Continuing education is an important part of being a P.G.A Teaching Professional. In August 2008, I attended a 2 day, 16 hour seminar on golf fitness with the Titleist Performance Institute, or TPI. A phrase that caught my attention during the course and made tremendous sense for golfers to remember is, "The glutes are the king and the abs are the queen." This quote refers to the core muscles being a major area for golfers to focus upon as they train to improve their game.

This month's drill will help you build strength and stability in these all important core muscles using a 65 cm exercise ball. As the pictures indicate, a partner may also be needed to support and assist--similar to training wheels when learning to ride a bike. The goal will be to kneel on the ball and balance yourself with no hands, and here is how you get there.

In Picture #1, Eddie helps me kneel on the ball and   balance myself using my own hands for added support. As I wobble on the ball, I subtly call my ab and glute  muscles into play to correct my position. Balance, stability, and a steady head are keys here (and a partner you trust)!

 

 

In Picture #2, Eddie takes his hands off me which requires me to further engage those core muscles to maintain a balanced position on the ball while still using my hands.  Keep breathing,  focus and try to relax as you take off the training wheels. Stabilize yourself in this position for a solid minute, keeping the training wheels close.

 

 

 

 

In Picture #3, observe no hands! While continuing to  breathe, fully engage your core to remove your hands from the ball and lift your head and torso to an upright position. (Feel free to cheer in triumph at this point!)

 

 

 

 

 

This is tougher than it looks so you must know your limitations. If you have any injuries, do not attempt this month's drill. But, if you are pain free and want to challenge yourself to see how strong your abs and glutes are, along with your balance, then this can be a fun one! Set a goal of one minute on the ball with no hands and use practice and patience to get there. For next month, we will use the exercise ball again so keep it around.