The step up with a sandbag is a great exercise for golf fitness!  This one movement can help with hip strength and flexibility, which is one of the keys to hitting it farther, along with building core stability-

having the sandbag on one shoulder requires you to work hard to keep your torso from swaying one side or the other.  It helps with stability in your lumbar spine – an area often injured in golf.

You can do step ups with dumbbells, but its not quite as effective for golf as the sandbags.  Same thing goes for a barbell.  I used to use a 185 pound barbell for step ups, but I didn’t feel it in my abs and back, as much as I do with the bags.

That shifting sand makes for a great core workout.  Choose a sturdy platform for this exercise and if you have poor flexibility, make sure the step height is adjusted to fit your needs.

Many of the gyms where I have trained didn’t have many or any platforms for this exercise, so I had to use a weight bench.  The extra padding can increase your instability, so if this is your only choice, keep the resistance low until you get used to the movement.

Make sure to push through your heel to get your glutes doing much of the work.  Golfers need flexibility in your hips, but also strength, as these muscles create a lot of force during the golf swing.

These muscles are also important for providing stability to your pelvis, helping to protect your lower back from injury.  Most of the rotation in your swing comes from the hips, thoracic spine, and shoulder - NOT your low back!

There are plenty of other sandbag exercises for golf, which focus on your core and help build power into your swing.

Those of you with hip replacements have to watch how far you stretch your hip, so clear this exercise with your doctor or therapist, first.

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