NOTE: The health and fitness information contained on this site in these work-outs is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before starting this or any other fitness program.

Featured in this article is Dana Davenport. Dana is a co-trainer with Total Approach Golf who, along with myself, works with PGA Tour players Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard, Stewart Cink and Grant Waite. Dana has 15 years' experience in the health and fitness industry and has a degree in sports psychology. Training with Dana is like having your own personal coach who clearly understands the mental component of competitive sports. He is a wonderful addition to the T.A.G. staff.

Series II is focusing on lower body strengthening. In Part I of Series II you learned three strengthening exercises that focus on utilizing the hip and buttock muscles. In this article, Dana will show you exercises that both strengthening the total lower body and increase your lower body muscles to balance themselves more effectively during your golf swing. Balance is the key word. You need not only be strong in your lower body, but your ability to stay balanced through out all six phases of the golf swing is crucial in developing good mechanics.

The first few times you do these exercises, you will feel unstable and may loose your balance quite frequently. So be sure to do these exercises slowly with a lot of mind-to-muscle control. (See Part I of Series II for the definition of "mind to muscle")

Exercise 1
Squat and Reach

Begin standing with feet shoulder width apart facing something you can hold onto to assist you if you loose your balance. Standing on one foot, squat down while rotating your body to the left and reaching your right arm across your body trying to touch your support system. Staying on the same leg, rotate to the right side while reaching your left arm across your body. The goal is to maintain your balance while squating as low as you can and reaching as far as you can. The lower you squat and the farther you rotate and reach across your body, the more advanced the exercise. Go at your own pace. Begin with as many as you can do with out loosing your balance. Repeat this three times on the same leg, then repeat on the opposite leg. Build up to 30 reps.

Exercise 2
Step Up Lunge

Using a bench, squat down with both knees bent, SLOWLY step up with one foot on the bench pushing through your heel. Do not role the weight of your body onto your toes. Allow the foot that is behind you to touch the bench lightly if needed to maintain balance, then SLOWLY lower yourself back to starting position. The goal is to build to 20 reps and perform each rep as slowly as possible. When you start, you may have to perform the reps at a faster pace to stay balanced. As you advance, slow down your pace.

Exercise 3
Step Up Lunge/Knee Up

Perform this exercise just like Exercise 2 with the exception of bringing the leg that is behind you, up in front of you with your knee bent, then return to starting position. The Goal here is the same, to perform the exercise as slow as possible and maintain your balance through out 20 reps.