If you’ve ever taken a golf lesson—or endured a few too many pointers from your playing partners on the course—you’ve probably heard about the importance of “rotation” in your swing.

Rotational power, they’ll tell you, is vital for clubhead speed, distance, and accuracy. What they often leave out is what drives rotational power and how to train it. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Unlock Rotational Power with Core Training

Let's start by breaking down what happens during rotation in the golf swing. Rotational power in the swing is the transfer of energy between your lower and upper body, and the muscle group that drives this movement—and keeps everything steady and controlled—is your core. It’s arguably the most important muscle group for golfers, yet it’s often the most overlooked.

Before you start doing crunches, consider this: core training for golfers isn’t just about building strength or getting that six-pack of abs. It’s about training your body to use core strength effectively during your swing.

Combining foundational core training with swing-specific exercises is the difference between simply building strength and learning how to translate it into power, precision, and consistency on the course. The four exercises below from the GolfForever program are designed to do exactly that, emphasizing dynamic movements like rotational stability and controlled power transfer. With the perfect blend of fundamentals and golf-specific techniques, these exercises are highly effective for golfers of all experience levels, whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro.

In these GIFs, you’ll see golfers using The Swing Trainer—an at-home strength and mobility tool from GolfForever. Exercises in the GolfForever app and the Swing Trainer work together to help you increase mobility and strength in movement patterns that directly apply to the golf swing. 

For each exercise, perform two sets, for ten repetitions per side.

1. Half-Kneeling Horizontal Chop

This movement is a staple anti-rotation exercise in the GolfForever program. You might be wondering, “Shouldn’t I be training rotation, not resisting it?” The answer is yes—but rotation isn’t the only way to strengthen your core. By resisting rotation, you train your core to maintain a neutral spine position, which protects the spine from unnecessary strain and potential injury. For golfers, this is especially critical, as swinging with a weak core exposes the spine to significant stress.

2. Lateral Lunge with Rotation

This exercise is a prime example of a full-body movement focused on improving rotation. Because you transfer power while rotating by engaging the lower body, upper body, and core, it is essential to include exercises that engage your entire body—not just your abs.

The GolfForever Swing Trainer is designed to train full-body movements as it allows you to engage your upper and lower body in dynamic movements under tension, which is the best way to train the body to engage the core as the connection point, bringing the upper and lower body together in a sequenced motion to generate maximum power output.

3. Press with Alternating Anterior Lunge

Agility training plays a vital role in developing rotational power by enhancing your balance and control over your center of gravity. Greater balance and stability allow you to transfer more energy into generating power from your core during your swing, rather than wasting effort trying to maintain control. This improved focus on power production translates directly into more efficient and explosive swings. Your core plays a large role in controlling your center of gravity during rotational movements. Fostering stability and coordination in this area are essential for achieving strong, consistent, and powerful swings.

4. Hip Shoulder Separation, Split Stance with Torso Rotation

As we mentioned, these exercises aren’t just about building core strength—they’re about building core strength you can translate to your swing. Use a specialized tool like the Swing Trainer for a golf-specific movement like this, and you’re developing a mind-body connection that transforms newfound strength into real results on the course.

Build Rotational Power with GolfForever

Don’t be the golfer who overlooks their core—or the golfer who trains their core without any golf-specific movements. Whether you’re aiming to add distance to your drives, improve consistency with your irons, or reduce injury risk, dedicating time to foundational and golf-specific core training in your workouts this offseason will deliver all that—and more.

With the GolfForever Swing Trainer, you can take your training to the next level. Its focus on rotational movements, anti-rotation exercises, agility, and golf-specific techniques gives your body and mind the tools to harness your strength and transform your game for good.

Ready to crush it off the tee? Start training smarter with GolfForever today.