Strength training for golfers and racket players over 40

If you are over 40 and want to keep playing for decades, the gym may matter as much as the practice ground. Muscle mass and strength tend to decline gradually with age, and the speed you need for a drive, a serve or a smash fades with them if you never train it. The encouraging part is that muscles respond to training at any age. Two short sessions a week are a realistic place to start.

This is general advice for healthy adults. If you have a heart, joint or other health condition, have been inactive for a long time or are unsure whether strength training suits you, check with your doctor before you begin.

Why strength matters more after 40

Golf, padel and tennis are all about producing force quickly and controlling it. Strong legs and hips let you push off, turn and stop. A strong trunk transfers that force to the arms. Strong shoulders, forearms and grip help them cope with thousands of swings and shots. Balance keeps you steady on a sloping lie or in a wide lunge for a low volley.

The World Health Organization recommends muscle strengthening activities involving the major muscle groups on two or more days a week for adults. For players, that work pays twice: it supports everyday health and it helps the body tolerate the demands of the game. It will not replace practice, but it gives your practice a sturdier body to work with.

A simple twice weekly programme

Choose one or two exercises from each group below. A full session takes around thirty to forty five minutes, and you can do it in a gym or at home with a few dumbbells and a resistance band.

• Legs: squats to a bench or box, holding a dumbbell at the chest, and the split squat, with one foot forwards and one back.
• Hinge: the hip hinge with a club along your back to learn the pattern, then dumbbell Romanian deadlifts and glute bridges.
• Pull: one arm dumbbell rows or band rows, keeping the shoulder blade moving back and down.
• Push: press-ups, inclined against a bench if needed, and a light overhead press if your shoulders are comfortable with it.
• Rotation and anti-rotation: medicine ball throws against a wall from a side on stance, and the Pallof press with a band.
• Balance and single leg work: step-ups, single leg Romanian deadlifts and standing on one leg while you brush your teeth.
• Grip and forearms: carrying a heavy dumbbell in each hand for a short walk, and light wrist curls.

Rotation, power and balance

All three games are rotational, so the trunk deserves special attention. Medicine ball throws teach you to turn quickly from the hips, much like a swing or a groundstroke. Use a light ball, stand side on to a solid wall, and throw with intent while staying balanced. Quality matters more than quantity; six good throws on each side are plenty.

The Pallof press trains the opposite skill, anti-rotation. Fix a band at chest height to your side, hold it at your chest and press it straight out while the band tries to twist you. Your trunk learns to stay stable, which is what lets the arms swing freely without the body collapsing.

Balance and single leg strength deserve a place too. Padel and tennis are full of lunges and split steps, and golf often asks you to stand on a slope. Step-ups and single leg exercises build that control in a calm setting before you need it on court or on the course.

It will not replace practice, but it gives your practice a sturdier body to work with.

How to start and progress

1. Check with your doctor first if you have a health condition or are unsure.
2. Spend the first two or three weeks learning each movement with body weight or very light weights.
3. Pick a load that leaves two or three repetitions in reserve at the end of each set.
4. Progress gradually: add a repetition or two, and when the top of the range feels comfortable, add a little weight.
5. Review the programme every six to eight weeks and change one or two exercises to keep it fresh.
6. Consider a few sessions with a qualified trainer or physiotherapist to check your technique.

This gradual approach is called progressive overload: asking slightly more of the body over time so it keeps adapting. Small steps are the point. Some muscle soreness in the first weeks is normal, but sharp or persistent pain is not, and belongs with a doctor or physiotherapist.

Fitting it around your playing

Plan strength sessions so they support your game rather than compete with it. Avoid heavy leg work the day before an important match or round, when tired legs would cost you. Training after an easy session, or on a day without play, usually works well. Many players choose two fixed days, such as early in the week and midweek, so the weekend stays fresh.

During a busy playing season, keep the sessions shorter and the weights steady. In quieter months, such as winter for many golfers, you can do a little more and build a base for the year ahead.

Terms in this article

Hip hinge

Bending forwards from the hips with a neutral back and soft knees, the movement behind deadlifts and the golf posture.

Split squat

A leg exercise with one foot forwards and one back, lowering the back knee towards the floor.

Pallof press

An exercise pressing a band straight out from the chest while resisting its pull to twist the trunk.

Anti-rotation

Training the trunk to resist twisting forces, which helps it stay stable while the arms and hips move.

Progressive overload

Gradually increasing repetitions, weight or difficulty over time so the body keeps adapting.

Questions readers ask

Am I too old to start strength training?

Muscles respond to training at any age, and many people start well after 40, 50 or 60. Begin with body weight or light weights, learn the movements carefully and progress slowly. If you have a health condition or have been inactive for a long time, check with your doctor first. A few sessions with a qualified trainer or physiotherapist can help you start with confidence.

Will strength training make me stiff and spoil my swing?

Not when it is done sensibly. Moving through a full, comfortable range, including rotation and balance work, tends to support a fluid swing rather than restrict it. Keep doing your mobility routine, avoid exhausting sessions the day before you play and progress gradually. Many players find that a stronger body makes the swing feel easier to repeat late in a round or match.

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