Testimonials to golf fitness are seen all over the television. It's talked about on the practice tee and in the clubhouses. Why is there so much talk about golf fitness? Is it really that important? And if so, what are the elements that make up a good golf fitness program and how can paying attention to them help you play your best golf?
The premise of a golf fitness program is to first diagnose your physical limitations through a golf fitness evaluation, then come up with a plan to reduce or eliminate those physical limitations to achieve optimal swing mechanics.
A golf fitness program covers four areas:
• Golf-specific strength exercises
• Golf stretching exercises
• An aerobic conditioning plan to improve your endurance on the course
• A nutrition plan to give you energy and help you reduce unwanted pounds
Any golf fitness program that skips the above components will not be successful. Every golfer has strength, flexibility, endurance and nutrition issues that can be greatly improved. Below are some specific examples of things that might be included in a golf fitness program in each category.
Strength
The strength-for-golf section of the program should address the core area, which means focusing on rotational strength and flexibility. An example would be doing seated twists with a single dumbbell to improve rotational range of motion and strength.
Sitting in a chair, hold a single dumbbell straight out in front of you, chest high with arms extended. Then rotate to the right as far as you can go, then to the left. Do this continuously for approximately 20 repetitions. You will feel a sense of looseness in your backswing and follow through after doing this simple exercise.
Flexibility
The flexibility-for-golf section should be specific to your golf swing. The backswing is always a focal point when it comes to drills and stretching exercises, but what about the follow through? This phase of the golf swing is equally important. A simple golf stretch for this phase is the Follow-Through Stretch:
• Extend right arm (for right-handers) out in front of you
• Take left hand and place under right wrist
• Pull with left hand against right wrist and make as big a turn on follow through as possible
• Hold for at least 15 seconds, repeat twice more
Aerobic Conditioning
With aerobic conditioning for golf, you've got to look at the main activity: walking. Then devise a cardio program that incorporates a 20-30-minute walking program at an intensity of 10- to 15-percent higher than when you walk a golf course. This will give you an aerobic improvement, helping you maintain concentration without fatiguing.
Nutrition
Nutrition for golf could be a separate, full report, let alone a single article. But the main thing to remember is to fuel your body with a meal of protein and carbs before you tee off, then eat a couple of snacks (fruit, nuts, etc.) during the round to maintain blood sugar levels. This will provide you with more than enough fuel (energy) to get you easily through 18 holes.
So as you can see with this brief overview of a golf fitness program, there are many things to consider and put into place. But the bottom line is to get started on your golf fitness program right away. You're giving up strokes if you delay.
About Mike Pedersen
Golf fitness expert Mike Pedersen is the author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide. He has written hundreds of golf fitness articles for online and offline publications, is the founder of several online golf fitness sites, and has produced golf fitness DVDs. For more information on Mike and on golf fitness, visit Mike's website.
