Tiger too muscular?

[bIGwIRE]

Guys, being muscular does not hurt your golf game at all, as long as you are stretching regularly, ideally at the end of each workout.

The part that hurts your swing is when you are really bulking up or lifting hard and heavy is that you body is changing very rapidly. Your feel will be changing daily, as you are pretty much playing with a new body from month to month. Also your practice sessions will suffer if you are really pounding the weights. You will be sore and your feel will be different from day to day as your muscles repair from the last gym assualt.

I bench alot, esspecially for a guy 6'4",in the 400-450 range, but the only time it hurts my golf is when I'm really pounding the weights getting ready for the hockey season.

[iacas]

No way is he only 5 pounds heavier now than back in 03-06...

But you don't really know... And even if you were right, 185 isn't necessarily "too muscular."

2003 listed tiger at 6'2 170, he is currently listed at 6'2 185

Tiger's also not 6'2". That number's off by about three inches, two minimum. So you can't quite believe those numbers either. Again, not saying you're wrong, just that you can't trust the numbers - and even if you could trust them, you'd still have to somehow prove that 170 was perfect but 185 was "too muscular," which I don't agree with.

The guy hasn't finished outside of the top 10 in his last 17 - repeat that, SEVENTEEN - international stroke play events. Let's wait until the end of the year to truly evaluate his season, eh? You're jumping the gun.

[Donnie_Brasco]

Not saying he is a bad golfer by any stretch...

you kinda helped me make a point..

he isnt 6'2.. i'm 6'2 and i am definetly taller, no question..

he is more 6'0 imo.. and he is over the 190 mark imo.... he is not thin by any stretch, he is a thick guy. he has packed on a lot of muscle in the past 3 years. 6'0 and he has skinny calves means he could have put too much mass in his shoulders, chest and arms, and thats where i think i get the bulkiness comment from.. he is big hips to shoulders..

the guy is still great, but just looking at him he got too muscular..

if remember the same was said for David Duval..ge packed on too much muscle..

[gasfreak]

NEWSFLASH..............This just goes to show you that he really is just human.I am not a big fan but you have got to give him props for playing so off for him and having to scramble so hard and still have 17 straight top 10 finishes.just about every tornament he is in he is a threat to win or get in the head of all his competetors so deep that they choke

[DBake]

roids, period

[laconic517]

Not saying he is a bad golfer by any stretch...

Tiger is thin. TV makes him look a lot bigger than he really is. I think Duval got kinda fat too.... he might have a bit more muscle...but hes definately way up in body fat.

[colin007]

tiger actually seems to have a lot of weight in his midsection, which prolly adds to the 185 listing. he clearly isnt 6' 2", i weigh 195 and im 6' 4" and our arms and chests are similar size. i would imagine his hammies are pretty big too.

[Parker0065]

There's no doubt Tiger has bulked up a bit since his win last year at the US Open. Since he has come back thats one thing I've really noticed about him is his increased size.

I have no idea if this is true or not but maybe he was working out a lot during his layoff, perhaps out of boredom since he couldn't hit balls. Whatever happened, he is definitely bigger.

If you change your body dimensions even by a marginal amount it has the potential to change your swing. Personaly I don't think his recent mediocure ball striking is from being too bulky. I'm sure it comes more from his repaired knee and his swing changes based on that. If his knee was as bad for as long as he says it was, he's been compensating for years. Now with that compensation out of the picture he seems to be struggling with swing mechanics.

One things for sure, the longer it takes him to get his swing mechanics in order, the more confidence all the other players are building. I turned on the Players today about halfway through the final round and was in complete shock that Tiger wasn't in the drivers seat. The way players were dropping like fly's yesterday in the 3rd round I figured Tiger and his 3-ring circus of fans would have worn down Cejka and been in the lead.

Way to go Henrik!

[NorCalGolfer]

roids, period

you're a douche.

The way players were dropping like fly's yesterday in the 3rd round I figured Tiger and his 3-ring circus of fans would have worn down Cejka and been in the lead.

You were half right..

[Surefire]

Why do you think being more bulky inhibits flexibility?

Increasing the size of muscle tissue does not affect its flexibility.

The only point more bulk inhibits flexibility is when it physically gets in the way, ie you can't get your arms by your side because your chest or lats are in the way.

Also there was talk of stretching tendons. Why would you ever want to do that?

[Donnie_Brasco]

tendons tighten.. thats a fact ...and it reduces flex..

this topic comes from observation..

what looks different with tiger..

he has gained weight, mostly muscle, but he is much bigger, this is no secret..

his swing looks different, he is missing more than ever before.. so that would make one think the extra muscle mass is inhibiting his swing..

tiger in his prime wasnt this muscular..
jack average
arnie below average
angel below average
kenny perry below average..

golf isnt a sport that being the biggest and strongest benefits you..

bubba watson is hardly the strongest guy on tour.. but he drives the ball further than anyone..

tiger is too bulky.. period.. he needs to thin his body out and i bet he will get back on track

[Surefire]

tendons tighten.. thats a fact ...and it reduces flex..

Can you explain this 'fact' to me?

Tendons don't move, they are just a way of anchoring a muscle to something, they are not designed to be elastic. Stretching a tendon is not usually that great of an idea. Especially tendons around the knees and back. Muscles can get 'tight', but this usually means they are shorter because they are slightly contracted, rather than have somehow shrunk. Rather than physically stretch the muscle, it is better to try and relax the muscle. Although maybe this is achieved through a stretching exercise.

[iacas]

he is more 6'0 imo.. and he is over the 190 mark imo....

In your opinion, he's over 190.

if remember the same was said for David Duval..ge packed on too much muscle..

David Duval had a lot more going on than getting slightly more fit. Swing changes and mental issues... he admitted to basically having a nervous breakdown and losing all drive after winning his major and reaching #1.

he has gained weight, mostly muscle, but he is much bigger, this is no secret..

But you just said it was your opinion...

Look, I still reject the premise that he's more than five pounds different than he was going back even a few years let alone to the '08 U.S. Open. So even if you get that part right, you'd still have to somehow prove to everyone that the 10 pounds he added somehow inhibit his ability to swing the club properly.

his swing looks different, he is missing more than ever before.. so that would make one think the extra muscle mass is inhibiting his swing..

Occam's Razor would probably lean towards "uh, the guy took 10 months off, maybe

that is why he's 'missing more than ever before.'"

[Bump-n-MI]

I played college football and baseball on the div 1 level.

I played div 1 football

…so you played Div 1 football, eh?

roids, period

Back on topic, his "mass" has nothing to do with swing. His flexibility has not changed and the breakdown he suffered yesterday had nothing to do with bulk or inflexibility. He just played a crappy round. Age also plays a big factor in ones flexibility. You can attribute any loss he may have to him not being a spring chicken anymore.

[BASHERBAKER69]

I don't think Tiger's comeback to the game has been that bad...

he hasn't missed a cut, and has had won victory and all the other finishes have been in the top 10.

I don't think Tiger is too muscular..he is just right, but if he gets any more muscle bound people will start to worry. Ive noticed that Tiger doesn't smile that much anymore, which is a shame.

On the Golf Channel it has been pointed out that Tiger's swing is a lot less legsy, ie his lower body is a lot less quiter. In the past he used to really get his hips out of the way in to the shot, but all that has stopped and hence he was hitting a lot of shots right.

Tiger has lost the fear factor too and also this has been compounded by the rest of the field playing better.

I get tired of the media frenzy every time he does not win a tournament. There are other players in the field (The Players is the strongest of the year), and Stenson should be given a lot of credit for his imperious final round display.
No majors for Tiger this year.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Why do you think being more bulky inhibits flexibility?

Im not as big as tiger, im 5-11 and he is probably around 6'1, but im a similar build. Especially in the arms and shoulders. I've never had a problem or felt restricted in swinging the club. I do have to make sure to stretch my chest and shoulders though, but its not a big deal at all.

[TN94z]

Tiger just came off a 10 month layoff and because he hasn't played at his normal level, he is all of the sudden too muscular? I don't buy it. I say Tiger is going to figure out his swing, hit more fairways, hit more greens, and then start dominating once again. There is still a lot of golf left and he has plenty of time.

I mean really, do you think that Tiger would bulk up to a point of not being able to play golf on the same level as he always has? I think he is probably smarter than that.

[Elvisliveson]

I don't thiink Tiger is too bulky in the least. Everything is relative. As a former amateur bodybuilder and power lifter (I still lift to keep in shape), he really doesn't look big at all.