Weight Room

[brookpe]

Watch this video of Hogan.

Note - he is in great shape... but his body is not "tapered" like Tiger's. He is thick in the middle... from the knees to the sternum.

The "trunk" golfers Nicklaus, Faldo, Choi, Couples, Els, Tiger & Norman (when they don't get wristy),Hogan, Sammy, and lord Byron IMO are more consistent year to year than the "slashy golfers" Sergio, Trevino, Palmer, Howell, Mickelson

[brookpe]

another one

[FIJIGolf23]

BTW, There is a reason that is what you read... because the people writing those articles have ZERO experience, either factual or theoretical with Olympic lifting and increasing strength while still meeting weight.

1. Please explain how articles in Golf Digest are incorrect, or which ones are incorrect?

2. Being stronger than you are now, and leaner, but at the same weight would not be bad for your golf game IF you can maintain your flexibility. I never disagreed with you on that one. I'm not disagreeing with you completely. I just don't see how you are saying "they are wrong" for having an opinion on something exercise related. Anything exercise related will be effective, unless you are doing something incorrectly potentially causing injury. We can argue about this for 15 years and over that time "new improvements" in exercise and fitness will be discovered and opinions will change.

[sonicblue]

It seems the "incorrect" that's being argued here is the fallacy that using heavier weights at lower reps will lead to less flexibility, and that a low-weight, high-rep routine is billed as aiding your flexibility, and therefore, your golf swing. As someone who has been a weightlifting athlete since the age of 13, I'm with AndrewM here. I would sum it up as this:

* Higher weights, lower reps = strength
* Lower weights, higher reps = endurance

Those are the main fallouts from those types of exercises. Within ANY reasonable gains in muscle mass, flexibility is an entirely different discussion and, IMO, can go either way depending on the individual exercises you perform and the technique used. Doing a bench press with a lightweight barbell without using full ROM will lead to much less flexibility than doing a press with a a pair of 100 lb dumbbells that does utilize full ROM.

IMO, all those articles you see in Golf Digest or by big-boobed-chick on the Golf Channel, about light weights, repetition, stretching, flexibility, etc... are geared toward the majority or amateur golfers. That group, by and large, is a sedentary group, who simply will not respond to someone telling them to hit the gym and throw some weights around. It's the same reason that Jenny Craig commercials scream, "lose weight, while still eating what you want." These people say, "improve your game, while doing these easy, light-weight exercises." Compared to nothing, sure it will help, but just not for exactly the reasons they're saying.

[AndrewM]

Yah... what he said :)


I guess that is what I get more... riled about, people thinking lifting heavy weights is bad for them.

They get caught up in this mentality that throwing around the heaviest weights you can handle and actually Getting Stronger, is somehow bad for them.

Perpetuated by Golf Digest, Golf, Katherine Roberts et al, suggesting that doing 50 reps with 5lb dumbells is somehow "better".... I guess its better than a night of 10 reps doing the 12oz curl... but to someone that REALLY wants to make an improvement... serious core work (rows, squats, deads etc) are going to do a LOT more for you than the other stuff.

At a shade under 200lbs... I can do 15 beltless, ATF squats with 225... you show me the medicine ball throwing, gel standing, wrist curler that has the core strength I do.

[AndrewM]

I just don't see how you are saying "they are wrong" for having an opinion on something exercise related.

I agree with what you said... I was saying they are wrong because they are telling their athletes lifting heavy is bad for them. That is wrong and untrue.

If they did exactly what they are doing now, the same "core" work and balance training BUT included some olympic lifts, I can 110% guarantee they would have better athletes. And speaking of balance work... go to the gym tonight, get a 1 week pass and try to do a few sets of the following: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...anAndJerk.html http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...PushPress.html http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...SplitJerk.html http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...fts/Clean.html come back and tell me how hard it is to balance while doing those

[Dr._chip_in]

Just look at Jason Zuback the greatest long driver of all time. He is massive and has the flexibility of a gymnast. What kind of weights do you think he lifts?

[NGisHot]

Because of my classes in school, Im able to lift weights 5 days out of the week and i jog about 3 miles each week. I notice that when i lift my swing feels more compact and allows me to play better golf.

[mcecki]

I'm in the gym 3-4 times per week. Plus, hockey practice which is pretty demanding.

[GolfinTexan]

oblique work is key for all sports

[Paladin]

I'm still new to golf after years of distance running but I do have an opinion about weights - the "newer" equipment like the Precor Functional Trainer are much better for the combination of strength and flexibility. The traditional weight machines and free weights are not sport specific but the Precor machine allows you to replicate the golf motion and still do some strength work. Most new gyms or gyms that are updating equipment have these cable type machines. I used one on a road trip and came home and purchased the S 3.23 by Precor for my home workout room. I can do all the normal "stuff" I'd do on a standard machine but more important to my golf I can use that swing motion and strengthen specific golf muscles.

I also agree, from recent experience, with the post that said a little bulk (I'm sure you could overdo it) does nothing to hurt flexibility.

Paladin

[dogfood10us]

To those who say "bulking up" will hurt your golf game, you obviously haven't seen watched Tiger Woods lately.

[Lemay427]

Anyone have any good golf specific stretches they do? I am starting a new weightlifting program but am not sure what stretches work the best. These would be for the gym and not before a round (although they may work for both).


thanks

[pjsnyc]

Like many of you have said on this thread, it really depends from individual to individual. It's best to attack your weaknesses (whether it be strength, endurance, or flexibility) while maintaining your strengths.

That said, I try to mix them up based on how I feel from month to month. In a given month I will determine which needs the most work (strength, endurance, or flexibility) and focus on that category two weeks out of the month while devoting one week each to the other two.

Fitness in a balanced way (for me) leads to a balanced golf swing :)

Oh yeah, and try to stay away from those McDonald's Supersized value meals ;)

[dogfood10us]

try mytpi.com theres tons of good excercises and info

[Shindig]

Anyone have any good golf specific stretches they do? I am starting a new weightlifting program but am not sure what stretches work the best. These would be for the gym and not before a round (although they may work for both).

I started doing the exercises from the Ryuji Imada video I saw a few weeks ago:

http://www.pgatour.com/video/player/...layerStaticURL http://www.pgatour.com/video/player/...layerStaticURL http://www.pgatour.com/video/player/...layerStaticURL I can't say anything about results yet, since it's too early to tell if I've gained or lost any distance or endurance, but I feel great. This is in addition to my normal gym routine, which may change soon. That reminds me... I need to talk to the pro from whom I take lessons about golf fitness.

[ahnh666]

working out too much with weights totally messed up my game...leaner and toned is fine...but bulking up (even a little bit)...it's almost like trying to learn to swing a club again..and readjusting a bit...

[Lemay427]

thanks for the info. i am going to check those videos out.