Do you exercise with golf in mind? Why or why not?

[adamgoodman]

Golf and fitness pretty much dominate 90% of my existence professionally and personally.

[rehmwa]

I exercise with exercise in mind.

Golf is a leisure activity, if you are fit you do everything better.  No need to just focus on golf, fitness is it's own reason.  Hopefully general fitness will improve your game.

I'm not even sure that "Golf Fitness" in itself is another oxymoron

[adamgoodman]

My own take:

I take fitness/exercise probably more seriously than my golf game.  My gym time is entirely geared toward physique development (isolated weight lifting).  I can say confidently that my "brand' of fitness affects my golf negatively and vice versa.  Not so much performance, but really how prepared my body feels to do one or the other.  Playing 18 holes with a chest pump and DOMS from yesterday's leg workout adds a whole new element to the game managing pain, stiffness, soreness, etc.  Then the flip-side would be golf generates its own set of aches when you're actively ill-preparing your body for it.

[dennyjones]

I don't lift weights.  When I do yoga, I do think about stretching and strength training for golf.   When I'm riding my bike or rollerblading, I focus on those activities.  

[saevel25]

There are some specific exercises that help the golf game.

1. Balance
2. Core Strength
3. Back Strength

Full body workouts are generally better. You don't really need to isolate muscle groups for the golf swing. It isn't like a RB in football that really needs to work out the quads, hamstrings, and gluts to keep up that running power.

[JCrane]

7 hours ago, saevel25 said:

There are some specific exercises that help the golf game.

1. Balance
2. Core Strength
3. Back Strength

Full body workouts are generally better. You don't really need to isolate muscle groups for the golf swing. It isn't like a RB in football that really needs to work out the quads, hamstrings, and gluts to keep up that running power.

I think you have the right idea. I feel it is important to remember that all the muscles are involved in golf. Some instructors have said we only use our triceps in the golf swing and not the biceps and that may be true  but it is the bicep that supports the tricep as part of the arm and we want strong support. for all active muscles.

I recently worked with a local high school golf team and I asked them what muscles they use when they pick the ball out of the cup and out of  30 students only one said the core, the rest said the back or legs. We want to engage the stomach muscles which supports the back as part of the core.Bottom line a complete body workout is advised.

I was always intrigued by Walter Payton who said he ran mountains in the off season because it worked all of his leg muscles and prepared him for the game of football. He felt weights were too limited.

[rehmwa]

If I had to pick exercise specifically for golf.......I'd have to say any type of hard tension/power type yoga is ideal.  (stretching, reaching, tons of tension, core, cardio, sweating, etc all in one place)

not the 'spiritual' type of lazy yoga, but the real workouts

but then, that's probably ideal for most any activity for a fitness foundation

[JCrane]

9 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

If I had to pick exercise specifically for golf.......I'd have to say any type of hard tension/power type yoga is ideal.  (stretching, reaching, tons of tension, core, cardio, sweating, etc all in one place)

not the 'spiritual' type of lazy yoga, but the real workouts

but then, that's probably ideal for most any activity for a fitness foundation

Boy you got it right. I have taught and have done Yoga for 20 years and most people think we are going to sit in lotus and stare at a candle. They leave the class with a different attitude.LOL

[adamgoodman]

I'm sure there's a good reason why there's never really been a truly muscular/built Tour player... Athletic/lean yes, but nobody I would see in street clothes and say "yeah, that guy definitely puts in the time at the gym."

[rehmwa]

5 hours ago, adamgoodman said:

I'm sure there's a good reason why there's never really been a truly muscular/built Tour player... Athletic/lean yes, but nobody I would see in street clothes and say "yeah, that guy definitely puts in the time at the gym."

You might want to look again.....

(Unless you are talking about a professional body builder type of frame, but that's a pointless tangent)

[Lihu]

6 hours ago, adamgoodman said:

I'm sure there's a good reason why there's never really been a truly muscular/built Tour player... Athletic/lean yes, but nobody I would see in street clothes and say "yeah, that guy definitely puts in the time at the gym."

Yeah, I haven't seen any either. Long drive, yes, but the norm is not too muscular. They're very fit though. I'd say they do work out, but not "built".

Rory is about the most "fit" in this sense. . . http://www.businessinsider.com/rory-mcilroy-muscle-pga-golf-2015-5

 

31 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

You might want to look again.....

(Unless you are talking about a professional body builder type of frame, but that's a pointless tangent)

I don't think he even means that. . .

http://www.mensfitness.com/sports/golf/8-fittest-golfers-pga-tour/slideshow

Not all that muscular. Then you have Jason Dufner types. . .who are fit compared to the . . .http://listafterlist.com/fattest-golfers-on-the-pga-tour/

 

Geeze, one letter really makes a huge difference, 'i' versus 'a'.

Edited October 6, 2017 by Lihu

[rehmwa]

10 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Then you have Jason Dufner types. . .

yeah, lots of them, giving hope to middle aged men everywhere that with enough of a bankroll, you too can divorce many hot women - (also considered a form of exercise and a source of unhealthy weight loss)

 

However - the statement one wouldn't say "yeah, that guy definitely puts in the time at the gym."  is a pretty clear indication that people that don't go to the gym have an unrealistic vision of what kind of results you should expect.

Most all these players put an insane amount of time in with weights and gym training.  To me, it's very obvious which ones do and which ones don't.  As you won't get fit just playing golf and eating burgers, the difference really stands out.

Edited October 6, 2017 by rehmwa

[Lihu]

4 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

yeah, lots of them, giving hope to middle aged men everywhere that with enough of a bankroll, you too can divorce many hot women - (also considered a form of exercise and a source of unhealthy weight loss)

 

However - the statement one wouldn't say "yeah, that guy definitely puts in the time at the gym."  is a pretty clear indication that people that don't go to the gym have an unrealistic vision of what kind of results you should expect.

Most all these players put an insane amount of time in with weights and gym training.  To me, it's very obvious which ones do and which ones don't.

Yeah, but Rory does have a point about "image". Tour players should look more athletic.

In the old days Baseball players looked pretty "middle aged" too, so maybe golf will workout to look more "buff"?

Edited October 6, 2017 by Lihu

[rehmwa]

4 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Yeah, but Rory does have a point about "image". Tour players should look more athletic.

In the old days Baseball players looked pretty "middle aged" too, so maybe golf will do the same?

I think they should, and in the long run, the fit players will win more than the slugs.

FWIW - every single one of those players in the slideshow you linked clearly looks like they spend a ton at the gym.  (except Jordan to me.  he still looks like a skinny kid)  Golf attire doesn't do it justice unless you go the Rory route and wear shirts too small.

 

and that 'fattest golfers' link is unfair.  It's really "heaviest" golfers, and some of them are very fit (Lee, Phil and Ernie).  There's a difference between fatties and just really big guys.  For their ages, Lee, Phil and Ernie are doing great.  Phil recently took a ton of weight off.

(I really hate that phrase "for your age", I'm getting that more often - "wow, you're doing great.........for your age"...I wish they'd leave the last 3 words off...

Edited October 6, 2017 by rehmwa

[Lihu]

12 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

I think they should, and in the long run, the fit players will win more than the slugs.

FWIW - every single one of those players in the slideshow you linked clearly looks like they spend a ton at the gym.  (except Jordan to me.  he still looks like a skinny kid)  Golf attire doesn't do it justice unless you go the Rory route and wear shirts too small.

IDK, my son, who's only about 150 pounds now, doesn't spend tons of time at a gym and looks way more fit than all of them except for Rory. Rory looks really fit. I mean, he looks strong. It might be the sweaters, but the others look on the slim side of normal to me.

 

To the OP:

For me, Golf is my exercise. I try to walk whenever I can. Driving range is a pretty decent workout if I hit more than 30 balls or so.

Edited October 6, 2017 by Lihu

[coachjimsc]

I exercise primarily to keep my bones from fusing together as I get older.

However, the benefits from that have helped keep my body, mostly my lower back, in good golfing shape. At this age it is pretty much a necessity for me to be able to play at all.

Since around 2005 when I started working out regularly, I noticed that I was no longer tired on the last day of our 4 day Myrtle Beach trip every August. Since that point golf is always on my mind when I work out.

Being selected for the Newport Cup this year, it is even more on my mind. 90 holes in three days!

[JCrane]

17 hours ago, adamgoodman said:

I'm sure there's a good reason why there's never really been a truly muscular/built Tour player... Athletic/lean yes, but nobody I would see in street clothes and say "yeah, that guy definitely puts in the time at the gym."

that is because many of them understand the term "functional fitness "

[Yukari]

I exercise for exercising.  Not for golf.  I think any exercise helps your golf game be it endurance, flexibility or strength.  My exercise is based on trying to stay fit overall and not for any particular activity.  I lift weight, run, swim and do yoga.  I try to vary my routines so it does not get boring or hit a plateau.

Generally, I am an adrenaline junkie.