Golf workouts are designed to put yourself both physically and mentally in peak condition before you play a game on the golf course. They are mainly focused on the important muscle groups that are used in the game: core, shoulders, arms, and lower body. Fortunately, these muscle groups are also commonly used in a functional fitness workout.

A crossfit workout, in its essence, is a fitness program designed to break out of your routine. So, the keyword here is variation, and the main idea behind a functional fitness workout is that your body will adapt to any routine. For this reason, you should avoid doing the same workout every single time, and you should avoid patterns.

In this article, we will discuss how to use golf workouts to design a functional fitness program. This way, you can use the exercises we’re about to discuss as a regular golf workout when you are about to play a game, and use them as a  functional fitness challenge when you are not playing. In short: optimal fitness, every time.

How This CrossFit Workout Works

The idea here is to avoid patterns, so we will work on a framework like this:

• For starters, do two days of functional fitness workouts followed by a day of rest, another two days of workouts followed by two days of rest. So, in a week you’ll have 4 workout days and 3 days of rest. Once you’re comfortable, do three days of workouts followed by a day of rest, and another three days of workouts.
• We’ll have two different intensity levels. For the week before you play a golf game, you’ll switch to the lower intensity version that is 50% easier with 50% fewer reps. You’ll do the maximum intensity version otherwise.
• Below, we’ll list 10 different exercises, and we’ll use a random 4-digit number generator to get your workout of the day.
• The random number generator will allow you to create your own workout routine and will make sure that all the important muscle groups get properly trained in a timely manner.
• Here are the rules:

1. Keep hitting go until you don’t get any repeating numbers (i.e 5628)
2. On an extremely rare occasion where you get exactly the same number as the previous day, hit another go
3. Each number that the generator gives you indicates the workout you’re supposed to complete this day.

• If you get the number 5628, you’ll need to complete workouts 5, 6, 2 & 8 (see below).
• Keep track of your numbers, and if you feel like you’ve done a certain workout too often during the week, you can hit another. Be honest with yourself
• Do the four workouts in a circuit-like manner: do all four without rest, rest for 1 to 3 minutes, and repeat the circuit for a total of 3 repetitions.

It might seem complicated at first, but it is actually very easy once you’ve got the hang of it. You can use the random numbers generator on your phone, and will only take a few minutes each day.

The Workouts

We’ll start with the number 0 to 9 here, because the random number generator starts with 0, and so we can also avoid using the number 10.

Workout 0: Pushup To Single Arm Support

1. Assume a pushup position, your legs shoulders width apart
2. Do one repetition of a pushup, and pull one of your hands off the floor to touch your chest on the other side
3. Go back to your starting position, and repeat with the other hand

Aim for at least 6 to 8 reps for each set. This workout is designed to train your chest, arms, and shoulders just like a normal push up. Yet, the single-arm support movement will also train your core. In short, it involves the important muscles to make a perfect swing.

Workout 1: Inverted Diagonal Band PNF

1. Lie on the floor while holding a resistance band with both hands, shoulders width apart. Make sure the resistance is challenging enough
2. Lift your legs off the floor until your knees make a 90-degree angle. Keep your feet together, but your knees out wide, creating a V-shape
3. Pull the resistance band diagonally until your left hand is alongside your left shoulder and your right hand alongside your hip, inhale with your nose
4. Exhale with your mouth and go back to the starting position, repeat on one side first before switching.

Photo courtesy of Bill Hartman

Aim for at least 4-6 reps each side, do both sides before going to the next workout.

Workout 2: Seated rotations

1. Sit on the floor, legs width apart
2. Put your palms flat on your stomach
3. Maintain a straight posture, and rotate your torso to one side without moving your hips
4. Move your torso left and right in a quick manner for 30 seconds
5. Hold for 2 seconds, and return to the starting position

Photo courtesy of 3v.

Alternate sides for each rep, and do 10 for each side before moving to the next workout. This workout is ideally suited for mid handicappers that need to improve their posture on ball impact.

Workout 3: Inverted Hamstring Stretch

1. Stand on one leg, lift the other leg slightly off the floor. Arms extended from your sides
2. Raise your right leg so that it’s now behind you, parallel to the ground
3. Return to the starting position

Photo courtesy of Exos.

Do 6-8 reps for each leg before switching sides. Do both sides before moving on to the next workout.

Workout 4: Goblet Squat

1. Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell with both hands, place it on your chest. Make sure your chest is not expanding, legs shoulders width apart from each other
2. Push your knees out and sit down as far as you can, keep your back and especially your lower back straight
3. Go back to the starting position

Do at least 6 to 8 repetitions, increase your kettlebell/dumbbell weight as you get comfortable with the exercise.

Workout 5: Lower Trunk Rotation

1. Lie on the floor, bend your knees so that your feet sit comfortably on the floor. Palms up and stretch your arms to your sides
2. Twist your torso so that one of your knees can touch the floor, don’t lift your back or your arms from the floor
3. Return to the starting position

Photo courtesy of Andrew Dixon.

Aim for 6-8 repetitions for each side.

Workout 6: Lateral Pillar Bridge

1. Lie on one side like a side plank position:  keep your body in a straight line, one elbow under your shoulder as your foundation. Keep your feet stacked.
2. Push your hip off the ground to create a straight line from your shoulder to your ankle, hold for three seconds
3. Return to the starting position

Photo courtesy of Core Performance.

Do 6-8 repetitions for each side, do both sides before moving to the next workout.

Workout 7: Dumbbell Punch

1. Hold a dumbbell on each hand, keep the weights relatively light. Stand with your legs shoulders width apart. Hold your dumbbells just above your chests.
2. Rotate your hips and punch to the side. If you are punching with your right hand, punch to the left, and pivot with your feet.
3. Return to the starting position

Photo courtesy of Health Wellness Mantra.

Do 6-8 reps for each side, alternate sides with every repetition.

Workout 8: Kettlebell Pullover

1. Lie on your back, lift your legs so that it’s parallel to the floor. Keep your feet together but your knees out wide. Hold the kettlebell with both hands by the horns, keep your arms straight and the kettlebell above your chests
2. Pull your arms backward so that the kettlebell almost touches the floor behind your head. Keep your arms straight at all times: this is will be extremely useful when playing golf as your body will need to stretch high during the swing (which can be made easier with a great iron set).
3. Return to the starting position

Photo courtesy of Stack.

Aim for 4-6 repetitions before moving on

Workout 9: 90/90 Stretch

1. Lie on one side, your bottom leg straight, and bend your top leg while letting the inside knee to touch the floor
2. Rotate your core, attempt to touch the floor with the top shoulder blade as far as you can.
3. Hold for two seconds and go back to the starting position

Photo of WikiHow.

Do 10 repetitions for each side, and do both sides before moving on to the next exercise.