TST Staff Gets "Fit for Golf" (App) With Mike Carroll

[boogielicious]

2 hours ago, Shindig said:

For those who have been doing this Fit for Golf routine:  have you seen golf improvements from it?  Does it seem like something I should add to what I am doing?  Or is it too soon to tell?   

What I noticed is less fatigue at the end of the round. I can’t tell if I picked up ball speed as I haven’t been doing speed work the last two months. My core feels very strong.

[iacas]

4 hours ago, Shindig said:

For those who have been doing this Fit for Golf routine:  have you seen golf improvements from it?  Does it seem like something I should add to what I am doing?  Or is it too soon to tell?   At one point I looked into it, and I think the author lives and/or works not too far from me, although since this is a remote instruction, that doesn't affect my decision (it isn't like I'm likely to drop in to visit).

Definitely you'll get better at being more fit, and you should hit him up to play a round with him or something. I know him well enough I could ask, too. I've helped him out a few times with his swing.

[Shindig]

4 minutes ago, iacas said:

Definitely you'll get better at being more fit, and you should hit him up to play a round with him or something. I know him well enough I could ask, too. I've helped him out a few times with his swing.

That sounds good.  I'll look into his product (that this thread is about) beforehand -- I'd be a little embarrassed to ask to play a round with him and then admit that I haven't.  Plus, as you and @boogielicious tell me, being more fit will help (certainly the small-ish gains I made fitness wise in the past year, especially last summer, helped quite a bit), and since I'm aiming to be more fit this summer anyway (with golf as the goal), this seems like something I should try.

[boogielicious]

Did in season workout 1 today. 

[Shindig]

Okay, I am ready to look into this.  I got into better shape last summer and more or less maintained it in the past nine months (despite some spikes in how busy I was), and I think I'll be able to improve this summer.  While I did pick up some distance last summer, I do think the golf-focused fitness plan makes sense, and I am getting the impression from this thread that those of you who started it are glad you did.  

As for home equipment mentioned, I have resistance bands (I've had them for a while and ... haven't used them for almost as long), dumbbells (adjustable, up to 20 pounds each, and I'm not against buying more if these end up too light), a medicine ball (I've never tried slamming it), and a pull-up bar (part of an overall weight rack I use for barbell stuff).  

I also have a gym membership that I'm still paying for some reason.  I was going pretty regularly in 2020 until mid-March, and I haven't been back.  I haven't fully decided how I would feel going to a gym (even with a proper facial covering) at this point, but it appears I have good equipment at home to do this.  

I guess the in-season is where I should start?  

[boogielicious]

In-season Workout 1 today. 

[Shindig]

Three weeks after I said I should look into it, I've had the tab with the demo workout open (and reopened after restarts).  

I am looking at the equipment suggestions.  I have a gym membership (but haven't been to the gym in 27 months), but I also have a garage setup with barbell and the ability to do the big four (not seemingly mentioned).  I have some resistance bands, dumbells up to 20 lbs, a medicine ball, and a pull up bar.  So far so good.  I am not sure if I can slam the medicine ball against the garage wall -- I don't mean permissions, I don't know (and I don't want to find out the hard way that I shouldn't have done so).  How do I know this?

Anyway, I think I am going to do the sample exercise this afternoon and then sign up if I like it (especially if his 20% off US Open deal is still on).

[boogielicious]

5 hours ago, Shindig said:

Three weeks after I said I should look into it, I've had the tab with the demo workout open (and reopened after restarts).  

I am looking at the equipment suggestions.  I have a gym membership (but haven't been to the gym in 27 months), but I also have a garage setup with barbell and the ability to do the big four (not seemingly mentioned).  I have some resistance bands, dumbells up to 20 lbs, a medicine ball, and a pull up bar.  So far so good.  I am not sure if I can slam the medicine ball against the garage wall -- I don't mean permissions, I don't know (and I don't want to find out the hard way that I shouldn't have done so).  How do I know this?

Anyway, I think I am going to do the sample exercise this afternoon and then sign up if I like it (especially if his 20% off US Open deal is still on).

Looks like you have most of what you need. The only other thing would be a trap bar for dead lifts. If your garage wall is cement or cinder blocks, you should be okay with the medicine ball. I put a drop cloth with a foam pad against the wall to slam against.

[Shindig]

16 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Looks like you have most of what you need. The only other thing would be a trap bar for dead lifts. If your garage wall is cement or cinder blocks, you should be okay with the medicine ball. I put a drop cloth with a foam pad against the wall to slam against.

I'll look into the trap bar.  Would the standard dead lift be okay in the meantime?  I know there's a somewhat famous picture of (I think) Rory (might be Jordan) using the trap bar.

I'll also look into a drop cloth with a foam pad.

Thanks!  I didn't get around to the workout today, but I am going to get it done soon.

[boogielicious]

8 hours ago, Shindig said:

I'll look into the trap bar.  Would the standard dead lift be okay in the meantime?  I know there's a somewhat famous picture of (I think) Rory (might be Jordan) using the trap bar.

I'll also look into a drop cloth with a foam pad.

Thanks!  I didn't get around to the workout today, but I am going to get it done soon.

You can do deadlifts with a bar, but make sure your form is ok. Mike goes over that in the app when you get to deadlifts. His videos are excellent in showing proper form.

[Shindig]

I did the sample workout from this page today: 

The Truth About Cardio for Golf : Fit For Golf

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Spread the loveIf golf is slow walking with lots of breaks, decision making, and golf shots, then why do some individuals put such an emphasis on cardio for golf? Is Cardio for Golf Important? Physical conditioning has...

I am convinced and am going to sign up for a month and, if I still like it, the year after that.  I'll also post thoughts here, if that's okay (I'm not TST staff).  I anticipate liking it.

I have also been listening to his podcast a bit and have been enjoying that too, although I'm still catching up.

 

[Shindig]

I just signed up for the app and am going to do my first workout with the app in a few minutes.  Is it a problem if I workout in the morning and do golf practice later in the day?  I haven't consciously thought about that interaction before, or at least recently.

[iacas]

You'll be fine. 😄

[Shindig]

I just did "In Season Workout #1," which was great... although I didn't do the whole thing as my medicine ball is bouncy, and that's something Mike warns about in the video.  I dropped it once from about the height I'd be throwing it if I did the exercise, and it bounced high enough that I'm pretty sure if I threw it, it would have a good chance to hit me on the rebound.  

Fortunately, there's an easy solution.  I'll go buy a medicine ball that isn't as bouncy.  This one feels like a basketball (and I've had it for quite some time... I think literally the first golf book I ever read recommended one, and I went and got one, and this is it).

I'm looking forward to Friday's workout!

And I think I'll go back to doing Speed Sticks on off days, something I think I saw him suggest somewhere. 

As a follow-up, I thought there was somewhere to record what we did in their site... nevermind, I found it.  Add it to the calendar and then you can enter stats.

Edited June 29, 2022 by Shindig

[boogielicious]

4 hours ago, Shindig said:

I just did "In Season Workout #1," which was great... although I didn't do the whole thing as my medicine ball is bouncy, and that's something Mike warns about in the video.  I dropped it once from about the height I'd be throwing it if I did the exercise, and it bounced high enough that I'm pretty sure if I threw it, it would have a good chance to hit me on the rebound.  

Fortunately, there's an easy solution.  I'll go buy a medicine ball that isn't as bouncy.  This one feels like a basketball (and I've had it for quite some time... I think literally the first golf book I ever read recommended one, and I went and got one, and this is it).

I'm looking forward to Friday's workout!

And I think I'll go back to doing Speed Sticks on off days, something I think I saw him suggest somewhere. 

As a follow-up, I thought there was somewhere to record what we did in their site... nevermind, I found it.  Add it to the calendar and then you can enter stats.

Good idea starting with the In Season workout. The other workouts have a lot more load in them. Also, feel free to use the substitute function if you don’t have the equipment to do a particular exercise. Sometimes I will do a skater squat with a weight if I can’t get to the gym to do a bar squat. If you have time, check out the substitutes. Just make sure it works the same muscle group.

[Shindig]

3 hours ago, boogielicious said:

Good idea starting with the In Season workout. The other workouts have a lot more load in them. Also, feel free to use the substitute function if you don’t have the equipment to do a particular exercise. Sometimes I will do a skater squat with a weight if I can’t get to the gym to do a bar squat. If you have time, check out the substitutes. Just make sure it works the same muscle group.

Thanks, I'll look for a list, because it appears I have a kettlebell and a medicine ball on Friday's setup.  But I also have my two favorite barbell exercises (bench, deadlift), so that'll be fun.

Do you mind sharing which equipment you have at home and what you think of it? 

My medicine ball is too bouncy, and I think he recommends the Gopher Evolution medicine ball for use with slam and throw exercises, so I'm probably going to get that soon.  Titan fitness (which makes the rack I have at home) has a 10-40 lb adjustable kettlebell, and I was thinking of getting that, too.  I've never done kettlebell and I don't really know what weight I should be doing, so I'd be guessing when it comes up initially. 

[boogielicious]

8 hours ago, Shindig said:

Thanks, I'll look for a list, because it appears I have a kettlebell and a medicine ball on Friday's setup.  But I also have my two favorite barbell exercises (bench, deadlift), so that'll be fun.

Do you mind sharing which equipment you have at home and what you think of it? 

My medicine ball is too bouncy, and I think he recommends the Gopher Evolution medicine ball for use with slam and throw exercises, so I'm probably going to get that soon.  Titan fitness (which makes the rack I have at home) has a 10-40 lb adjustable kettlebell, and I was thinking of getting that, too.  I've never done kettlebell and I don't really know what weight I should be doing, so I'd be guessing when it comes up initially. 

I have an 8lb soft medicine ball for slams and rotation work, lots of resistance bands, kettle bells (my wife’s mostly) and 10, 15, 20 and 25 lbs dumb bells. I also have sliders and poles for some stretches. 

You can find the substitute exercises after starting a work out. Just click substitute and a search list come up. There is a search bar, so if you put squat, all the squat exercises come up like goblet squat, skater squat, etc. He also show how you can use bands to make an exercise harder like doing a deadlift with a kettle bell and band.

[Shindig]

On 6/30/2022 at 2:49 AM, boogielicious said:

I have an 8lb soft medicine ball for slams and rotation work, lots of resistance bands, kettle bells (my wife’s mostly) and 10, 15, 20 and 25 lbs dumb bells. I also have sliders and poles for some stretches. 

You can find the substitute exercises after starting a work out. Just click substitute and a search list come up. There is a search bar, so if you put squat, all the squat exercises come up like goblet squat, skater squat, etc. He also show how you can use bands to make an exercise harder like doing a deadlift with a kettle bell and band.

Two questions, if you don't mind.

What brand soft medicine ball do you have?  

For substitution, I am on the "enter stats" page (where I see 'substitute') and the menu appears to be everything.  I am looking to substitute for Kettlebell Swing, which is today's exercise... swing produces no results, kettlebell produces a lot with the kettlebell.  Am I doing this wrong? Yes, I was doing this wrong.  Substitutions were in the description!

In any case, I have a kettlebell on order (placed the order this morning) and I should have looked into this substitution before my workout, not during.  

I'm still very pleased that I can do a vast majority of these workouts with equipment I already had (and much of what I'm missing is likely things other people have around already, like the kettlebell).  I hope no one reading views my bunch of questions as anything bad, seeing as how many questions I don't need to ask because I have the equipment and a great video (often with multiple angles) showing me what to do.  One week in, I am very pleased with this app.

Edited July 1, 2022 by Shindig