Workouts & exercises
Reformer exercises for golfers
The short answer
Golfers need thoracic rotation, hip separation and anti-rotation strength. The reformer trains all three — rotation work in the straps, single-leg loading for hip stability, and kneeling anti-rotation against spring for the trunk control the downswing demands.
Rotation should come from the right places
A golf swing needs rotation at the thoracic spine and separation between pelvis and ribcage. When the thoracic spine will not rotate, the lumbar spine does instead — and the lumbar spine has very little rotational range available.
That substitution is behind a large share of golfers’ back pain, and it is trainable.
A golf-focused session
Mobility, then separation, then anti-rotation strength. Twice a week in season.
- Arc over the carriage — 2 minutes thoracic extension
- Mermaid with rotation — 1 spring, 5 each side
- Seated rotation in straps — 1 spring, 8 each side
- Kneeling anti-rotation press — 1 spring, 8 each side
- Single-leg footwork — 2–3 springs, 8 each leg
- Side-lying leg series — 1 spring, 10 each side
Anti-rotation matters as much as rotation
Producing rotation is only half the swing. Controlling and decelerating it is the other half, and it is what protects the lower back through impact and follow-through.
Kneeling anti-rotation work against a spring trains exactly that: resisting a rotational force while staying square.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Pilates improve my golf swing?
- It improves the physical qualities the swing depends on — thoracic rotation, hip separation and trunk control. It does not replace technical coaching.
- Will Pilates help golfers’ back pain?
- Often, because much golf back pain comes from the lumbar spine substituting for a stiff thoracic spine. Improving thoracic rotation removes the need for that substitution.
- How often should a golfer do Pilates?
- Twice a week in season, and it combines well with a strength program in the off-season.