Golf Fitness

[Yamzz]

I am determined to get into better shape. Instead of doing my normal routine of doing the simple weight exercises that I know I want to do exercises that will not only improve my overall fitness but also help to improve the muscles that are used for golf. Is there anyone here who could help me to formulate some sort of routine for me? Or at least guide me the right way. It would be greatly appreciated.

Mods: If this is in the wrong forum feel free to either move it or lock it, but please let me know if you do.

[tonyy]

Flexibility and strengthening of the core muscles have really improved my game. I've been pretty athletic all my life so my "golf" muscles came a little bit easier than some.

I can give you specific exercises if you'd like but in general, work on your flexibility in your lower back, shoulders, arms, and legs. For core exercises, the swiss ball is a great aid to use.

Edit: Building muscles through lifting will help as well. Don't buy into the "my muscles are bigger and I have less flexibility!" BS.

[Baraethon]

I'd like that too. Preferably no exercises with equipment, or that require going to a gym.

How much will just lifting weights help?

[darthfader]

One word: MyTPI.

As with the previous poster, I too have benefitted greatly from improving my strength/conditioning/flexibility. My golf game has improved, simply because my body is in better condition, and more ABLE to achieve the correct swing positions.

I used to take lessons, find out exactly what I needed to work on, then spend the next few weeks frustrated because I simply could not make the swing changes I needed to. I'm a fairly young, athletic guy.. played lots of sports well in my life... why was this so difficult?

I watched the Golf Fitness shows on the Golf Channel, and started casually trying some of the exercises and stretches they mentioned. Didn't take long to figure out that I was stiff, tight, and weak in all the wrong places. So I went out to www.mytpi.com , found a trainer near me, and had the trainer do a fitness assessment. I quickly had a laundry list of issues that needed attention: left shoulder instability, left hip immobility, weak hips, weak abs, tight hip flexors, on and on and on. Make no mistake, I was plenty strong in many places, but not nearly enough.

The nice thing about the TPI website is that a lot of the guidance is free. All you need to do is register (free), and you can browse a mountain of golf-fitness information.

Good luck.

[Mr Eagle]

I find doing excercises pretty boring,take some time to do some of the more demanding sports and the golf muscles will take care of themselves.Some of your pals must play Football ,soccer Boxing or something. Why not asked them if you can go along to Training

[darthfader]

  Mr Eagle said:

I find doing excercises pretty boring,take some time to do some of the more demanding sports and the golf muscles will take care of themselves.Some of your pals must play Football ,soccer Boxing or something. Why not asked them if you can go along to Training

I really enjoyed this characterization of recreational football, soccer, and boxing as "more demanding" sports.

Swinging a golf club at over 100 mph is a very "demanding" activity for all the muscles/joints involved, especially the lumbar spine. All sports build and abuse the body in different ways. I also enjoyed the idea that "the golf muscles will take care of themselves". You might find a few tour players that feel this way, but very few. For the vast majority of those guys, golf fitness = better golf = better scores = $$. For those mid-high handicappers who play 18 holes once a month, maybe golf fitness is a joke. But the guy who started this thread is a 7 index who wants to improve.... no better place to start than his own body.

[Yamzz]

Hey Tonyy, i messaged you about specific exercises

[Mr Eagle]

  darthfader said:

I really enjoyed this characterization of recreational football, soccer, and boxing as "more demanding" sports.

Golf is the only game I can still play after years of abusing my body doing other sports,Golf is a technical game ,a good general level of fitness should be good enough,training your muscles to memorize your swing is more important than brute strength. IMO of course

[King Cobra II]

I really don't believe in weight lifting for golf. Becoming more flexible? Absolutely. Maybe strengthening some areas threw body weight movements, but thats about it. It really comes down to how fast your muscles can contract, and your athletic ability. The number one on my team is 5'9 145-155 lbs and he consistently drives the ball over 280 and is in just about every fair way. Why? Because he is flexible and because he has great mechanics, not because he lifts.

[ajahn]

If you want to hit it long and in control you need to spend time at the gym, although someone who is 140lbs can hit 280 (and I'd bet that is NOT his avg drive, have someone with a rangefinder mark his distance for a round and I'd wonder what that would compute too) if he wants to go farther he needs to build more muscle mass. Tiger probably spends time every day in the gym or on conditioning outside of swinging a golf club. He can drive well over 300 because of his physical conditioning not just swing mechanics.

Bottom line if you want to hit farther you need to condition yourself.

For a routine I'd say most people would benefit the most from a rigid core exercise from basic situps to planks and resistance training around your mid section. I like the advice of seeing a personal trainer locally, a good one will find and help address most of your issues a lot faster then you would be able to alone.

[ajahn]

oh and I dont' exactly take my own advice, I wish I had more time in the week to do so but between a full time job and full time masters work its just not there. Maybe in a few years =)

[highscoreinky]

No gym membership, just one hour or so a day and incredibe results in strength and flexibility = P90X.

Yes, it really is a program that works. I am in better shape and more flexible now at 50 than when I was 18 and in the Marine Corps. The yoga program will kick your @*&!

[OrlandoGolfBlogger]

Yup, I think Yoga is the ticket. I've started a program that I think is going to not only help get me in shape but improve my game. Check out the link:

Yoga & Golf

Seems like Golf & Yoga have a few common traits that once honed, can be beneficial to both activities.

[ianb]

I think that Yoga at a basic level (at least to start with) will help as it improves muscle tone, strength, flexibility and more.

All done really cheaply, no weights and in a small space.  Got to be good

[Precis1on]

Power 90 and P90X both have been great for my golf fitness, flexibility, and are great workouts for golf in my opinion. Power 90 especially is a good starting point, which will get you moving with cardio, yoga, and core work.

[saevel25]

A great resource is Men's Health exercise book, it has just a bunch of exercises for every muscle group, and different variations, whats great is it has body weight and free weight variants for each muscle group.

I prefer free weights because they activate more stabalizers than machines, so doing these at home are a good deel.

[Grunnsetning]

  highscoreinky said:

No gym membership, just one hour or so a day and incredibe results in strength and flexibility = P90X. Yes, it really is a program that works. I am in better shape and more flexible now at 50 than when I was 18 and in the Marine Corps. The yoga program will kick your @*&!

P90X definitely does work. It is a great all around fitness and stretching program. Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[LottaBalata]

I'm 40, diagnosed with Arthritis and Bursitis a couple months back.  I've been in phys.therapy twice this year. . .Every exercise is for strengthening part of the core.

Flexibility and Core strength.  Google Core exercises, TONS of stuff out there!!!  Just be careful not to start out doing some olympic athlete's routine.