Enhance Your Shoulders & Swing with Crossover Symmetry

While playing high school and college baseball, I remember my coaches treating overhead shoulder exercises like the black plague.

Everyone lived in a constant state of fear that at any moment an overhead dumbbell press, either because of too much weight or poor form, could ruin your shoulder and sideline you for the season.  And while I no longer play baseball, a few days at the range or consecutive rounds of golf can result in the same shoulder soreness.

But this isn’t really a surprise in light of the fact that most golfers are chasing that picturesque “on plane” swing, thereby requiring heightened shoulder strength and mobility (the common buzz word here: external rotation).  Adding insult to injury, I spend most of my day hunched over a desk with rounded shoulders, which also aren’t doing my posture (and golf game) any favors either.

A post shared by Crossover Symmetry (@crossoversymmetry) on Aug 3, 2017 at 8:34pm PDT

Crossover Symmetry looks to specifically address these issues by providing a training program that focuses on enhancing shoulder strength and performance by targeting functional movement patterns in combination with resistance bands (ranging from 3 to 40 lbs of resistance).  And I’m very happy to report that after ~8 weeks of usage, my shoulders feel significantly better.

Initially, the most noticeable change was on chest training days when I usually incorporate some dumbbell chest press variation (e.g., single arm presses on a bench or bosu ball).  Normally, my shoulders would feel beat up the next day, but regularly completing the Activation program (along with the Strength, Mobility, and Recovery programs) has helped my shoulders feel more stable and strong.  In addition, some mobility work with the included Mobility Sac has also helped muscle tightness or soreness recovery after a tough day in the gym or on the course.

But that’s not the best part… 

Shortly after I received everything, Crossover Symmetry launched its new golf-focused AMPD training program, which reinforces two points that have been emphasized on the Golficity Golf Podcast—Core Strength (Episode 183) and Balance (Episode 155).

For those who don’t know, AMPD co-founder, Dave Goddard, is Jordan Spieth’s strength coach.  In tandem with Crossover Symmetry, the AMPD Golf Programs consists of the Core Matrix, Hip Matrix, and Pre-Round Warmup programs.  The Core and Hip Matrices work together to increase rotational strength and stability through specific combination movements (e.g., rotational rows and lateral lunges with an anti-rotational focus).

The Hip Matrix has been incredibly valuable in light of all the time I send sitting at my desk and, as a result, regularly using Crossover Symmetry has helped improve my functional, explosive strength and active range of motion (i.e., mobility), both of which the golf swing demands—a point that was made by Frank Duffy of Par Four Performance (Podcast Episode 195).

By implementing the AMPH training program, golfers can develop explosive strength, improved balance, and greater body awareness, thereby increasing overall performance and reducing risk of injury.

A post shared by Crossover Symmetry (@crossoversymmetry) on Dec 23, 2017 at 11:32am PST

That said, there are two minor issues I hope will be addressed in the near future:

1. Smartphone App — There isn’t one.  Crossover Symmetry includes a hard copy training booklet and a laminated exercise chart and the site is accessible from a mobile device, so this isn’t a deal breaker.  But a mobile app would really go a long way to help make Crossover Symmetry more accessible and user-friendly.
2. AMPD Training — Unlike the standard Crossover Symmetry programs (i.e., Activation, Activation Plus, Recovery, and Strength), the AMPD training program does not provide a clear rep scheme or any insight on common training mistakes.  These additions would help ensure that users are properly completing the various workouts, thereby ensuring the most efficient use of Crossover Symmetry.

Fortunately, the guys at Crossover Symmetry are very receptive to feedback and already are looking into addressing those two issues.

In sum, the Crossover Symmetry is an incredible golf fitness tool that can have a substantial impact on your golf fitness and injury prevention.   There’s no question that the ease of use and considerable, year-round training benefits that Crossover Symmetry and AMPD training programs provide golfers, which can easily be scaled with different strength cords, make this a must have product for any golfer who dedicates time and energy to their fitness.

In fact, I know that I will continue to use Crossover Symmetry and fully anticipate that I’ll be ordering additional crossover cords in the near future.

Cover Image via Instagram