If you’re like me, you are always looking for the best exercises to increase your strength and at the same time improve your golf swing! The overhead deep squat is that exercise that every golfer or athlete should be doing or should be able to do. There is only one problem. It’s extremely hard because it basically tests the mobility and stability of your entire body. TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) and FMS (Functional Movement Systems) are two of the most effective and complete body testing systems for golfers and athletes alike. Both programs use the overhead deep squat test as their baseline test for all other body screen tests.
You might be thinking, what does a overhead deep squat and a golf swing have in common? Here is a quick comparison. They are the same!
TPI (GOLF SWING) OVERHEAD DEEP SQUAT
As you can see, both the golf swing and a overhead deep squat use the same mobile and stable body parts to perform the swing or squat. The next major question is how do we perform an overhead deep squat and what does a proper overhead deep squat look like?
If you have any knee or back problems you want to be careful or possibly ignore trying the overhead deep squat. Here are your starting positions, feet need to be just outside your hips( feet straight forward), stand straight up, get a pole or golf club and extent it overhead (see picture),and engage your core. Now, start to squat as deep as you can, while keeping your chest upright and hands overhead. Here is a picture of a proper overhead deep squat and poor overhead deep squat.
BAD FORM
GOOD FORM
Your next step is to determine which you look like. If you look like the guy in the red, the chances are that your golf swing is suffering. In my next article, I will cover how to check your feet and ankles to see if they ere mobile and stable enough to perform the overhead deep squat/ Golf swing motion.