This article was machine-translated from the Korean original. Read the Korean original
Today, I’ll introduce two long-distance exercises that you can easily follow at home. All you need is a resistance band and a common plastic bottle. We’ll work on mastering the sensation of moving your body and arms independently, while also aiming for a weight loss benefit.
01Band Footrest Drill — Prevents your body from lunging forward
This drill is especially helpful for those who tend to lunge forward or cast with their hands coming out first during the downswing. Step on the resistance band and grip the club with your thumb pointing upward. In this position, move slowly back and forth from side to side, then gradually increase the speed and repeat.
The key is that the arms, body, and legs must move separately. They should not move as a single unit. During the downswing, as the hands descend, the band pulls, naturally transferring force downward; at this moment, the body must not lunge forward. If you get the rhythm right, the arms and body will naturally separate, bringing you closer to the body movements required for long drives.
02PET bottle drill — an upgraded version of the kettlebell
Last week, I showed you an exercise using a kettlebell to learn the sequence of gathering power; this time, I’m going to try a more advanced version using a 1.25L plastic bottle, which is found everywhere. While kettlebell swings focus on side-to-side movement, golf is ultimately a rotational movement. This plastic bottle drill is a motion that combines side-to-side movement with rotation.
The starting position is the same as with the kettlebell. However, this time, instead of letting your arms hang down, hold the weight in front of your body with your arms comfortably bent. If you swing it from side to side in that position, you will feel that the rotation works much better. Since the weight is light, the key is to focus on speed and perform quick repetitions.
- Lighten your feetInstead of keeping your whole foot firmly together and shaking it, please move your foot to the rhythm by gently lifting and lowering your toes.
- Preserving the turning point of the endpointWhen swinging left and right, the feeling of power transitioning at the ends must be vivid. If you just swing back and forth as if being pushed, this feeling won't come through.
- Don't force it far awayDo not try to force the weight to throw far; instead, repeat the motion with a natural, bouncing sensation.
Rather than building muscle strength, this exercise develops coordination skills, allowing your arms, legs, and body to use force together in the correct sequence. Since the weights are relatively light, women and amateurs who find physical strength burdensome can easily perform it.
03Dieting is a bonus.
Repeating this rotational exercise leaves you quite out of breath. You can definitely feel it working your abdominal muscles. During seasons like winter, when you can't play rounds often and it's easy to gain weight, this exercise can be a double-benefit routine that helps with both your golf swing and your diet.
04Organizing today
Try practicing arm and body separation with the band footrest drill, and rotational coordination with the plastic bottle drill. For both, just 10 minutes a day is enough using items found at home. It may feel awkward at first, but with repetition, you will reach a moment during an actual swing where you think, "Huh? Why is the rotation coming out so well?"
