Backswing with Exercise Band
The backswing with exercise band exercise is a great way to increase your stability and strength in a very exact functional pattern. This will help with power, control, balance, and more than anything, prevent injuries. Negative swing characteristics often come from where you start your downswing, your body has to do bad things to correct a wrong starting point. This will help prevent that.
Primary Muscles Used
Backswing with Exercise Band Instructions
- Attach the band securely to a low or mid-level anchor (around waist height).
- Use a medium-resistance band — enough to feel tension, but not so strong that it restricts your movement.
- Stand in your golf stance:
- Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
- Position your body side-on to the anchor so that the band resistance comes from the target side (if you’re right-handed, the anchor should be on your left).
- Grip the band with both hands, holding it like a golf club:
- Lead hand on top, trail hand below, mimicking your real grip.
- Keep light tension in the band even before moving.
- Engage your core and maintain a strong athletic posture with a flat back.
- Begin your backswing by rotating your shoulders and torso away from the anchor point, simulating your real golf backswing motion.
- The band should stretch and increase in tension as you rotate.
- Keep your arms extended but relaxed — the motion should come from your torso and hips, not just your arms.
- Pause briefly at the top of the backswing (the point of maximum resistance).
- You should feel your core, shoulders, and glutes loaded and ready to uncoil.
- Slowly return to the starting position, resisting the pull of the band.
- Focus on maintaining control — don’t let the band snap you back.
- Repeat 10–12 reps per side for 2–3 sets, maintaining smooth, controlled motion.
- As you get stronger, you can:
- Move farther from the anchor to increase resistance, or
- Use a heavier band.
Key Tips
- Maintain a neutral spine — avoid arching your lower back.
- Keep your hips stable; let the movement come from rotation, not swaying.
- Keep your lead arm straight (as in a real backswing) for proper golf mechanics.
- Move slowly and deliberately — this is strength training, not a fast swing drill
Tim's list of benefits for the Backswing with Exercise Band
- Builds strength in the core, obliques, shoulders, and hips, which are the primary drivers of rotational power in the golf swing.
- Stronger rotation = greater clubhead speed and distance.
- Improves swing mechanics and sequencing, this exercise trains your body to rotate correctly from the ground up — hips, torso, shoulders, and then arms.
- Reinforces the proper kinetic chain used in an efficient golf swing.
- The band resistance mimics the load you experience during a real backswing, helping your muscles “store” elastic energy to release through impact.
- Engages deep stabilizers (transverse abdominis, obliques, multifidus), improving balance and control through your swing.
- Holding posture against resistance strengthens the lower back, glutes, and legs, helping maintain a consistent stance during your swing.
- The controlled motion of the exercise helps refine your backswing rhythm, teaching your muscles to move smoothly instead of jerking or rushing.
- Promotes symmetry and balance between sides
- Training both directions (right- and left-handed swings) helps balance strength and mobility, preventing muscular imbalances and overuse injuries.
- Strengthening the core and improving rotational mechanics reduces the load on your spine and shoulders, lowering the risk of strain during practice or play.
- Translates directly to on-course performance, performing the backswing with exercise bands builds the functional strength and movement pattern needed for a powerful, efficient, and consistent golf swing — exactly how your body moves in real play.
What if you could play the best golf of your life while looking and feeling your best? Green Physique's Golf Wellness program is an easy-to-use, expert-guided fitness program designed to help golfers of any skill level increase strength, mobility, stability, and flexibility.
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