We’ll spare you the guilt over downing 48 peanut-butter cookies in a three-day blitz. Or going back for a third helping of spiral ham. We know it’s tough to get through the holiday season without abusing guidelines for healthy eating. This story is not about that. It’s about putting together a total-body exercise program that can get you better prepared for golf when the ground thaws in a couple of months. As Golf Digest debuts its list of the 50 Best Golf-Fitness Trainers in America, we asked a bunch of them to post on Instagram a short video of an exercise designed to enhance a specific area of the body. Each trainer addressed a different area. Here are the links to their posts on Instagram. Put them all together and you’ve got a good start toward prepping your body for 2020. Get after it and happy new year. —Ron Kaspriske
Lindsey Becker (@lcbecker) says the shoulders are a key area you should focus on if you want better control of your club’s plane and path, and this trail-arm shoulder mobility exercise will help your swing.
Andrea Doddato (@shapeandsport) says all good golf swings start with activating the glute muscles. She has two exercises that do a great job of firing the prime movers in the golf swing.
Shawn Farmer-Sese (@fitnesscaddie) says you can’t ignore exercises that strengthen the heart, especially this time of the year when it’s harder to get outside. With that in mind, she has a great punching exercise for cardio that also conditions the body for golf.
Lance Gil (@lgp_inc) says sometimes the simplest forms of exercise are the best for golf. And the one he talks about here should never be neglected. Here’s the demo: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6tfVWHHDKS/
Jennifer Fleischer (@jenniferfleischer) says to protect your lower back, mini-band hip circles are terrific as they work the hips and the glutes in one movement, helping to alleviate some of the stress your lumbar spine takes when you play.
Andrew Hannon (@ando_pfs) says now is the time to be working on better posture. And a key to that is to free up the hips and spine after all that couch time. His kneeling, bear-hug exercise is great to compensate for prolonged sitting.
Manny Hernando (@mannyhernando) says activating the glute muscles and learning how to use the ground to generate power in your golf swing can be improved with the landmine squat-to-rotational-thrust exercise.
Kaitlyn Pimentel (@felixfortisgolfitness) says a single-leg deadlift is a terrific exercise for all around hip function and improves your ability to stay in posture during the golf swing.
Mitch Sadowsky (@mitchsadowsky) says the best exercises to improve mid-back function, which is critical to swinging a golf club properly (and safely), are kneeling and single-leg torso rotations.
Ben Shear (@ben.shear) says thoracic extension, lengthening the vertebrae in the middle of the spine, is great is your ball-striking suffered last season. This posture-correcting exercise helps cure fat and thin shots. Here’s the demo:
Spencer Tatum (@wintheday10) says you also should take care of the top of your spine, the cervical area. He asked PGA Tour champion Jon Rahm to demonstrate an exercise called the Bretzel 1.0. Don’t worry, it’s easier than it looks.
Trevor Anderson (@ta2claps) says improved shoulder mobility will help you shallow your club’s path into the ball, promoting better ball-striking. He recommends an anti-rotation overhead press with a stretch band.