If you top shots, most likely you are standing up as you strike the ball.  Ideally, you want to keep the same angle your torso and legs formed at address position the same throughout your swing.  Many high-handicappers stand up (straighten their legs or lift their torsos) as the they strike the ball resulting in an array of bad shots including thin and topped shots, pulls and slices. If you take a look at professionals, you will see that they keep their spine angle throughout their swing and even many squat down as they strike the ball.

If you tend to stand up during your swing,  you will want test your squat. This test will help you measure the overall mobility in your legs, ankles, shoulders and spine. If you are unable to perform this test, it is likely that you will not able to maintain your spine angle throughout your downswing. The natural tendency is to thrust your hips toward the ball at the start of the downswing, thus pulling yourself up and out of the shot causing an array of errant shots and loss of power.

Here is an excellent exercise to help you improve your squat so that you can maintain your spine angle throughout your swing.

Stay down and through

Assisted Squat

1. Elevate your heels by standing on a box or board.  Hold a light weight in your hands, with your arms extended about shoulder height.

2. Squat down placing the weight on a box or elevated surface.

3. Stand back up and then squat down and pick up weight.

4. Repeat exercise 8 to 10 repetitions.

What is Cardiogolf?

Cardiogolf (www.cardiogolf.com) is a 60-minute golf-specific workout that is taught by certified instructors using an area in a gym or at a practice range. Using the specially designed Cardio Club participants learn exercises to promote better swing mechanics, flexibility, strength and balance throughout the golf swing. The exercises are set to music which makes this program ideal for a group exercise class. It accommodates every golfer regardless of gender, age and skill level or fitness level.

Who developed Cardiogolf?

The Cardiogolf Fitness Program was created by Karen Palacios-Jansen.  Karen, an AFAA certified personal trainer and LPGA teaching professional and is managing editor of Golf Fitness Magazine.  Over the years she has instructed hundreds of professional and amateur golfers using this unique and effective program and has been featured in several top golf publications illustrating this success.

Why Cardiogolf?

Karen used to have a dilemma: spend her free time working out or working on her golf swing.  Golf may be good mental exercise, but as far as a physical exertion it can’t compete with aerobics.  So she got to thinking, maybe she could do both at the same time.

Learning to play golf requires a lot of time, effort and money.  To play consistently, you must spend countless hours at a golf course. To achieve power, you must train your body, spending time in the gym lifting weights and stretching most days of the week.

Through analysis and research Karen developed a program that revolutionizes how people learn and practice the game of golf.  Cardiogolf is a way for golfers to improve their swing mechanics and fitness levels at the same time.

Cardiogolf –The Core Workout is the second DVD to LPGA Teacher of the Year and Certified Personal Trainer Karen Palacios-Jansen’s Cardiogolf Fitness Program. Cardiogolf uses easy-to-learn movements without the need of leaving the privacy of your own home.  In Karen’s newest DVD, you’ll learn core specific exercises to help improve your golf swing, lengthen your drives and reshape your body at the same time. You know you need to exercise for better health, so why not practice your golf swing at the same time.

There is nothing like Cardiogolf on the market today.  This unique golf fitness program is designed to improve swing biomechanics, increase clubhead speed for more power and tone your body at the same time.  Karen demonstrates proper technique step-by-step in a unique format that is easy to follow.  The workout can be modified and intensified to fit the needs of players of all levels. Karen has taught her Cardiogolf fitness program to hundreds of golfers to help them achieve incredible results.  To order visit www.cardiogolfcore.com or call 1-704-663-5199.

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