Golf

Back Strength – Overpowering the Fairway

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The swinging arms of on the volleyball court are getting more powerful

When you think of golf, lifting never comes to mind. That is, until you’re golfing for the Bison where NDSU’s strength coaches always have the student-athletes ready to hit the links.

Exercise: Alternate Dumbbell Row

Alternating Dumbbell Row
Step 1
– Lay on your chest first at a 45-degree angle on the bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand.

 

Alternating Dumbbell Row
Step 2
– Raise both dumbbells to your chest so that your arms are at a 90-degree angle.

Alternating Dumbbell Row
Step 3
– Extend one arm down while keeping the other at a 90-degree angle, then slowly pull up.

Alternating Dumbbell Row
Step 4
– Repeat with the other arm.

*Tip – Try doing both arms at the same time if you’re finding this challenging. The isometric hold with one arm is to work more stabilization for each side of your body.

Exercise: Pendlay Row

Pendlay Row
Step 1
– Begin with feet hip-width apart, holding bar shoulder-width apart and your hips and knees bent with your back flat.

Pendlay Row
Step 2
– Lift bar so it is shin high while keeping you back flat and backside out.

Pendlay Row
Step 3
– While keeping your back flat, lift the bar by bending at the elbows and raise the bar to your chest.

Step 4 – Return to starting position and repeat.

*Tip – These are advanced lifts and Adam Mead recommends you try the horizontal row machine before advancing to these lifts.

Exercise: Neutral-Grip Pull-Up

Neutral-Grip Pull-Up
Step 1
– Place the resistance band around the lower-bar supporter on the weight rack. Stand on the resistance band with your hands placed in a neutral grip with palms facing inward.

Neutral-Grip Pull-Up
Step 2
– Pull yourself up like you are doing a chin-up.

Neutral-Grip Pull-Up
Step 3
– Slowly push your body down until your arms are straight and legs are locked.

Neutral-Grip Pull-Up
Step 4
– Begin the chin-up motion again and repeat.

Emphasizing Movement Based Training

One of the biggest misconceptions the public has about athletes lifting in the weight room is that they’re doing exercises and workouts that bodybuilders or your run-of-the-mill gym-goer do. These individuals tend to focus on body part training. You see this with people talking about chest, leg or arm day.

What student-athletes at North Dakota State are doing is movement-based training.

Sophomore Will Holmgren

(Photo by Dennis Hubbard) Sophomore Will Holmgren tees off during the UNO Invitational this fall. He placed a team-high seventh in the tournament.

Take golf, for example. These athletes need to keep their core and back in proper shape to last several rounds of golf in a short period of time. So when they go to train their back, for instance, they aren’t cramming in as many back lifts as possible. Assistant strength and conditioning coach Adam Mead will have them focus on two pulling movements: vertical and horizontal.

The alternating dumbbell row and neutral grip pull-up are great examples of what Mead would call vertical pulling movements. These exercises work muscles in a unique way and reaches areas that aren’t hit hard if they were to do seated row exercises.

Diversifying the movements golfers use in the weight room will also help them avoid an injury.

In golf, there’s a lot of twisting of the torso. Mead says he avoids that movement as much as possible in the weight room.

“They do so much of that stuff, we try to strengthen things around that (area),” Mead said. “We’ll do a lot of anti-rotational stuff. We’ll do a lot of stuff with the back so they’re able to decelerate up top. So they’re not just following through and they can stay strong on top so they can slow down after they make contact with the golf ball (on the course).”

It’s obvious to say Mead’s goal is to strengthen the golfers just like any other student-athlete at NDSU. What Mead is hoping to accomplish is having them exercise smartly and efficiently so they can apply the proper strength on the course.

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Back Strength – Overpowering the Fairway
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