Are You Training Like Tiger Or Vijay? Thursday, April 26, 2007
Well I hope not! I often times come across individuals that tell me about an exercise they saw in a magazine, got from a friend or heard that the tour players use it. Sometimes they will try to show it to me but perform it incorrectly, or they explain it didn’t help or they tell me they hurt themselves. That is usually the case. It is important to recognize that most exercises are prescribed on an individual basis and are designed for a specific purpose. Every golfer is different and has different needs.
Training for optimal golf performance or correction of specific physical problems, requires a specific program. And that specific program is based on a detailed golf fitness evaluation. I do believe there is value in general flexibility or strength training for golfers, but the progress is much slower and less specific. I always say the hard part is getting started, so committing to a general program is a good starting point, especially if you do not have access to fitness professional.
The most important point here is to be cautious. I often times speak of developing fundamentals or ensuring you have a foundation to build upon. One example of this is trying to develop power in your swing by doing medicine ball drills before you are able to control pelvic rotation or before you have proper hip mobility. This is an injury waiting to happen. Over the years I have seen a lot of people come into physical therapy with injuries they received from doing inappropriate exercises or performing them incorrectly. There is nothing worse than injuring yourself in the middle of the golf season and then not able to play.
So if you want to train like Tiger or Vijay remember you need to slowly work up to that level by first developing strong fundamentals. Good luck with your training!
Posted by Mark @ 9:53 PM
Weight Loss for Golfers Thursday, April 19, 2007
Weight loss is a topic that I don’t usually write about, but I think it is an important issue with a lot of golfers. We all know the health consequences of carrying excessive weight. And for those who would like to lose some, have you ever thought what it would do for your golf game. Improve your game? You bet it can! Dropping just a few pounds can improve your posture, flexibility and your overall golf swing. Here are few tips for weight loss.
To lose weight you must incorporate nutrition, cardiovascular exercise, strength training and most importantly be accountable for your actions
Seek out a nutrionist to help with food selection and meal planning
Start a cardiovascular program. Always try to walk the golf course when you can. That alone will make a big difference.
Your cardiovascular program should be something you enjoy and do on a regular basis, so select something you will stick with.
If you currently do some form of cardio program on a regular basis then try an interval program.
Interval training is exercising at a high intensity for 1-2 minutes and then rest or slow down for a few minutes. For example ride the bicycle real hard for 1 minute then go slow for 2-3 minutes. And repeat that sequence 4-5 times. It is a great workout and it revs up your metabolism causing you to burn more calories for a longer period of time.
Make sure you are doing some form of resistance training.
Integrate resistance training with your cardio program. For example, do a circuit of 2-3 total body dumbbell exercises with only 2-3 minutes of rest in between each exercise.
In actuality interval cardiovascular and interval strength training matches the physiological demands on the golf course. So if you are a golfer that competes at a high level, don’t waste your time on 30-40 minutes of cardio, instead do 20 minutes of interval training. That way you leave more time to practice your game.
Seek out a fitness professional to help guide you on your weight loss program
I plan to discuss weight loss in more detail in the future but for now these are a good start to helping you reach your golf fitness goals. So remember if you change your thinking, and focus on positive outcomes you can go a long way in improving your golf game. Good Luck!
I know it has been a while since my last post. We certainly have been busy with the birth of our second child. Everything is going well, she is growing fast. Anyway I had chance to sit down, so I thought I would send on some new information I came across. There is a new magazine being published that focuses entirley on golf fitness. I think it is a great idea and I hope people can benefit from the new resource. There will be various articles from individuals discussing topics related to golf injuries, exercise training, nutrition and the mental side of the game. You can find out more information by visiting there website at www.golffitnessmagazine.com so check it out and hopefully it will help your game.
Posted by Mark @ 9:46 PM
