It’s essential to hitting solid shots.
There’s an old saying in fitness that you can’t fire a cannon from a canoe. The translation for golfers is that you can’t expect to swing hard and find the sweet spot on the clubface if your lower body is weak and dysfunctional. Andrea Doddato, one of Golf Digest’s 50 Best Golf-Fitness Trainers, is demonstrating here an exercise that will strengthen several lower-body muscles, including the glutes, hamstrings and calves, while improving mobility in the hips and ankles.
“The best part is, you can do it anywhere,” she says. “See if you can do five reps on each leg. When it gets easier, go for 10 holding a light weight.”
1. Stork stand (above)
Stand tall with a bench, chair or box behind your left leg. Raise your right leg up, and hold this position until you get your balance.
2. Grab a seat
While balancing on one leg, slowly lower your body until the left side of your butt gently touches the platform behind you.
3. Stand and kick
From the squat position with your right foot still off the ground, push up with your left leg until you’re standing tall again. Then bend your right leg up until your shin is parallel to the ground.
4. Take a bow
Still balancing on your left leg, hinge forward from your hips and reach for the ground with your right arm. Your right leg should extend behind you and to the side of the bench. When you touch the ground, return to the standing position. After several reps, repeat the entire movement balancing on the right leg.
