Better Butt Means Better Back - The "King of the Golf Swing" The Glutes

Keep your back arched and tight. In a nut shell it is of utmost importance to have this muscle group functioning at its optimal levels in order to attain a repeatable and consistent swing, and to play injury free. Focus straight ahead, draw your bellybutton in. There I said it. Drop your hips lower than your shoulders. Remember to squeeze your glute's. You will continue to bend your knees until your upper body is nearly vertical and your knees are at a 60-80 degree angle. Stand to full upright; thrust the hips squeezing your butt. Both of these muscle groups need to work in unison to develop optimal swing mechanics.

The following exercises are some of best exercises at developing strength and power in the glute's and surrounding musculature.

The Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift

Take a wide stance. Hold for 30 seconds and lower.

Try out these drills in hopes of developing some rock solid glutes! Begin the movement by contracting your lower back to raise your torso, as you near ful! l extension of your back and hip, begin bending your knees and contracting your hamstrings (Posterior Thigh). Be sure to check out www.back9strength.com and sign up for our free newsletter, or better yet pick up a copy of Back 9 Strength: The Ultimate Golf Fitness Rolodex on sale now, for tons of info on strength, flexibility, and power exercises for golf.

RUI ROSARIO is a golf conditioning coach and kettlebell instructor based in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Rui has been involved in strength & conditioning training for 6 years, and has enjoyed test driving a variety of training modalities over the years. Start with the bell in between your legs. Squat down and grip the kettlebell. GOLF BIOMECHANIC

RUI takes'a refreshing new approach to fitness using old school tool, ie. So if your butt is weak you will tend to over compensate in the shoulder complex, or your lower back, or knee and so on. Swing the kettlebell between your legs forcefully like your goi! ng to hike a football. Lift with your legs - squat the weight! up. Lo wer to original position.

The Kettlebell Swing

Stance should be shoulder width apart. It may be crude to some. Do not lift hips too high or flare ribs so that your back hyper extends. Most recreational players (and some pros for that matter) will have weak hip flexors, weak hamstrings, weak buttocks, weak para-spinals, and a weak protracted shoulder complex from sitting too long. EXERCISE COACH
CERTIFIED C.H.E.K. This entire muscle group is vital in helping the player to maintain lower body stability throughout the swing. The buttocks are primary made up of two main components; Gluteus Maximus and the Gluteus Medius

Both of these muscle groups play a major role at both developing power and consistency in the swing. As you reach down remember to hinge at the hips keeping your shins relatively vertical, you should feel a mild stretch in the hamstrings. Rui has helped many amateur and professional golfers improve their golf fitness and conditioning as well as recover from injuries.

FOUNDER OF IRON-WORX
CERTIFIED RUSSIAN KETTLEBELL INSTRUCTOR UNDER PAVEL TSATSOULINE. But the butt is one of the most under utilized, under rated, muscle groups. Squat down and grab the handle with both hands. You will want to position the heel pad so that the thigh pad is in the middle of your thigh or slightly closer to your knee when your heels are in the heel pads. Let me explain, most people, unless there out on the PGA tour, there at a desk sitting, working Monday through Friday. These exercises are sure to create a more stable lower platform as well as improve the function of the core. Through the years he has developed a unique blend of kettlebell lifting, bodyweight exercises, yoga, and core conditioning in order to enhance your athletic performance, correct imbalances, and maximize your golf performance.
CERTIFIED C.H.E.K.

During the golf swing the most important multi-function muscle is the butt. a kettlebell, and a low tech/high concept' approach to strength and conditioning. Sitting for prolong periods of time tends to be the biggest culprit of dis-function in human performance both in the gym and on the course. Explosively snap your hips forward straightening your legs

Stability Ball Bridging

Start by lying on your back with shoulders and head on top of a stability ball; feet on the ground, hip- width apart for stability

Squeezing up from the gluteus, lift hips until there is a straight line running through knees, hips and shoulders. Grip the handle inside your knees, 12-18" apart. Begin by adjusting the distance between the thigh pad and the heel pad. So where does this leave us, well lets start with the butt. It is also plays a large role in maintaining core stability throughout the swing. Don't rush the reps, this is a slow exercise, focu! s on full body tension - regroup and establish a good starting position for each rep.

Glute Ham Raise

For this exercise you will need a Glute Ham Developer, it looks similar to a roman chair or back extension. Begin by hanging over the stand in a similar position to a back extension. It is this one muscle group that helps to blend the lower body movement into the upper body movements, via the central portion of the body.