Are golfers athletes? This question has been asked time and time again, usually with a variety or responses. As a former junior and collegiate golfer, I can say without a doubt that implementing a fitness routine helped my golf game improve and ultimately, helped me shoot lower scores. If you are looking to start a fitness or workout routine this summer, here are four main areas of your fitness to focus on over the coming months!
Flexibility
Golf is a sport where you need to not only be strong, but more importantly, you need to be flexible. With the amount of core and body rotation there is in the golf swing, the more flexible that you can become, the more clubhead speed and distance you will be able to generate. Not sure where to start? Golf Channel’s Martin Hall on School of Golf gives you three simple yet effective stretches to help improve your flexibility, all which you can perform before teeing off! https://www.golfchannel.com/video/school-golf-3-exercises-improve-flexibility/
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Core Strength
Where flexibility is key to playing your best golf – strengthening your core is equally important. Your core is your midsection and it involves all your muscles in that area including the front, back and sides.. These muscles work as stabilizers for the entire body, especially during your golf swing. Simple abdominal and core workouts that can be done at home, in the gym, or even in the locker room before your round are some of the most effective. If you are looking for some great examples of core exercises, check out Major Champion winner, Justin Rose’s 3 minute core routine: https://www.golfchannel.com/video/roses-core-workout/
Endurance
How many times have you found yourself walking on the back 9 of a tournament feeling tired and exhausted? I know I have. An average golf course of 6,500 yards translates into roughly 4 miles of walking (not to mention the 25 pound plus golf bag on your back) which can lead to some serious fatigue during the last few holes of your round. My suggestion to help combat this common problem is to implement endurance training to your workout. Endurance training gives you the ability to exert yourself over a long period of time – helping you withstand pain, stress and fatigue. Personally, I have used the workout: Insanity: The Ultimate Cardio Workout for my endurance training, however, there are many options out there to explore.if you are looking for some paid options, might I suggest looking at Beachbody On Demand – which gives you 700 + endurance workouts. No matter what routine you explore – make sure the workout is tailored to where your fitness level is currently at.
Photo courtesy of healthline.com
Legs and Glutes
Golfers push against the ground with their legs to help their upper body make fire through the ball. No matter your size, having strong legs can give you better endurance on the course and also translate into some extra yards with all clubs in your bag. Squats, lunges, and burpees are all great workouts to start strengthening your legs. No need for any fancy equipment, many of the best leg workouts can be done with nothing more than a space to perform the workout – for some great variations of lunges to get your legs, glutes and core firing, be sure to visit: http://www.golfloopy.com/tag/lunge-exercise-variations/