Take Your Medicine
The Year of the TURN has taken us from the set-up to the finish, from ship to drive, and from the pressure mat to the gym. All year long our tips are archived to review, ask questions, and share. Through the magic of Facebook our readers visualized what sometimes words cannot explain. Yes, 2018 TURNED out to be a great year!
This month we go back to the gym for an exercise that compliments the turn. It is a good one to strengthen the external obliques, which are the big muscles along the outside of the belly...unless, of course, you want yours to shake like Santa's!
Exercise tools for this belly-busting exercise include a 3 to 6 pound medicine ball, a chair, and a partner or even a wall.
The Set-Up
Establishing the forward bend that was detailed in the months of January and February, prop the chair up against the glutes with the its back legs off the ground. With relaxed arms the 6 pound ball is hanging under the chin. The goal is to obtain good posture at address.
The Load Up
To simulate the back swing in golf, make an athletic TURN and keep the back legs of the chair off the ground. The spine is the axis that the golfer rotates around. When a golfer can turn while keeping the butt back and the head steady, consistency is right around the corner.
Now comes the time to throw or release the med ball to your friend (or the wall). With the spine being the axis for rotation in both the back swing and the downswing, keep the back legs of the chair off the ground all the way into the finish.
This exercise not only strengthens the core; it also helps you improve your TURN by keeping the spine axis constant. It is a great way to end an exercise session with a buddy while building cardio, strength, and the all-important TURN for our golf swing!
Next month, we will end the year in the sand!
Ted Frick
