Sports Medicine, 15(1).

3 )Watkins, R.G., Uppal, G.S., Perry, J.,Pink, M., Dinsay, J.M. (1996). Dynamic Electromyographic Analysis of Trunk Musculature in Professional Golfers. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol. 24, No. 4.

4)Vad, V.B., Bhat, A.L., Basrai, D., Gebeh, A., Aspergren, D.D., Andrews, J.R., (2004). Low Back Pain in Professional Golfers. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol. 32, No. 2.