11 Best Leg Exercises for Golfers

Any power needed by a golfer to produce a golf swing for great distance starts from the legs. Therefore, if you actively engage the leg muscles during golf fitness workouts you’ll begin to produce greater clubhead speed.

You’ll also find you are able to stabilize your swing better, increase flexibility, and minimize strain to prevent injury.

With strong legs, you’re allowed to overload without feeling the weight because the majority of the weight goes to the legs when you swing your club.

You also encourage stability with strong legs hence achieve proper load in the swing without sliding or swaying.

Leg exercises are important to a wide range of golfers including beginners, seniors and people with injuries.

Experienced golfers clearly understand the benefits of leg exercises and ensure they keep them strong and fit for a better gaming experience.

Top 11 Golf Exercises for the Leg Muscles

Here are simple leg exercises suitable for all golfers.

#1: Romanian Deadlifts

Also known as RDLs, this exercise engages all the muscles that produce power as well as those that stabilize the hip complex. To develop powerful hips, you need optimum stability plus maximum recruitment of the muscle fiber.

How to do it

Start slowly focusing on form
With a weight that feels slightly heavier hanging from the arm, perform 3 to 4 sets
Master the movement first then move to train for power
Your repetition range should start at 8 to 12 and reduce gradually with the increase in resistance

#2: Box Jumps

Box jumps help golfers reduce some heavy resistance that compresses the spine. This ensures you get power glutes and hamstrings that increase the power and speed of your downswing.

How to do it

Begin by jumping at shorter heights if you’re untrained to avoid tiring the muscles quickly
Press the heals down through the ground and explode towards the ceiling
Land back in the same position as “soft” knees
You need 3 to 4 sets with about 6 to 12 reps depending on your fitness level

Practice Plan: How to Break 80 Golf Training Plan

#3: Lateral Band Walks

This exercise may seem easy, but you need it badly to strengthen your gluteus medium muscles. This will enable your knees to lead the downswing and encourage proper stability.

How to do it

You should start by first selecting the right band
Do 10 to 20 walks left of your starting position and head back and forth without rest
If you complete two full walks, you will feel just how much you’ve been neglecting the muscles

#4: Lunges with rotation

This exercise is designed to strengthen the lower body and separate the upper and the lower body. This separation allows players to create the distance they need.

The lunge is a simple exercise for the legs while the rotation enables you to achieve the separation you need as a golfer.

How to do it

Begin at a standing position and kneel with one of your knees touching the floor while the other bent forward
Use the lead leg to lower and lift your body weight
Your front knee should not extend past your toes
Take a big initial step to facilitate this
Rotate your upper body to the right
When you reach across your body, try to straighten your right arm pointing towards the ceiling
This will create mobility in the thoracic spine allowing you to separate and rotate better when you swing the club
Complete 3 sets of 15 on every side

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#5: Leg Swings

Leg swings is a simple exercise but as important as other types of workout. It improves the mobility of your legs, hips and the lower back.

You need this to improve your swing speed and protect you from injuries. You can do this exercise as a warm-up before starting the game to improve your flexibility.

How to do it

Use a pole or a weighted golf club for your body balance.
Stand holding the pole with your right hand and your feet shoulder width apart
Swing your left leg forward and backward and ensure your upper body is straight.
Do ten full swings on a moderate pace and switch on the other leg
Do about 3 sets with each leg

#6: Mini Band Walk Forward

This exercise is meant for strengthening your glutes, leg muscles and hamstrings to maintain a stable base posture. It will increase your swing speed and accuracy.

How to do it

Start by placing your mini-band above your knees and another around your ankles. You should ensure your feet are shoulder width apart.
Slowly, walk forward with small steady steps. Your back posture should be straight and alternate the movements of the elbow
Keep your knees bend over the toes while walking
Do 10 steps repeating in three sets

#7: Lateral Squat

This exercise is important in building leg power and strengthening the lower core. You need essential leg muscles such as glutes, groin, hamstrings and the hip abductors to be in good shape.

How to do it

Stand with your feet slightly wider than your shoulder width
Shift your hips to the right and down ensuring your leg is straight and bending your knee
Ensure your feet are flat on the ground and pointed forward
Push through the right hip and return to the starting position
Shift your hip to the left and repeat the same process

#8: Single Leg Dead Lift

This exercise is meant to build hip and glute strength and encourage back and torso alignment. It also creates balance required to reduce fatigue of the back and glute.

How to do it

Stand on your left foot with dumbbells in both hands
Tilt forward from the hips and ensure your torso and back are straight
Keep the leg supporting your weight straight through a slight bend is also okay
Repeat the process on the right leg
You can do 3 sets n each leg with 12 reps

#9: Side Bridge with Leg Lift

This exercise increases your strength through obliques, knees and outside thigh. It also improves balance and hip control during a swing.

How to do it

Lie on your left side with your body on straight line and elbow under the shoulder
Push into the feet to lift hip from the ground
In a maximum range of motion, lift your right leg as high as possible
Lower leg and drop hip close to the ground and repeat the motion
Repeat on the right side of the body
Do 3 sets per side with 12 reps

Read: 9 Best Core Exercises for Golfers

#10: Single Leg Squat

This exercise not only strengthens the muscles around your legs, but it also elevates your heart rate hence increased blood flow to other body muscles.

How to do it

Stand straight braising against a golf club
Lift up your left foot and place across your opposite knee which will be bent at 90-degrees
Squat until your knee is parallel to the ground. Repeat 10 times.
Return to the original position and repeat the process with the other leg

#11: Single leg bridges

Single leg bridges are done to strengthen your legs, hamstring and the lower back.

How to do it

Place one of your legs on the ball and the other in the air
Slightly draw your navel down towards your spine to brace your abdominal
Lift your hips upward exhaling as you do it
Hold the position for 1-2 seconds at the top and lower slightly as you inhale
Touch your hips to the floor and repeat immediately