GOLF CONDITIONING

Conditioning for golf

PAFGYM · Updated 2026-10-21

What should I do before a round?

Many people get ready for their first tee shot by twisting their waist a few times. But repeating big rotations before the body is properly warmed up tends to make the swing stiff.

In September 2024, Manager Ahn Jun-yong prepared 16 movements for a golf training class on pre-round conditioning. He divided them into movements to do before a round and ones you can do during a round, made up of foam roller movements and full-body bodyweight movements. They were chosen so anyone can follow them, and they are movements the Dogok studio's golfing members actually use.

What needs to move for good rotation?

The swing is a movement in which the whole body rotates together. Rather than creating rotation by twisting only at the lower back, the upper back and hips must each turn their share for the whole body to rotate evenly.

In the third Golf Class of April 2025, we worked through the following four exercises in order, using yoga mats and resistance bands.

• Warming up with upper- and lower-body stretches
• Mobility training to expand the range of motion your swing needs
• Exercises that stabilize the spine so the axis of rotation stays steady
• Training that builds rotational strength against band resistance

Do you need resisting strength as much as rotating strength?

Yes. Turning the trunk freely and holding the body's center steady have to go together. That's why PAFGYM sessions combine rotational mobility work with core exercises that resist unwanted movement and exercises that take your weight on one leg.

At the PAFGYM Conference in December 2024, trainer Cho Min-seok presented golf performance training with elastic resistance bands. Bands can be used at home or at the driving range, which makes them well suited to homework between sessions.

How are sessions planned for golfers?

We first use a movement assessment to see how much your back, hips, and ankles each move, and whether habits from a one-sided sport have created differences between your left and right sides. Based on the results, we set the balance of mobility, stability, and strength.

We change the flow to match your season and schedule; for example, if you have a round coming up, we adjust the intensity that week and focus on warm-up movements. Swing technique itself is the golf coach's domain, and the trainer prepares with you the body that supports that technique.