{"id":16206,"date":"2026-06-05T16:41:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T16:41:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/16206\/"},"modified":"2026-06-05T16:41:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T16:41:18","slug":"heres-a-smarter-way-for-golfers-to-train-for-speed-and-injury-prevention-at-the-same-time-australian-golf-digest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/16206\/","title":{"rendered":"Here’s a smarter way for golfers to train for speed and injury prevention at the same time \u2013 Australian Golf Digest"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you think about exercises, you probably focus on the first part of the movement\u2014such as the push part of a push-up. But what happens on the way back down could be more important in terms of strength gains and injury prevention. For example, when jumping from a squat position, it\u2019s the landing\u2014not the jump\u2014that\u2019s too often ignored. \u201cPeople don\u2019t get hurt jumping, they get hurt landing,\u201d says Golf Digest\u2019s Chief Fitness Advisor Ben Shear. \u201cAnd in golf, stopping the swing is causing most of the injuries. If you want to swing harder for power, you have to train your body to decelerate safely.\u201d<\/p>\n

The process is called eccentric training, but you might think of it as working out in reverse. It emphasizes the second half of an exercise, like the lowering portion of a pull-up. The muscles are lengthening and contracting as they resist an opposing force, usually gravity. Here Shear has developed an eccentric workout for golfers. When doing the exercises, use a 1-1-4 tempo for each rep. Example: One second to pull up, one second to hold the up position and four seconds to lower the body. Do this workout twice a week, and before long you\u2019ll be able to swing the club \u201charder and safer,\u201d Shear says.<\/p>\n

Do 10 to 12 reps of each exercise or as many as you can. Remember to go slow.<\/p>\n

1. HAMSTRING DIPS \"https:\/\/www.golfdigest.com\/content\/dam\/images\/golfdigest\/fullset\/fitness-2026\/Hamstring <\/p>\n

HOW TO: From a kneeling position with your feet securely anchored and your body upright, lower your torso forward, stopping just before gravity pulls you all the way down. Then slowly rise back to the start position. Try to keep your back straight and pelvis forward throughout.<\/p>\n

2. REVERSE CHEST PRESSES \"https:\/\/www.golfdigest.com\/content\/dam\/images\/golfdigest\/fullset\/fitness-2026\/Reverse <\/p>\n

HOW TO: Grab two dumbbells that are heavy but manageable. Lie back on a bench and press the dumbbells above your chest at a normal pace. Then slowly lower the dumbbells to your chest before quickly pushing them back up again. Resist the urge to arch your back as you press up.<\/p>\n

3. BENT-OVER REVERSE ROWS \"https:\/\/www.golfdigest.com\/content\/dam\/images\/golfdigest\/fullset\/fitness-2026\/Bent-over <\/p>\n

HOW TO: Grab a dumbbell with one hand, and plant your opposite hand on the side of a bench. While pushing into the bench, quickly pull the weight up to your side, then slowly lower it back down before quickly pulling it back up again. Try to keep your back straight and head down throughout.<\/p>\n

4. LOWERING SPLIT-SQUATS \"https:\/\/www.golfdigest.com\/content\/dam\/images\/golfdigest\/fullset\/fitness-2026\/Lowering <\/p>\n

HOW TO: Holding two dumbbells above your shoulders in a kneeling split-stance, quickly rise straight up with your torso, then slowly lower your body back to the start position. Then quickly rise again. Keep your torso as upright as possible and your lead knee directly above the heel of that foot.<\/p>\n

5. RESISTED TORSO ROTATIONS \"https:\/\/www.golfdigest.com\/content\/dam\/images\/golfdigest\/fullset\/fitness-2026\/Resisted <\/p>\n

HOW TO: Hold a cable or resistance band in front of your chest, arms extended and band taut. Keep your head still as you quickly rotate your torso in one direction until you feel fully wound. Then slowly unwind in the opposite direction. Keep your lower body fairly still.<\/p>\n

6. LET-DOWNS \"https:\/\/www.golfdigest.com\/content\/dam\/images\/golfdigest\/fullset\/fitness-2026\/Let-downs.jpg\"\/ <\/p>\n

HOW TO: Hold on to a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, and quickly lift your body until your head is above the bar. Then slowly lower your body until your arms are completely extended below the bar. Pull back up\u2014if you can\u2014and repeat. Try to prevent your body from rocking.<\/p>\n

7. RESISTED LATERAL SIDESTEPS \"https:\/\/www.golfdigest.com\/content\/dam\/images\/golfdigest\/fullset\/fitness-2026\/Resisted <\/p>\n

HOW TO: Wrap a resistance band around your waist, and anchor the other end. Quickly sidestep away from the anchored point as far as you can. When the band is fully stretched, slowly sidestep back toward the anchored point, resisting the pull. Try to stay rigidly upright.<\/p>\n

DO THIS WORKOUT A FEW TIMES A WEEK, ESPECIALLY DURING GOLF SEASON.<\/p>\n

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When you think about exercises, you probably focus on the first part of the movement\u2014such as the push…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16207,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[459,6944,44,460,1069],"class_list":["post-16206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-article","tag-fitness","tag-golf","tag-golf-digest","tag-how-to"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16206"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16206\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}