How To Improve Your Golf Fitness | Key Exercises

May 12, 2020

With 11 golf courses in Glynn County, this is one of the best places in the U.S. to get a round in! Today I have some great exercises for you to improve your golf game and knock a few strokes off.

Three keys to success in golf are balance, core strength, and power. Here are 7 great exercises to maximize your game.

Without proper balance, it’s impossible to maximize your swing potential. Here are 3 exercises to improve your balance.

Swiss Ball Pushup Progression is an amazing exercise for your chest and abdomen. Using a Swiss ball, move into a push up position and lay on the ball with your hips centered over the ball. Do 5 pushups, making sure to keep your body tight through the entire movement. Once you complete the first 5, walk your hands out so the ball is on your thighs and complete 5 more pushups. Finally, walk your hands out to where your knees are and perform a final set of 5 pushups. As you progress in strength, you can begin to walk your hands out further and even walk your hands back to the starting position.

Hips and shoulder strength are key to a strong drive. The Arnold Press and Split Squat is a great exercise that will strengthen these two muscle groups while working on balance. Begin in a full lunge position with your left leg is forward and your right leg is back. Your hips should be squarely supported between your knees and feet. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and perform an Arnold Press driving the weight straight up. Complete 8 repetitions and switch arms and leg positions. As you become more skilled, lower your hips into a split squat and hold the movement right there with your knee hovering just above the ground. You’ll feel your entire body working to stabilize!

One final balance exercise is the Leg Swings Holding a Swiss Ball. Take your Swiss Ball in your hands and lean up against a wall with plenty of room on your left and right. Balancing on one leg, swing your leg as far out as you can and then back past your support leg. Do 10 leg swings and then swap legs. This activates the core muscles and works on range of movement in your hip joints, perfect for balancing a golf swing!

A strong core is vital to any sport. Here are 2 exercises to give you a stronger back and better rotation on your swing.

Don’t let the name intimidate you, because the Barbarian Squat is an amazing exercise! Since I don’t have a Hindu Mace, I’m going to use my 5, 6, and 7 irons in its place. I have wrapped the top of the clubs at the hosel with some twine to make sure they do not come loose while I perform the exercise. Stand with the clubs behind your back. Lower your body into a squatting position while simultaneously bringing the clubs to the front with your arms straight and parallel with the floor. Return to your starting position while bringing the clubs behind your head again. Your core, shoulders, and back are once again all activated! You can begin with one club and move up in weight. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

One of the biggest challenges amateur golfer have is a sore lower back. This comes from week muscles in the erector spinae group as well as the sitting that our modern jobs make us do. The Prone Leg Extensions is a great way to strengthen these muscles and create a solid spine. Lay flat on the floor on your chest and rest your upper torso. Engaging your back muscles, lift your thighs off the ground, bending at the hips. Hold for a half second and return your legs to the ground. Complete 10 total movements for 3 sets.

Many clients cannot perform this exercise the first time, so to modify we can get in the same position and lift one leg at a time as high as you can. Alternate left and right legs and do 10 repetitions total.

With our balance and core work, we can begin to add power! A golf swing is a movement that must have explosive power. Here are two exercises that will generate some power in your game!

Using a medicine ball in place of your club, the Medicine Ball Swing allows you to go through your full range of motion for your swing while creating resistance for you to work against. Take a medicine ball, typically 6 to 8 pounds at first, and hold it in both hands. Take a golf stance like you would on a drive with the medicine ball taking the place of a club. Go into a full swing and as you come forward throw the ball to your training partner. You can do 10 on your swing side and 10 on your non-swinging side to work both sides of your body. As you increase in ability, increase your throwing distance or weight!

Another great power exercise for the shoulders is the Power Drop. With a partner, sit on the floor with your legs out and a tall spine. Out stretch your arms with palms up ready to catch with your partner will standing behind you. You training partner will drop the ball into your hands, catch and try not to let the ball hit the ground. With tight abs and back, swing the ball back up to your partner! Complete 10 repetitions for 3 sets. Once again, as you gain more strength you can increase weight and throwing height.

These are just a few great exercises you can use today to supercharge your golf game! If you would like to set up a golf strength and conditioning program, call us at 912-268-2594 and we can get you set up for your exclusively private training session at Live Oak Fitness!

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Warning Signs You Need a Personal Trainer

April 14, 2026

Stop Struggling Alone and Start Seeing Results Staying consistent with fitness is hard, even when you care about your health. Work, family plans, and social events pile up, and the first thing to slide off the calendar is usually your workout. You promise yourself you will get back on track next week, but somehow that next week keeps getting pushed back. Most people blame willpower, but the real problem is usually a lack of a plan and a support system. When you do not have a clear direction, it is easy to do a little of everything and not see much change. That is when frustration starts to grow. There are early warning signs that you could benefit from working with a personal trainer in Decatur, especially as you become more active outside again. When you know what to look for, it is easier to decide if getting help from a professional at a fitness center is the right next step for you. When Your Motivation Fades Faster Than Your Goals At the start, goals feel exciting. You are ready to work out several days a week, walk more, or get stronger. Then life happens. The days get longer, you stay out later, and workouts are the first thing to get skipped. Common signs your motivation is slipping include: Skipping planned workouts because you feel too tired after work Constantly restarting the same beginner routine every few weeks Telling yourself you will exercise tomorrow, then not doing it Only working out when a friend is free, then letting it go when they are busy A personal trainer in Decatur can bring structure to all of this. When you have set appointment times, it is easier to treat your workout like any other important meeting. You do not have to wonder what to do; you just show up and follow the plan made for you. We help by: Setting realistic, specific goals instead of vague wishes Tracking your progress so you can see changes in strength and confidence Adjusting workouts so they feel challenging but not impossible A private training studio often feels calmer than a crowded fitness center floor. With fewer distractions and people watching, many clients find it easier to stay focused, ask questions, and be honest about where they are starting. Pain, Aches, and Nagging Injuries That Will Not Quit Some soreness after a new workout can be normal, but pain that keeps coming back is a warning sign. Many people push through it, thinking it is just part of getting fit, but that can make things worse. Watch out for: Joint pain that shows up every time you do a certain movement Lower back discomfort during or after exercise Soreness that lingers for several days and affects daily tasks Old injuries that flare up when you become more active These problems often stem from factors like poor form, doing too much on the weekend, or jumping straight into outdoor sports without a foundation of strength and mobility. When the weather is nice, it is easy to go from sitting a lot to suddenly running, playing sports, or doing yard work, and your body may not be ready for that jump. At Live Oak Fitness, we focus on rehabilitation-minded exercises. That means we pay close attention to how you move, not just how hard you work. Our trainers can: Break down movements to fix form that may be stressing your joints Modify exercises so you can train safely around pain or past injuries Coordinate with your healthcare providers when needed, so your exercise supports, not fights, their plan The goal is not to simply push harder. The goal is to help you get stronger, more stable, and more mobile while reducing pain so you can keep doing the activities you enjoy. Stuck in a Rut and Not Seeing Any Progress Another warning sign you may need a personal trainer in Decatur is the classic plateau. You keep showing up, doing the same routine, but nothing seems to change. Your clothes feel the same, your energy is flat, and the weights you use have not moved in months. A plateau often means your body has adapted to what you are doing. If the workout never changes, your results stop changing, too. On your own, it can be hard to know what to adjust. Do you add more weight, more reps, more days, or different exercises? A personal trainer can look at the whole picture and design a program that grows with you. We can: Rotate exercises so your body keeps learning new patterns Adjust sets, reps, and rest so your workouts stay effective Target specific goals like strength, balance, or performance in a favorite activity Some people thrive with one-on-one sessions, where every minute is customized. Others enjoy moving in a small group setting, where you still get guidance but also share the energy of working alongside others. Either way, you are no longer guessing; you are following a plan with a clear purpose. Feeling Overwhelmed by Options at Your Fitness Center Walking into a fitness center with rows of machines and free weights can be confusing. You may know you want to get stronger, but not which tools are right for you or how to set them up safely. It can feel easier to stay on the same few pieces of cardio equipment and hope that is enough. Many people are unsure about: Which machines will help them reach their goals How to lift weights without hurting themselves How to warm up and cool down properly How to fit workouts into a busy schedule A trainer can cut through that confusion. Instead of wandering and guessing, you get clear, simple sessions that use only what you actually need. Over time, we also teach you how to move confidently in the space so you understand what you are doing and why. In a private studio setting like ours, there are fewer distractions, less noise, and far more personal attention. That makes it easier to ask questions, slow down, and build real confidence in your own body and abilities. Ready to Feel Stronger and More Confident This Season If you see yourself in any of these warning signs, you are not alone. Many people in Decatur reach a point where willpower is not enough, old aches start to bother them, or they feel stuck doing the same workouts without any real progress. That is often the perfect time to get professional support before small problems turn into bigger ones. At Live Oak Fitness, we provide a private fitness center environment in Decatur and also work with clients on St. Simons Island. We offer one-on-one personal training, small group classes, and programs that are friendly to people dealing with pain or recovering from injury. Our focus is on helping you move with more confidence and less discomfort, so you can enjoy your everyday life and the activities you love. Start Building Strength and Confidence With Expert Guidance If you are ready to move better, feel stronger, and feel at home in your body, we are here to help you take the first step. Work one-on-one with a dedicated personal trainer in Decatur who will design a plan that fits your goals, schedule, and experience level. At Live Oak Fitness, we focus on sustainable progress so you can feel the difference in your daily life, not just in the gym. Have questions or want to schedule your first session? Simply contact us , and we will walk you through the next steps.