MUSCLES INVOLVING THE GOLF SWING
Muscles Involving the Golf Swing
Greg Gormly and Matt Hruszczak
Rowan University
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MUSCLES INVOLVING THE GOLF SWING
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Abstract
The golf swing has five phases which include the back swing, forward swing, acceleration, early
follow through and late follow through. Throughout these stages different muscles are being
used at different percentages of power to be combined into the perfect swing. All of these
muscles are important for having a good and consistent golf swing and without any one of them
it would not be possible.
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The golf swing is a complex motion involving numerous muscles of the human body. It
has numerous phases including the back swing, forward swing, acceleration, early follow
through and late follow through. In each of these phases, different muscles are being used at
different percentages of power. In the back swing stage, the erector spinae, abdominal oblique,
semimembranosus, long head of the biceps femoris are being used. In the forward swing, the
vastus lateralis, adductor magnus, upper and lower gluteus maximus, biceps femoris are being
used. For the acceleration stage the biceps femoris, upper and lower gluteus maximus, vastus
lateralis, abdominal oblique, gluteaus medius are being used. For the early follow through the
long head of biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, gluteus medius, abdominal oblique are being used.
For the late follow through the semimembranosus and vastus lateralis, adductor magnus, vastus
lateralis, gluteus medius are being used. All of these muscles are important for having a good and
consistent golf swing and without them it would not be possible.
The first stage of the golf swing is the back swing. In this stage there are four muscles
involved including the erector spinae, abdominal oblique, semimembranosus and the long head
of the biceps femoris. The left lower body/trunk includes the erector spinae and the abdominal
oblique. The right lower body/trunk includes the Semimembranosus and the long head of the
biceps femoris. For the left lower body/trunk side, the erector spinae is being worked at 26% and
the abdominal oblique is being worked at 24%. For the right lower body/trunk side, the
semimembranosus is being worked at 28% and the long head of the biceps femoris is being
worked at 27%.
MUSCLES INVOLVING THE GOLF SWING
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(Dave, January 5 2010)
The erector spinae actions include extension of the spine, anterior pelvic rotation, lateral
flexion of the spine, lateral pelvic rotation to contralateral side and ipsilateral rotation of the
spine and head. The abdominal oblique actions include lumbar flexion, posterior pelvic rotation
lumbar lateral flexion to ipsilateral side, lateral pelvic rotation to contralateral side and lumbar
rotation to contralateral side. (R.T. Floyd, 2012)
The semimembranosus actions include flexion of the knee, extension of the hip, internal
rotation of the hip and internal rotation of the knee. The biceps femoris actions include flexion of
the knee, extension of the hip, external hip rotation and external knee rotation. (R.T. Floyd,
2012)
The second stage of the golf swing is the forward swing. In this stage there are four
muscles involved including the vastus lateralis, adductor magnus, upper and lower gluteus
maximus , biceps femoris. The left lower body/trunk includes the vastus lateralis and the
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adductor magnus. The right lower body/trunk includes the upper and lower gluteus maximus and
the biceps femoris. For the left lower body/trunk side the vastus lateralis is being worked at 88%
and the adductior magnus is being worked at 63%. For the right lower body/trunk side the upper
and lower gluteus maximus is being worked at 100% and 98% and the biceps femoris is being
worked at 78%.
(Dave, January 5 2010)
The vastus lateralis actions include extension of the knee. The adductor magnus actions
include adduction of the hip, external rotation as the hip adducts and extension of the hip. The
gluteus maximus actions include extension of the hip and external rotation of the hip. The biceps
femoris actions include flexion of the knee, extension of the hip, posterior pelvic rotation,
external knee rotation and external rotation of the hip. (R.T. Floyd, 2012)
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The third stage of the golf swing is the acceleration. In this stage there are five muscles
involved including the biceps femoris, upper and lower gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis,
abdominal oblique, and gluteaus medius are being used. The left lower body/trunk includes the
biceps femoris, upper and lower gluteus maximus, and vastus lateralis. The right lower
body/trunk includes the abdominal obliques along with the gluteaus medius. For the left lower
body/trunk side, the biceps femoris is being worked at 83%, the gluteus maximus is being
worked at about 40%, and the vastus lateralis is being worked at 58%. For the right lower
body/trunk side, the abdominal obliques are being worked at 59% while the gluteaus medius is
being worked at 51%.
(Dave, January 5 2010)
The biceps femoris actions include flexion of the knee, internal rotation of the knee,
extension of the hip, and internal rotation of the hip. The upper and lower gluteus maximus
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actions include extension of the hip and external rotation of the hip. The vastus lateralis creates
extension of the knee. (R.T. Floyd, 2012)
The abdominal oblique actions include lumbar flexion, posterior pelvic rotation lumbar
lateral flexion to ipsilateral side, lateral pelvic rotation to contralateral side and lumbar rotation
to contralateral side. Gluteaus medius actions include abduction of the hip; anterior fibers
contribute to internal rotation of the hip and flexion of the hip while posterior fibers contribute to
external rotation of the hip and extension of the hip. (R.T. Floyd, 2012)
The fourth stage of the golf swing is the early follow through. In this stage there are four
muscles involved including the long head of biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, gluteus medius, and
abdominal oblique are being used. The left lower body/trunk includes the long head of biceps
femoris and the vastus lateralis. The right lower body/trunk includes the gluteus medius and the
abdominal oblique. For the left lower body/trunk side, the long head of biceps femoris is being
worked at 79% and the vastus lateralis is being worked at 59%. For the right lower body/trunk
side, the gluteus medius is being worked at 59% and the abdominal oblique is being worked at
51%.
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(Dave, January 5 2010)
The long head of biceps femoris actions include flexion of the knee, internal rotation of
the knee, extension of the hip, and internal rotation of the hip. The vastus lateralis creates
extension of the knee. The gluteus medius actions include abduction of the hip; anterior fibers
contribute to internal rotation of the hip and flexion of the hip while posterior fibers contribute to
external rotation of the hip and extension of the hip. The abdominal oblique actions include
lumbar flexion, posterior pelvic rotation lumbar lateral flexion to ipsilateral side, lateral pelvic
rotation to contralateral side and lumbar rotation to contralateral side. (R.T. Floyd, 2012)
The final stage of the golf swing is the late follow through. In this stage there are five
muscles involved including the semimembranosus and vastus lateralis, adductor magnus, vastus
lateralis, and gluteus medius are being used. The left lower body/trunk includes the
semimembranosus, vastus lateralis and adductor magnus. The right lower body/trunk includes
the vastus lateralis and the gluteus medius. For the left lower body/trunk side, the
semimembranosus along with the vastus lateralis are being worked at 42% and the adductor
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magnus is being worked at 35%. For the right lower body/trunk side, the vastus lateralis is being
worked at 40% and the gluteus medius is being worked at 22%.
(Dave, January 5 2010)
The semimembranosus actions include flexion of the knee, extension of the hip, internal
rotation of the hip and internal rotation of the knee. The vastus lateralis creates extension of the
knee and the adductor magnus includes adduction and extension of the hip, along with external
rotation as the hip adducts. While the gluteus medius actions include abduction of the hip;
anterior fibers contribute to internal rotation of the hip and flexion of the hip while posterior
fibers contribute to external rotation of the hip and extension of the hip. (R.T. Floyd, 2012)
As shown through our research the golf swing is a complex motion involving a good
portion of muscles throughout the body. It has numerous phases including the back swing,
forward swing, acceleration, early follow through and late follow through all of which requiring
different percentages of muscle exertion. In the back swing stage, the erector spinae, abdominal
oblique, semimembranosus, long head of the biceps femoris are being used. In the forward
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swing, the vastus lateralis, adductor magnus, upper and lower gluteus maximus, biceps femoris
are being used. For the acceleration stage the biceps femoris, upper and lower gluteus maximus,
vastus lateralis, abdominal oblique, gluteaus medius are being used. For the early follow through
the long head of biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, gluteus medius, abdominal oblique are being
used. For the late follow through the semimembranosus and vastus lateralis, adductor magnus,
vastus lateralis, gluteus medius are being used. All of these muscles are equally important for
having a good and consistent golf swing and without them it would not be possible.
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References
R.T. Floyd EdD, ATC, CSCS. (2012). Manual of Structural Kinesiology, 240-242, 278-279,
336-337.
McHardy, A. Muscles Involved In the Golf Swing (December 8 2012)
http://www.synergyhealth.com.au/Synergy-Articles/Golf-Swing-Involved-Muscles
Dave. (January 5 2010). Golf Fitness- Muscles Used in Golf (December 8 2012).
http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/2010/01/05/golf-fitness-muscles-used-in-golf/