By Matthew Brookes
Off-season training should not consist of just strength training. As I like to say, a strong chain does not rust and that’s the same with the ‘golf power chain’. To prevent this from happening I am talking about keeping your mobility and stability in good check. These areas should not be left and forgotten at any time when you’re in the gym, but too often do I see people neglecting these areas.

Hold each exercise for one to two minutes when stretching or performing stability exercises. Always be aware of your breathing when stretching. Always take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth.

1. Breakdancer Hamstring Stretch — Assisted (Mobility)
In a seated position, fold one leg so the base of the foot is up against the inner thigh of the other, now keeping your leg straight reach for your toes and, if necessary, use a rope for assistance to pull yourself towards your foot.

2. Open Book Ribcage (Mobility)
Lying on your right side, curl your knees up to your chest, then place the right hand on top of your knees and then place the other hand under your ribcage, the side closest to the floor. Then pull these two parts of the body apart, rotating to your left as far as you can.

3. Golf Posture, Single-Leg Balance with Torso Rotation (Stability)
This exercise is great to help with short game most of all and is something everyone should be doing to help their game drastically. Get into golf posture, with your arms crossed over your shoulders. Then bring your feet together and bend one from the knee, so you’re standing on one leg. Now keeping the lower body stable, do small and smooth rotations with the shoulders, rotating around your spine and avoiding a rocking motion of the shoulders at all costs.

4. Pattern Assistance Single Leg Balance (Stability)
With a light resistance band anchored to a fixed object in front of you, place one end in each hand, then walk away until there is some tension within the band. Now keeping the arms down by your side and straight, pull the bands behind you making sure you retract the shoulder blades as well. This will engage your core muscles and help with your posterior chain. Then raise one knee up, so the thigh is parallel to the ground and hold for one minute each side.

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Matthew Brookes is a PGA teaching professional and golf specific fitness trainer at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club’s Peter Cowen Academy Dubai.

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Understand golf’s power chain and how to avoid a weak link in your swing
Why solid putting starts with a sound set-up
Alignment is a fine balancing act to stabilise clubface
Why you are wasting your time on the range
Claude Harmon III’s simple impact drill
How Billy Horschel’s simple back swing move will make you a better ball-striker