By Susan Hill

Young female golfers will all respond well to motor skills training! “Motor skills,” both gross (the big swings) and fine (the little adjustments) refers to the movement of the muscles throughout your body. They include all the major components - coordination, balance, rhythm, sequence of movement patterns, spatial orientation and speed of reaction - that can have great benefit to your swing.

When juniors (and parents) ask what types of programs, exercises or drills are best to help each junior reach her full potential, the answer lies in the motor skills training, employed to help the junior golfers move more efficiently and effectively through their swings. If you aspire to perform at the highest levels in golf, then try a few of these exercises. They may not be very easy, but they sure can be are a lot of fun. How many can you do correctly?

IMPROVING BALANCE

Maintaining good balance while your body is in motion can be trained with different exercises. Here is a great drill to help improve your balance:

Stand on one leg with the opposite leg extended. Make circles with the extended leg while simultaneously making circles with both arms extended above your head. For an extra challenge, try moving each arm in a different direction.

DEVELOPING BETTER RYTHYM

The optimal swing requires you to transition smoothly from your backswing to your forward swing with a sense of feel. Understanding how to alter this rhythm and develop a better sense of feel, you can use the following drill:

Set up four to eight obstacles, placed at varying distances in front of you. Run over each obstacle varying the number of steps in between each obstacle.

UNDERSTANDING SPACIAL ORIENTATION

Junior golfers often lack stability and overall coordination in the early years of their development. There are lots of drills you can do to help improve your senses and where your body is in different phases of the golf swing:

Try throwing a medicine ball overhead and catch it from behind by reaching behind your back. For some variety and challenge, then throw it back up and over your head and try catching it in front.

INCREASING SPEED OF REACTION

Increasing speed through the golf swing is a major contributing factor to increased driving distance. To improve your reaction speed, here is a great exercise:

Grab a medicine ball and a partner. Have the partner throw the medicine ball at varying speeds and different positions at random. Alternate between high and low, left and right patterns and attempt to catch the ball before it hits the ground.

IMPROVING SYCHRONIZATION OF MOVEMENTS

What happens in the downswing between the hip rotation and the shoulder turn is a perfect example of the ‘synchronization’ your body must realize to make a smooth transition in your golf swing. Try this drill to “synch up” your movement:

Begin making large circles with your right arm while making a punching motion to the front with your left. Now, try this with while standing on one leg.

Use these drills and exercises to improve your coordination and overall quality of movement patterns. You may be surprised at how quickly you see a transfer to your game in those areas where you most seek improvement.

Susan Hill is a CHEK Golf Biomechanic, Sports Performance Nutritionist and President of Fitness for Golf. Visit www.fitnessforgolf.com to learn more.

Reference: Drabik, J. (1996). Children and Sports Training: How future champions should exercise to be healthy, fit and happy.

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