The Backwards Throw Exercise is a great way to build power and speed in your hips and core, while developing rotational stability and balance.
The Backwards Throw Exercise forms part of the Golf Power series of innovative and dynamic exercises that are designed to efficiently build explosive power in your golf swing, increasing club head speed and shot distance.
Equipment
This exercise requires a medicine ball and a wall to throw it against. Alternatively, you could throw the ball to a partner.
This is a power training exercise, so use a moderate weight that enables you to move fast, in an explosive (plyometric) movement, while always maintaining control and proper form.
Quality of movement is much more important than how heavy a ball you are throwing.
For power exercises, the end of the set shouldn’t necessarily feel harder. Your effort level should remain relatively high throughout the set.
See How Much Weight Should I Lift? for more information.
Steps
- Start by standing in an athletic position with your back to a wall about 3 feet (1m) away, holding a medicine ball in front of your chest.
- Keeping your feet on the ground, turn to your left around your posted left hip, driving with your right hip, and throw the ball as hard as you can, up and outside your left shoulder, against the wall.
- Catch the ball with both hands and return to the starting position.
- Continue for the desired number of repetitions.
- Repeat on the other side.
Initiate the throw by attacking with the hip on your throwing side, thrusting it towards the wall as you drive the other hip around, following with your torso, arms and then the ball.
Keep your torso as centred as you can, rotating around a fixed axis.
Keep your abdominal muscles engaged, chest up, back flat, and your shoulder blades back and down.
You should feel it working your hips and core.
Variation
When you first perform this exercise, make one throw at a time, resetting your position and balance each time, concentrating on throwing as explosively as you can while maintaining perfect form. As you become more proficient, try to link the throws together into one continuous movement.
As your strength increases and the exercise gets easier, either throw the ball harder or progress to a heavier ball.
There are a number of other throw exercises in the Golf Loopy Train like a Champion System that offer a variety of challenges, you can see them all by clicking here.
If you have any questions or comments about this or other articles on Golf Loopy, please send us an email.
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