Walking With Weight (Rucking) to Prep for a Carry Bag

[Elmer]

On 1/17/2019 at 4:11 PM, dennyjones said:

This.   But if you want to get in better shape w/o going to a gym start climbing stairs, lots of stairs.   You'll be surprised the difference it will make in your leg strength.

I looked into "rucking", the added weight helps to burn calories, and work the core (though posture). At least according to the article I read.
It was a heck of a way to start the day. 

I have also started taking the stairs at work, up and down to the 4th floor. This has turned my legs to jello by the end of the day, but that is a good thing.

On 1/17/2019 at 4:24 PM, colin007 said:

Why does the OP feel the need to carry as opposed to using a push cart?

Couple reasons:
1-  I feel less cluttered when I don't have to bother with a cart. When I show up to my league I have a short time to change in the parking lot and get down to the tee.  
2- Golfing cart less, seems to simply my game and day. As noted above, Changing and grabbing a bag seems very simple. Being able to place a bag anywhere opposed to locking on flat ground, ensuring it does not roll away. Having to take it apart in a rain storm. Not to mention a cart provides more places to carry more stuff, and as Carlin used to say about "more stuff...."
3-Neither of my bags fit well on my cart. I have a Ogio stand bag and a Nike Cart bag, both twist and flop under the restraints. I end up having to place both bags on their side to use them on the cart. Therefore 1/2 my bag pockets become inaccessible (water, score card, tees, sun screen, etc....)

On 1/18/2019 at 11:08 AM, Lihu said:

A new smaller bag could cost as little as $25 as I posted above. That’s less than most rounds of golf? He also carries almost a dozen balls which I expect he’ll possibly lose? Otherwise, why carry so many?

It sounds more just like he wants to carry to look cooler than the old folks like me who push or drive a cart 🤪

That said, I do sometimes like to roam free without having to push or drive a cart around, that’s why I have an 8 club bag, and have been known to play only one club lately.

I carry 12, play with 1, leaving me 11. I figure I need enough in case I have a really bad day or want to pull a tin cup, I will not run out. 
I also gave up looking cool a long time ago. 
Really, how cool can I look shooting bogie golf on a muni course!

[Lihu]

30 minutes ago, Elmer said:

I carry 12, play with 1, leaving me 11. I figure I need enough in case I have a really bad day or want to pull a tin cup, I will not run out. 
I also gave up looking cool a long time ago. 

11 extra balls carrying is going to break your back?!? 

Older golfers who walk and carry tend to appreciate all the balls and treasure what clubs they carry with them not to do that tin cup move. Not that I’m guilt free of doing just that... 🙈

 

Quote

Really, how cool can I look shooting bogie golf on a muni course!

Hey, coolness is an attitude. You’ve got to look purposeful and confident when walking those 20 steps getting to your tee shot. 😁

Edited January 23, 2019 by Lihu

[Elmer]

On 1/23/2019 at 1:58 PM, Lihu said:

11 extra balls carrying is going to break your back?!? 

Older golfers who walk and carry tend to appreciate all the balls and treasure what clubs they carry with them not to do that tin cup move. Not that I’m guilt free of doing just that... 🙈

 

Hey, coolness is an attitude. You’ve got to look purposeful and confident when walking those 20 steps getting to your tee shot. 😁

I dont think the 11 extra balls break my back. either a full Water bottle or rain coat & towel probably add more weight. I dont carry an umbrella, so rain coat is a must.

"Hey, coolness is an attitude. You’ve got to look purposeful and confident when walking those 20 steps getting to your tee shot. 😁"

I am usually pretty good off the tee, usually leaving 120 to 100 into the green (on my home muni course). My issue is when I skull my second shot 10-20 over the green, or simple power the ball over the green. It takes a certain type of "coolness" to grab your putter and wedge and walk past the green!

 

[bones75]

@Elmer  I was hoping you could offer an update since your OP.

I also like to carry for the health benefits. And have gotten the ok from my docs and PTs to do so, so long as I watch my posture and never use just one strap. I've also thought about "rucking" while playing. I.e. adding weights to my bag.

I was like you were in your OP, but started strength training more the last few years. It took over a year of lifting (squats, DL's, cleans, lunges) and always carrying (I play once a week) until I felt like I was at full energy for the last few holes of a hilly course. I'm in my mid 40's, and honestly, for a long while, I thought I'd never get there.

I took the last few months off golf, and now, again, I can't finish a round w/o playing noticeably worse at the end of a round from general fatigue. I'm hoping this time it'll only take me a few more months to get it back.

Edited June 12, 2020 by bones75

[Patch]

My daily routine involves a brisk 2+ mile walk every morning. The different paths I take, include various elevation changes. I do this even on days I walk 18 holes, pushing a cart.  

If I was the OP,  I'd just bite the bullet, and do the push cart thing. Carrying 30-35 lbs, while walking 18 holes is a tough chore.

The pros don't carry their own bags, so why should an amateur? 

 

[bones75]

On 1/17/2019 at 7:29 PM, colin007 said:

Right. According to this study, it's about as slight a difference as could be - less than 1%

A Little Scientific Research for All Those 19th-Hole Debates

---

Tests performed on a group of amateur golfers seemed to indicate that being...

 

As usual, I didn't read the whole thread carefully. I just read the nytimes article above.

I have logged 70+ rounds of golf w/ a heart rate monitor* on the same course (riding, carrying and pushing). I average 11 bpm higher for the round if I carry vs push**. Heart rate/caloric expenditure calculations*** put that at 400+ more calories burned during a 4hr round of golf. Even though that's an estimate, and even if you cut it in half, it's a different result than the article.

Personally, I also feel it's so much easier to push a bag on wheels on a flat or downhill surface vs rucking a bag. On uphills, I can see it being about the same, energy expenditure wise.

My home course (at the time I was using the heart rate monitor) was extremely hilly (Darkhorse in Auburn, CA), and was ~6.7 miles to walk.

I personally want 300+ minutes a week of moderate/intense exercise (the higher the heart rate the better!) and I feel carrying vs pushing helps a lot.

Note, I used to be an avid long distance runner, so I just may enjoy/seek out different exercise goals than most.

--------------------

*Device used was medical-grade EKG device (QardioCore)

**My max bpm wasn't that different between carrying and pushing. But I had more highs and lows while pushing, and when carrying my bpm stays at a higher level and the graph is more flat. So the average bpm was a lot higher when carrying.

***Formula for Determination of Calorie Burn if VO2max is Unknown for Male = ((-55.0969 + (0.6309 x HeartRate) + (0.1988 x Weight) + (0.2017 x Age))/4.184) x 60 x Time

Edited June 13, 2020 by bones75

[MiuraMan]

I always finish off my gym sessions with a few of these "carries" 

10 Smart Loaded Carry Variations For Safer, More Effective Core Strength

---

Carry Yourself To Real Core Strength Loaded Carries are about as basic of an exercise as you’re going to get. In fact, they should be a staple of your program along with the other fundamental movements of push, pull, squat...

 

 

[Vinsk]

On 1/23/2019 at 1:58 PM, Lihu said:

Hey, coolness is an attitude. You’ve got to look purposeful and confident when walking those 20 steps getting to your tee shot. 😁

Just get to that 20yd tee shot and say, ‘ Now this is the lie I was wanting.’

[Esox]

On 1/17/2019 at 4:24 PM, colin007 said:

Why does the OP feel the need to carry as opposed to using a push cart?

I have always carried my bag. Tradition. Convenience. Even at 61 and just back into it after 20 yrs off, I hate it when we go to carts only courses. But I'm probably in better shape than most 40 yr old desk jockeys.

Edited November 23, 2020 by Esox

[TourSpoon]

I don't typically carry on the golf course but I think I am going to start rucking and doing the carries shown here. I am thinking the posture strengthening and the core stability (especially with an unbalanced carry) has to have some serious golf benefits to help on those 36 hole days. 

[phillyk]

I’ve carried, pushed, and rode all many times. Push carting, I always felt my arms got too tired from swinging and pushing the bag, but I may use it for flat courses. If I’m not carting, I’m most likely carrying.  When I carried, exclusively, 5 years ago, I definitely got into a little better shape and could endure long days. Although the only extra weight I have is from snacks and beer. 😁