The
8 Keys to Golf Fitness
Success
A
Special Report by Steve
Preston MSed, Fitness
Performance Specialist
When
Tiger Woods hit the professional
golf scene, everyone took
notice.
Not only because
of his great skill on
the golf course, but because
of what he did off the
golf course to prepare
his body to perform at
the highest physical level
ever seen in professional
golf.
When British Open
Champ David Duvall was
questioned as to why he
began working with a personal
trainer to transform himself
physically to improve
his golf game, his response
was simply, “Because Tiger
does it, and I need to
keep up.”
As you’ve probably
heard and read many times
since, serious golfers
everywhere are hitting
the gyms to improve their
golf game with better
physical conditioning.
In fact, if you’re
serious about your golf
game and you’re not doing
any physical conditioning
off the golf course, you
are in the minority.
So
where do you start if
you’ve never exercised
before?
If you really want
to be a successful golfer,
you must follow these
8 principles which are
The 8 Keys to Golf
Fitness Success.
1.
Increase
your dynamic flexibility.
While performing
typical stretching exercises
can improve static flexibility,
the extreme range of motion
performed during a full
golf swing requires dynamic
flexibility beyond the
static range.
That means you
need a properly designed
and individualized exercise
program to increase dynamic
flexibility where YOU
need it.
2.
Increase
total body strength.
The body will only
function at a level as
strong as its weakest
link.
If one area of
your body is weak, then
your performance on the
golf course will be limited.
For instance, weakness
in the left hip will cause
a right-handed golfer
to slow down his swing
earlier than desired which
will reduce power.
That means shorter
drives.
3.
Increase
your core strength.
Your core is the
area of the body from
the chest to the knees.
This is the area
where you generate all
your stability, strength,
and power used in the
golf swing.
A few stomach crunches
just won’t cut it.
Doing exercises
on a one of those big
Swiss balls won’t do it
either.
You must train
the core while standing
on your feet.
You don’t play
golf lying down do you?
4.
Increase
your power.
Power is your ability
to demonstrate your strength
faster.
That means swinging
the club faster.
A faster club head
speed means longer drives.
All the technique
work in the world won’t
help if you don’t teach
your muscles to swing
faster.
Speed-strength
and explosive exercises
are a must in this case.
5.
Hit fewer
balls at the driving range.
Most golfers just
plain enjoy hitting golf
balls so they buy bucket
after bucket of balls
hitting as many as 200
balls during one practice
period.
Hitting so many
balls without proper rest
between each swing accelerates
fatigue and increases
the likelihood of an inconsistent
swing or a swing fault.
You need to rest
at least one full minute
between full swings.
Remember practice
does not make perfect…practice
makes permanent.
If you swing poorly
in practice, you’ll swing
poorly when you play.
6.
Avoid
excessive aerobic exercise.
Here’s where a
lot of trainers just don’t
understand the science
behind the physical preparation
for playing the best golf.
Performing aerobic
exercise to increase endurance
could be robbing you of
your driving power because
it’s the wrong kind of
endurance for golfers.
Aerobic fitness
is NOT a limiting factor
in your golf performance.
7.
Individualize
your program.
You won’t make
progress on someone else’s
exercise program.
Tailor your golf-conditioning
program to your needs
and your performance on
the course will improve.
8.
Hire
a qualified professional
to create your personalized
golf-conditioning program.
An experienced
fitness professional can
identify your specific
needs and design an effective
golf-conditioning program
which will save you the
time and the frustration
which goes with random,
poorly designed, “cookie-cutter”
exercise programs.
What
should you expect from
your golf-conditioning
program?
1.
You become
more teachable.
Oftentimes, a golf
instructor must give you
advice or a swing fault
correction to compensate
for a physical limitation
such as a lack of flexibility
or poor core strength.
This is also a
great way to get injured.
By eliminating
that limitation with a
proper golf-conditioning
program, you can now follow
your instructor’s advice
directly without compensation
and without the risk of
getting hurt.
2.
Your
consistency will improve.
Have you ever hit
that perfect shot and
then followed it with
what may have been the
worst shot you ever hit?
Who hasn’t?
A proper golf-conditioning
program will improve consistency
by optimizing your flexibility,
strength, and power to
reproduce your ideal swing
consistently.
3.
Your
drives will be longer.
Increasing your
strength and power increases
your club head speed and
stability.
In other words,
if you hit the ball harder,
it goes a lot farther.
4.
Your
golf endurance will improve.
Have you ever just
“run out of gas” at the
end of your round?
A properly designed
golf-conditioning program
will allow you to play
your 18th hole
as strong as your first.
5.
Your
scores will improve.
Need
more information on the
best golf-conditioning
program for you?
Contact Steve at
(702)596-2927.
NOTE:
This publication is not
intended for use as a
source of medical advice.
You should obtain
medical advice from your
private healthcare practitioner.
Before beginning
any exercise or dietary
program, consult with
your physician to ensure
that you are in proper
health and that this or
any exercise or dietary
program will not put you
at risk.
