Rotation and Balance Exercises with Brenda Hilcoff at D1 Athletics

Our partner, Coach Joey D, is a very busy man all year round, but especially during the golf season.

Not only does he keep himself in incredible shape with two workouts a day, but he is on the road most of the year with the PGA Tour. In addition, he works with many other athletes in his newly opened D1 Athletics facility in Jupiter, Florida when he is not on the Tour.

A few weeks ago, he was working with a very talented and fit tennis player named Brenda Hilcoff. He incorporates the Balance Ball and the Club 38 in the following exercises preformed by Ms. Hilcoff. Rotation and balance are important whether in golf, baseball or tennis. The following two exercises are designed to help you create more rotation and balance in your golf swing.

In the first exercise Brenda is sitting in a very stable posture on the 55cm Balance Ball holding a GolfGym Club 38. Just sitting on the ball requires the use of stabilizing muscles in the core and legs. This is a great exercise even without the additional weight of the club. You could cross your arms in front of your chest and rotate to one side then the other, getting as much rotation as possible, while remaining in a very balanced and solid posture on the ball. This exercise will help with stability, balance, flexibility and rotation.

The weight of the club, with arms extended requires more balance and strengthens the shoulders and core. In this position, you can actually pull yourself around to increase rotation and flexibility.

A key point is to stay balanced and hold the upright posture. Rotate to each side 8 - 12 times. Notice that Brenda is facing forward. A tendency in this wide swing exercise is to let the head follow the arms around. In the golf swing you don't allow your head to rotate with your shoulders and arms....so keep this exercise consistent with your golf swing movement pattern.

One more benefit with this exercise is the separation of the upper and lower body it requires. If you rotated your lower body, you would fall off the ball. Get the feeling of the upper body rotating while stabilizing the lower body on the ball.

In this next exercise Brenda is performing a Squat and Reach . Her starting position is with her feet about shoulder width apart in a very balanced and strong posture, holding the weighted Club 38 with a wide grip at shoulder height or slightly below.

The weight of the club helps to stimulate the shoulders and core during this exercise.

Brenda then drops into a squat posture remembering to keep her back as straight as possible while reaching over her head with the club.

Key points to remember about the squat:
1. Be sure to go no deeper than a 90 degree bend in the knees.

2. Keep your back as straight as you possible can while reaching as far as you can over your head. DO NOT STRAIN.

Hold this position for the count of 5 and return to the starting position.

Remember to keep your feet flat on the floor with your weight distributed evenly throughout each foot.

When starting out with this exercise, the amount of repetitions should be determined by the feedback you get from your body. If you find yourself falling forward or backward, adjust your posture to accommodate for the movement.

This exercise will stimulate all of the muscles in your body, strengthen your legs, your glutes, shoulders and core, and help to develop better balance overall.

It will also get your heart pumping because you are incorporating your big muscles to accomplish this movement pattern.

At D1, Joey has a Dynamic Balance System that he uses to determine the balance points and shows how the weight is distributed during a particular exercise. The orange pad on which Brenda is standing is part of that system.

Make these two exercises a part of your overall Golf Fitness routine and you will reap great benefits. Better balance, posture and strength which will be the foundation for creating a more solid and consistent golf swing.

Until next time.

Ken Pierce
The GolfGym Guy