Offseason Conditioning?

[Hogan Incarnate]

So the 2007 golf season is over and our team finished with a heartbreaking second place at state, only 2 strokes behind first. We absolutely killed everyone else in or region by a whooping 98 strokes but failed to finish when it counted most. Anyways back on subject...

I am posting this due to the reactions of one of my teammates who is a senior. The absolute dejection. I never want to be in that spot which is why I want to design a workout and practice routine that will help my game and, in essence my team. Which is where you come in.

How do you get better in the off season when there is snow on the ground? Physical strength and mental. Any ideas?

[cmthomas68]

One of the many benefits of living in sunny Australia...there is no offseason!!

However back to your question, I don't think there is one right answer, otherwise we would all be Tiger Woods. Probably a combination of both mental and physical would be the best option. I know people where I play that goto sports phycologists to help them improve their mental side. I'm not referring to people who want to go pro, but people off low teens to single figure handicaps. I don't think I could do it, I have trouble practicing for more then 30 minutes, which is about when the boredom kicks in. Although I must admit I am trying to improve this and make an effort to practice not only more, but more effectively...

[gulfsidebo]

There's an offseason?

I'd suggest taking a trip or two to Florida, Arizona or southern Cal. Since you are in Utah, it shouldn't be too expensive to get in a few rounds during the offseason. I used to live in Denver and we golfed all year round. We only couldn't play when there was snow on the ground.

[Hogan Incarnate]

Its more than just an offseason. Theres snow on the ground for upwards of seven months... Good for skiing but not golf.

[Diggitydog]

I'm in offseason too. All the comments about how "you" don't have an offseason aren't really that helpful to a guy that is snowbound in Utah. I'm snowbound in Canada soon and understand your feeling about how to improve over winter.

Here is my plan.
Read this book
http://www.amazon.com/Golfers-Mind-P...1598685&sr;=1-1

Continue to work on full body fitness and flexibility.

Work on putting indoors.

Build a preshot routine. I've said this before, but really I need one.

Hit balls at my indoor range once per week to stay loose.


If I was you, I would play other sports and basically the biggest thing you can do is improve your fitness, core especially, then your legs, lastly your upper body in that order or importance.
I would also work on developing good smooth rhythm. Does your school have indoor golf facilities?
Do you have a preshot routine? Even if you do, spend time figuring one out, then when you practice work on solidifying that.
Basically you'll have to be creative, but look at Luke Donald, he went to school in the Midwest and does great!

Good Luck

[NM Golf]

Thank god we don't have an off season. I would hate to have to work out to stay busy.

[Jeepthrills]

I am an Exercise Physiologist/Personal Trainer. I run two gyms in Michigan and we see a lot of golfers in the off season. There are a few major components of fitness you need to look at.

Muscular Strength : Golf is not a game of brute force, but there is no question that strength plays a roll in being able to score lower. Just look at some of the shots Tiger hits out of deep rough and sand. You don't need to train like a power lifter, but don't be scared of heavier weights.

Phase 1: If you are already working out with weights, spend the first 3-6 weeks on building strength. Lift heavier weights for 8-12 reps and 2-3 sets per exercise. Use the heaviest weight you can handle with good form for the entire set. Do 1-2 exercises per body part for smaller muscles like biceps, triceps and shoulders. Do 2-3 exercise for the larger muscles like Chest, Back and Legs. If you are new to working out, I would recomend that you get some instruction from a trainer. Start with a full body routine of 12-15 erps and 2 sets per exercise. Balance and core strength are key components as well.

Phase 2: Now that you have built up a soild strength foundation you should break up your workouts into more sport specific areas. For example start incorporating some swing specific movements like trunk rotations with a medicine ball or cable machine. I like to use the rope on the tricep machine and get in my swing stance. I will stand with the weight stack to my right and pull the rope down as if I am swing a club at the ball.

During this pahse you are still building strength, but you are focusing on compound movements. Try to incorporate rotational exercises. Do 12-15 reps with the heaviest weight you can handle. Remember form is more important than weight, but still try to use heavier weights.

Phase 3: Preseason: This is where you are spending more time on power and coordination. Power and strength are two different things. Power is the combination of strength and speed. This is where you are channeling all that new strength into the swing itself. The medicine ball is great for this.

Flexibility Range of motion is key for both performance and health. Tight muscles cause a restricted swing and can be a leading cause of injury. Try to stretch daily. Hold each stretch for at least 10-15 seconds.

Cardiovascular Endurance: Cardio is often overlooked in golf conditioning. People think I don't need to run or jump, so what good is that 30 minutes on the treadmill? Think of the times you have faltered down the stretch in a tight match. Was fatigue an issue? If you can stay strong and energized for a round you have a better chance to finish strong.

Nutrition: This is the most ignored component of fitness. Food is the fuel for your engine. You put in bad gas and your motor won't run right. Try to eat lean proteins like chicken, turkey and fish. Avoid saturated fats and sugars. Drink lots of water. Not just on the course or in the gym, but all day. Try to drink 1/2 your idael body weight in fluid ounces daily.

I hope some of this is helpful for you.

Tilteist has some great golf fitness info on their Titleist Performance Isntitute page. It's free to sign up and they have articles that can show you specific exercises and help with program layout.

http://www.mytpi.com/