In our online golf fitness program, we understand that no two bodies are the same.

So we don’t create a blanket program for everyone.

Quite often different people have different limitations and movement patterns.

So we want to hone in on what is holding them back.

And more importantly, we want to show them how it is impacting their golf swing.

And fix it.

So we have a series of movement assessments that allow us to know where to focus when creating an upper body golf workout program.

Before you begin you will need just two items:

1) A tape measure
2) A wall or doorway.
Let’s begin by testing your body’s ability to raise your arms overhead and out to the side which is what also occurs in the golf swing.

For many of you, myself included, you may not have scored well on many of the screens, that’s OK. 

I personally score poorly in shoulder flexion, abduction as well as wrist flexibility.

This causes me to not be able to get the hands as high in the backswing as they could be which leads to some lost clubhead speed.

Our blog post on shoulder flexibility in golf showed a common thing you find with big hitters is their ability to have the trail elbow high in relation to their head as shown below.

Among other things, this requires strength and flexibility in:

• shoulder flexion
• shoulder abduction
• internal and external rotation
• upper back flexibility. 
• and even some flexibility in the wrist and forearms.

First, some general guidelines to go by

1. Don’t over complicate your upper body golf workout cycle. Just design a 4-6 week block at a time. Reassess every 4-6 weeks and adjust accordingly. 
2. We recommend 1-2 days a week of upper body focus. You want to let the muscles recover and build stronger. 
3. Choose a 1-2 weightlifting movement that will linearly progress over a 4-6 week period. This means gradually increase the reps and/or weight each week
4. The strength/weightlifting movement of your upper body golf workout will be paired with a stretch. There a bunch you can use from our post on shoulder stretches for golf. You can also find some upper back stretches HERE as well. 
5. If you have a pressing movement try to pair it with a pulling movement for some variety. Ie single-arm presses with some dumbbell rows. Or overhead carries with some high pulls

Next, we need to pick the set and rep schemes. You have a few options.

• A simple linear progression of weights and sets.
• Tempo work – a slow and controlled movement during the eccentric or loading phase of the movement. 
• Pause work – pausing for a brief period at a certain point in the movement (typically at the bottom and/or end of the range of motion).

In our example, we will just use a linear progression for the first 4-6 weeks but you can always switch up the format in the next cycle.

So for example, I am weakest in shoulder flexion and abduction so we are going to use the following exercises:

Day 1:

• Bar hangs to increase the range of motion (this opens up the area)
• An overhead carry to strengthen the shoulder (this strengthens the area now that it is opened up)
• Finally, some one-arm high pulls (a pulling movement to pair it up with the press above).

Day 2: 

• Reverse/Eccentric Dumbbell Pullovers (a stretch to increase the range of motion)
• Half-Kneeling one arm presses (a pressing motion that will help with flexion and abduction)
• Single Arm dumbbell bent-over rows (a pulling motion that will help with the upper back and rear shoulder)

And we will use the following format. 

• A simple 4-week cycle starting with reps of 10 in each set. 
• We will add 2 reps per week or add a little weight every week. 
• Program 2 days a week of upper body golf workouts. 
• After this 4 week cycle, I will reassess and then try another pressing or overhead movement and maybe try a tempo format. 

If you want to see what a full 4-week upper body golf workout looks like:

1. Simply click the link in the bonus section
2. Enter your info.
3. And you can download a sample upper body golf workout 1-month plan for FREE.