Fitness coach Kolby “K-Wayne” Tullier has more than 15 years experience of working with many of the best PGA and LPGA Tour pros on the planet. In his role as Director of Sports Performance at Joey D Golf, Tullier counts Justin Thomas, Sam Burns, Harold Varner III, Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda, and others as part of his stable (literally—it’s called #TheStable).
Fitness has become an even more important part of professional golfers’ training and practice regimes of late. As Tullier preaches to his clientele, “The club doesn’t move until you pick it up.”
For those who are anxiously hoping to make their next season the best yet, how can you make sure you’re preparing properly while at home?
Enter Tullier and his simple at-home suggestions to help you keep your body moving and stay golf fit.
STAY LOOSE
No matter what kind of exercise you’re working on, Tullier says stretching is key. Researchers, like those at Harvard Medical School, agree that stretching is an important aspect of maintaining flexibility, strength, and overall health in our muscles and helps us reduce the risk of injury.
While Tullier typically works with athletes in the prime of their careers, he says anyone can benefit from keeping their mobility levels up, especially golfers.
“You always are able to increase mobility and stability,” he says. “We want to make sure we keep those hips mobile.”
Many at-home exercises are based on staying loose and stabilizing key aspects of the body for one’s swing, like your ankles or hips, all without needing equipment or a gym.
Basic moves that Tullier lists include hip circles (rotating your hips around in a full circle from a standing position) and spine rotations (twisting your torso from one side to the other).
Plenty of proper demonstrations, training modifications, and videos are available online as well as complete body-weight programs for those looking for a consistent exercise routine to help stay golf fit.
MAINTAIN YOUR BALANCE
Balance is an important aspect of the golf swing, and Tullier says that the clients he trains who are in their 60s and 70s are doing a lot of the same stability exercises, movement patterns, and kinetic programs that he does with elite golfers like Thomas and Korda.
“You’re never too old to work on your balance,” says Tullier.
Even something as simple as sets of standing on one leg for a few minutes each is considered a good exercise that, if done every day, could have long-term benefits.
AVOID TOO MUCH SITTING
For people who may be hunched over a desk or a makeshift work area in their home, Tullier suggests that for every hour you work, you should get up and do at least five to 10 minutes of some kind of physical activity.
Just as if you’re at the office, if you’re not careful you could be sitting around for eight hours, or more, without realizing it.
“You’re reigniting the motor units that are stopped by sitting down,” Tullier explains. “You’re reactivating the whole system and pushing some good oxygenated blood through the body, and that’s going to make you feel a lot better.”
CONSIDER ADDING WEIGHT
If you do have access to dumbbells or other free weights (even miscellaneous household items will do), you can further increase your progression by adding extra weight to simple exercises.
Think about using weights when doing squats, lunges, or triceps dips on a chair—those are power moves meant to help with improving your overall strength.
Tullier advises that while you can do most exercises with weights, it’s certainly not necessary—only try what you’re comfortable with to avoid strain and injury.
While it may be difficult getting into a routine of work-life balance, you don’t have to sacrifice your workout regimes from home. In fact, there’s a chance you might get better at golf this year without even hitting a ball.
“We’re trying to get your body to move the way that it’s meant to move,” says Tullier, “and golf’s going to become a lot easier.”
What ways are you exercising to stay golf fit? Let us know in the comment section!
