by bill larnach

Face it… You may be the greatest golfer of all of your friends. You may be able to make shots that seem almost impossible, or be able to putt balls into just about any hole. But one day recently, when you leaned over to pick up a golf ball, your back cracked and pulled out. What are you supposed to do for your golf game now?

As a golfer, you need to take care of your muscles. By completing a pre-game stretch, you will be able to reduce the chance of injury that you may incur during your goof game. You will also be able to get more blood into your muscles, which will enable you to perform better. Let’s take a look at the exercises that you need to do to be your best on the golf course:

Arm Swings:
Enable your arms to stay straight. Then, slowly cross your arms in front of your body, spreading shoulder blades apart. After this, slowly swing your arms out to the side while squeezing your shoulder blades together.

Arm Circles:
Try to keep your arms straight. Slowly circle your left arm up, back, and then down. Repeat this process on your right arm.

Step Sideways:
In order to complete this exercise, move your right foot out and back, and then your left foot out and back.

Partial Squats:
Stand up and put your feet hip-width apart. Then, put your hands on your hips. Bend from your hips and slowly sit back, trying not to go lower than 10 inches.

As you stretch more and more, you will notice that this stretching increases the flexibility in your golfing muscles. To stretch properly, bend slowly and gently to the point of mild tension. For the best results, hold each of your stretches for 10 to 30 seconds.

Lower Back:
To work on your lower back muscles, you should sit with good posture on a bench or golf cart seat. Then, turn to your right to a point of mild tension. If this position feels comfortable, then grab the back of your seat, while keeping your feet on the floor. Continue to hold this position.

Hip:
Sit down. Cross your right leg over your left leg, so that your right ankle is resting on your left knee. Keep your back straight. Then, lean forward into a comfortable position. Hold yourself in this position, and then repeat the process using the other side of your body.

Hamstring:
Extend your left leg out. Keep your knee straight on a bench or golf cart seat. Keep your back straight and your chin up. Then, slowly reach toward your toes. You should hold this position, and then repeat it using your other leg.

Chest and Shoulders:
Stand up straight with your best posture. Hold a golf club horizontally behind your back with both of your hands facing outward. Slowly raise your arms until you feel a mild stretch in your chest and shoulders. Do not lean forward.

If you wish to have the utmost flexibility in the future, you need to stretch after your strength-training workout. You need to make sure that your connective tissues and muscles are completely warmed up.

by Kevitivity

Here are some golf fitness tips that can literally improve every aspect of your game – from the distance you hit your driver (and every other club for that matter) to the way you feel on and off the golf course.

Ask most club-level golfers and they’ll tell you that fitness for golf is the preserve of the world’s top players looking for anything that will give them the slightest competitive edge. After all, they have time to spend hours at the gym each day and easy access to the best facilities and fitness coaches. But did you know that a simple home exercise routine, performed just 3 days a week with some basic, low cost equipment, can make a significant difference to your golf game?

Scientific studies have shown that with a well-designed golf fitness plan, everyday amateur golfers can:

1. Increase their swing speed and therefore their average carry distance with every club in the bag. 2. Improve their accuracy, hitting more shots out the middle of the club. 3. Reduce their risk of injuries – particularly to the shoulders and back. 4. Improve their overall health and energy levels and reduce the risk of serious illness.

And best of all, the amateur golfers that took part in these studies didn’t have to give up their life for exercise to improve their golf game and their health.

IMPROVE YOUR GOLF-SPECIFIC STRENGTH

A golf-specific strength training program has been shown to increase club head speed in amateur golfers. While golf isn’t simply about how fast you can swing the club (or even how far you hit the ball), research shows that faster swing speeds result in lower handicaps.

To a lot of gym goers, strength training means pumping iron to exhaustion. It means completing lots of isolated exercises such as biceps curls and crunches in split routines (one or two body parts worked each day). But the key to remember is that strength training for golf is NOT the same as body building.

Firstly, you should select exercises that mimic the movements and positions in golf. For example, rotational exercises that work the core region (such as ‘wood chops’) are more suitable than traditional sit ups or crunches. Likewise, squats or lunges are more beneficial to a golfer than seated leg extensions for example.

Secondly, you should choose a wide variety of exercises that work all the major muscles groups each session (even those muscles that might not predominate in the golf swing). This helps to keep your body and your musculature balanced – imbalances lead to injury. Whereas a bodybuilder typically splits his or her routine into body parts (chest and shoulders one day, legs the next etc.), a total body routine is usually more suitable for a golfer.

Thirdly, you should incorporate exercises that strengthen your core region (stomach, lower back, hip region) and improve your posture. This will help to prevent injury and it will also allow you to make a more balanced, more controlled and more repeatable golf swing.

IMPROVE YOUR GOLF-SPECIFIC FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility is under-rated. Improving your flexibility will allow you to make a fuller turn with less effort during the backswing – and that means more power in your golf shots. It will help you get into the correct positions during the backswing – and that means greater accuracy and consistency in your golf shots.

But more than your ability to hit a golf ball further and with greater consistency, increased range of motion just makes you feel better. Reducing your muscle stiffness can reduce your risk of injury, such as muscle tears, and the right types of stretches can help to improve postural imbalances – a major cause of back problems.

You can improve your flexibility through a static stretching routine completed 3x a week. It’s best to stretch when your body is warm after exercise. Focus on stretches to the shoulders, upper and lower back, hamstrings, quads and calves. You can hold each stretch for 15 seconds and complete it twice or hold for 30 seconds, completing each strecth once.

The time to avoid static stretching is immediately BEFORE a round of golf. Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence to show that static stretching before a sporting activity reduces the risk of injury or improves performance (if anything, it’s detrimental). What you can do pre-round is a series of dynamic stretches…

A dynamic stretch uses movement and momentum to bring about a stretch. A classic example is ‘arm swings’ – where you start with your arms out in a crucifix position and then swing them across your chest and then out again. This dynamically stretches the chest muscles.

IMPROVE YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS

Cardiovascular exercise will help you to feel more focused and alert on the golf course. It reduces stress and will keep you feeling fresher in the latter stages of your round. If you struggle to maintain your concentration and enthusiasm for 18 holes CV exercise can help. But more importantly…

Regular cardiovascular exercise literally allows you to live longer and healthier. It reduces your risk of major illnesses (such as heart disease, stroke, certain cancers and type II diabetes) and it reduces high blood pressure – known as the ‘silent killer’ that affects about 25% of the adult population worldwide.

If you’re short on time, you can structure golf strength exercises in a way that they improve your cardiovascular fitness as well. It’s known as circuit training and it’s one of the most efficient, time-friendly (and fun) types of exercise.

TO SUM UP

- Research shows that a well-designed golf fitness program improves your golf game and lowers your scores, regardless of age or current handicap.

- Combining a program of golf-specific strength and flexibility exercises allows you to hit the ball further, more accurately and more consistently.

- Using a circuit training set up allows you to improve your cardiovascular fitness as well. This can have a significant impact on your health as well as your golf.

- A golf fitness program doesn’t have to take over your life. You’ll see benefits from a 3-day per week routine, completed at home, without requiring any expensive exercise equipment.

More Golf Articles

by bill larnach

If you are a golf enthusiast, then definitely Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide is all you need. This e-book is created by Mike Pedersen who is a well known golf fitness expert that has helped a lot of touring professionals in enhancing their fitness levels and skills in golfing. You must take into account that by improving your strength level and flexibility will have a great impact on assisting you to hit the ball farther and straighter.

Click Here For Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide Instant Access Now!

This guide will educate you about the means of strengthening major golf muscles and be able to have more flexibility in order for you to generate club head speed and hit your drives farther. You will also learn some tips on how you can reach your full potential in golfing as well as all the secrets to training your muscles appropriately to hit the golf ball more consistently.

Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide will also allow you to discover how to train your body, in order for you to deliver a high performance golf swing all the time, without making too much effort. It also includes instructions on how to achieve this in a relatively shorter amount of time possible. You can never be wrong with this guide due to the fact that it is created by a very much experienced and respected golf fitness trainer, who has decided to finally reveal a few of his training secrets for the first time to all of the golfers out there.

This guide will enable you to end all your disappointments whenever you miss a hole or not even being able to hit that ball. You will be able to make a better swing that will produce a long and powerful hit.

Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide is the only performance success guide you’ll ever need and it is available in a downloadable e-book format. You will be more than happy to see that this e-book is packed with all the tips, techniques and ways about improving your golfing which is previously known by only a privileged few. Grab a copy now.

Click Here For Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide Instant Access Now!

by rgusick

If you are very keen on playing golf, then Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide is absolutely perfect to lead you towards an effective golf workout that will enable you to play golf on  a different level. Mike Pedersen has created this e-book, he is a renowned golf fitness specialist that was able to help so many touring professionals in greatly improving their fitness levels as well as skills in golfing. It is of great importance to improve your strength and flexibility since it will have a great impact on assisting you to hit the ball farther and straighter.

Click Here For Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide Instant Access Now!

This wonderful e-book will let you learn with regards to the ways of strengthening all the major muscles that you used while playing golf as well as be able to have more flexibility in order for you to generate club head speed and hit your drives farther. You will also know the different strategies on how you will be able to reach your full capacity in golfing and all the secrets to training your muscles appropriately to hit the golf ball more consistently.

Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide will also allow you to find out how to train your body, in order for you to deliver a high quality performance golf swing all the time, without making too much effort. It also includes instructions on how to attain this in a relatively shorter amount of time possible. You can never be wrong with this guide due to the fact that it is created by a very much experienced and respected golf fitness trainer, who has decided to finally reveal a few of his training secrets for the first time to all of the golfers out there.

This e-book will enable you to end all your disappointments whenever you miss a hole or not even being able to hit that ball. You will be able to make a better swing that will produce a long and powerful hit.

Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide is the only performance success guide you’ll ever need and it is available in a downloadable e-book format. You will be more than happy to see that this e-book is packed with all the tips, techniques and ways about improving your golfing which is previously known by only a privileged few. Grab a copy now.

Click Here For Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide Instant Access Now!

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by Frauenfelder

Would you rather swing a golf club than swing your partner? Then perhaps golf is your course to fitness.

Golf is an outdoor game. Your goal is to use a club to send a small ball into each distant hole – preferably in as few swings as possible. No two golf courses are the same, so each one is a fresh challenge.

If you’re new to the game, take lessons. They should help you learn how to pick the right club, perfect your swing, and guide your ball through such tricky terrain as high grass, sand traps, water hazards, and hills.

Be sure to plan for several expenses – you’ll need clubs, golf balls, and greens fees.

The American Heart Association says golf is a good low-intensity exercise for older adults. If you’re up to golfing without a cart, you may reap extra benefits. In just 20 weeks, middle-aged golfers who played cart-free about twice a week reduced their waistline, increased their HDL (good) cholesterol, and lost weight.

The study also suggests that playing golf regularly – without a cart – can strengthen your mid-body muscles and so reduce lower back problems, as well as fight general weakness, decreasing your risk of falls and fractures.

If you want to get into the swing of golf, remember these tips.

• Before you start playing, walk the course each day for a couple of weeks. It’s a fine way to get used to the terrain.

• Find a driving range near you and visit it often. It’s a good place to practice your golf swing.

• As part of the warm-up before any golf game, use your golf club as a stretching tool. Hold it horizontally in front of you, and, without arching your back, lift it skyward. Then bring it back down to shoulder height and gently rotate your upper body to the right and then to the left.

• Start out with a shorter backswing, progressing to a full swing as you gain strength and range of motion in your back. However, you can significantly reduce your backswing without affecting your stroke.

• Concentrate on turning your hips as you swing. This will relieve your back and improve your form.

• Improve your golf grip with an old phone book. Open the phone book and moisten your fingertips. Using one hand, press down with your fingertips, and rip, crumple, and discard one page. Alternate hands. Continue doing this until your hands are tired. You should be able to do more pages with your dominant hand. This exercise will improve grip strength, endurance, and flexibility.

• Chasing balls into the woods can raise your risk of tick-borne infections. Consider taking an extra stroke instead. At the very least, wear long sleeve and insect repellant, and be sure to check yourself over for ticks after you retrieve the ball.

If golf isn’t the only sport that interests you, that’s good. Activities that improve your strength, aerobic fitness, and flexibility may help your golf game, too.

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by danperry.com

When searching for the right golf fitness program for you, you first must look at all the aspects of a good, quality fitness program. A proper golf fitness program should contain golf specific exercises that will affect your golf game in the right way. The areas you should look at are power, flexibility, balance and also a good cardio conditioning program.

A powerful swing is what every golfer, young or old, is looking for. The formula for a powerful golf swing is as follows; force multiplied by distance, divided by time equals increased club head speed. And as you probably guessed increased club head speed generates longer drives. Now I do not want you to concern yourself with that wacky physics equation, because once you have applied all the steps to strengthen your body properly, the longer drives, and lower handicap will come natural.

When you think of golf specific exercises I don’t want you to imagine something completely new to the fitness world. Golf specific exercises are just your average traditional exercises performed at the correct time to insure they are helping your overall golf course fitness.

Different times of the year require you, the golfer, to perform different exercises. During the off season, the golfer should focus on strengthening their muscles, and also improving their flexibility. The idea is to get stronger in the off season with your fitness program, and then maintaining that strength throughout the season. A quality golf fitness program should focus on strengthening all parts of the body, because the whole body works together in the golf swing.

If you are new to the strength training side of golf, or just strength training in general, I would suggest starting out with machine exercises instead of free weights. Machine exercises can be performed correctly faster, and they provide you with less risk of injury. After you feel comfortable with the machine exercises, move on to free weights. A combination of machine exercises, and free weights will you give you a well rounded routine, that will show you improvement in your golf game, and your golf course fitness.

Now as you have become a stronger and more flexible golfer you will be able to generate more power with less effort in your golf swing. And that is one secret to a more consistent golf game. As you are able to produce more power without forcing the power, you are able to repeat your golf swing every shot, which in turn will give you longer, and straighter shots. This same rule applies to a baseball pitcher, who must repeat his delivery every pitch to be successful. So take a few minutes out of your day today, and start some simple golf stretching exercises, then move on to increasing your strength, distance, and your overall golf course fitness.

Did you know that the average 18 holes of golf can translate into 4 or 5 miles? That seems like a lot of walking, not to mention swinging 70 to 100 times and carrying your fully loaded golf bag. Once I heard that fact it jump started me to get into better golf shape.

For any golf player, whether professional or amateur, all year round golf fitness training will keep away the joint rustiness and the muscle rigidity. Therefore, in order to start every golf season with the best scores; don’t ignore the golf fitness training in the winter months. The off-season is simply an immense opportunity to improve the chances of greater future performance, therefore stick to a preset golf fitness training program and see the results for yourself. You’ll preserve and even improve the strength of your swings. Let’s see how it’s done.

There are several available options for someone who wants to start golf fitness training. First, you may pursue a local professional program devoted to golfers; thus you make sure you work with someone who understands the mechanics behind the golf swing. Then you may get a video guide or a book for golf fitness training and start exercises at home on a regular basis. The golf fitness training meant to keep you in the perfect shape should not require more than two or three thirty-minute sessions per week. This will really improve your game while also bringing a sense of accomplishment.

Lots of golf fitness training programs include “functional training”, which means they deal with all the muscles in the body. One of the favorite exercises meant to train the golf muscles is the rotational lunge with the medicine ball. For this golf fitness training technique you need a medicine ball that weighs between three and six pounds. Lift the ball at the chest level while keeping your elbows bent. Elevate the left leg and put the foot upfront as for a lunge. Continue this golf fitness training exercise by placing the leg with the toes upwards and the torso upright.

Once at this level of the golf fitness training exercise, bend your knees to get the hips lower to the floor, once you get in this position make a rotation move with the shoulders from left to right and vice versa. Then, you apply the same golf fitness training tips for the right part of the body. An alternation of the lunge is necessary in at least fifteen repetitions organized in one up to three sets. Perform this type of golf fitness training two or three times a week and the new season should find you in perfect shape and an enviable health condition. Good luck and good scores!

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by nardino

How do golf and fitness go together?  Why do I need golf fitness training?  What difference would a golf fitness program make to my golf game?

I can tell you all about that from what I have seen with my friend and golfing buddy, Dooley Duffer. 

Dooley had been away from the game for some years.  His career and family took priority over his time and golf, although he loved it, it just would not fit into his schedule. As he advanced in his career he became less physically active. He even moved to a management position so time in the office was nothing like the work he had been doing.

His body began to show his change in lifestyle. Don’t tell him I told you this, but his middle seemed to grow faster than his salary. Bet you know how that story goes, huh?

He had only played very occasionally during that time. So I don’t think he realized how much being out of shape affected his golf swing performance.

Then Dooley changed companies and began to play golf regularly again thanks to his new boss who had recently taken up the game. With his kids grown Dooley now had more time to devote to golf and it only took one round back on the course to re-ignite the passion which had burned so brightly in days gone by.

As he began to play more often his physical limitations became a more and more of an issue. He struggled at times to finish a round; scores would escalate due to inconsistent swings, loss of concentration and general fatigue.  He would even huff and puff when walking up hills in spite of always riding a cart. I can remember having to wait for him to catch his breath before he could putt on elevated greens. No chance he could walk when he played.

Then over a few weeks I began to notice improvement in Dooley’s game. Less and less of the struggles I had noticed before and more successful golf shots, better concentration and less fatigue. He even began saying he wanted to play an extra 9 holes!

You see, conditioning is critical to your overall golf performance. And poor physical conditioning will certainly ruin your golf performance. Just ask Dooley about that.

What was Dooley’s secret?  Had he hired a golf fitness trainer? Did he use golf fitness videos? What had he done to improve his fitness for golf and his golf handicap?

Turns out he had not done any of those things exactly.  He said he found this golf fitness eBook called “Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide” by Mike Pedersen. Seems Mike’s eBook is about how to improve your golf fitness at home in less than 30 days. Mike says that the secret to lower scores and longer drives is all about getting your body to move just a little bit better.

Dooley said he that he took the advice seriously and began to feel results quickly. Then he began to notice he felt better on the course. That was very encouraging to him and he was able to keep at it. He had tried exercising before but soon lost interest but this was different.  He could see improvement and he knew why! The Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide had delivered on its promise. Dooley says this is the kind of thing anyone could and should do from home to improve their fitness for golf.

Having watched Dooley now for these past few months make such wonderful progress, I too can recommend “Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide”.  (Yes, I am on it now too.)

If you need help with your golf fitness program, if you run short of breath at times or struggle scoring over the last few holes of a round then please look into how Ultimate Golf Fitness could help you see the same kind of improvement Dooley is experiencing.

Golf fitness training found here.  Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide

by emdot

Golf fitness exercises can be key in improving the strength in your lower back. The lower back is one of the most commonly injured areas of the body in the sport of golf, and rightfully so. The lower back is placed under large amounts of stress each and every golf swing. Over time these stresses can cause debilitation to this area of the body eventually resulting in injury. To counteract the stressors placed upon the lower back from the swing, the golfer can take a series of steps to prevent injury through the implementation of golf fitness exercises to improve lower back strength.

These preventative steps incorporate a series of golf fitness flexibility and golf fitness strength exercises. The goal of these golf exercises is to create the supportive base in terms of flexibility and strength within the musculature of the lower back to support the golf swing.

First and foremost the process by which the lower back becomes injured from golf is quite simple. Each swing of the club requires the golfer to draw the club through a large range of motion, maintain a set spine angle, and generate power. In order to complete these physical tasks correctly a specific level of flexibility and strength is required of the lower back. If the golfer lacks the required flexibility or strength to execute these physical actions the lower back will be stressed more than necessary. This will lead to fatigue and possible injury to the lower back.

Secondly, the golf swing is a repetitive athletic action. The swing is executed over and over again utilizing the same muscles. Over time these muscles become fatigued. Once muscles are fatigued, they can easily become injured. This statement holds true for the lower back as well as all the other muscles of the body incorporated with the swing. To counteract fatigued in the lower back created by the golf swing, it is necessary for one to develop the strength and endurance parameters of these muscles. This result again can be accomplished by the completion of golf specific strength exercises.

Now that we understand the processes by which the lower back becomes injured from the golf swing, we can begin to develop an injury preventative golf fitness program. As stated previously such a golf fitness program would incorporate a series of golf specific flexibility and strength exercises.

The golf flexibility exercises focus on developing the required ranges of motion in the lower back to execute the golf swing efficiently. Golf exercises I often utilize for this goal are cats, openers, rotators, and windmills. All of these golf exercises create extensibility in the muscles of the lower back, and if performed consistently will assist in the prevention of injury.

The golf fitness strength exercises of such a program look to develop strength and endurance in the muscles of the lower back to execute the golf swing over and over again. Prone holds, bent knee back holds, alternating arm and leg extensions, and hip circles are common exercises I implement into this phase of a program.

Remember, the lower back is placed under large amounts of stress each and every swing. To counteract the possibility of injury from the golf swing, we can incorporate a series of golf specific flexibility and strength exercises. These golf fitness exercises will develop the ranges of motion required for the golf swing, develop the strength necessary to execute the swing, and finally create endurance within these muscles. To learn more about golf fitness exercises for the lower back go to my website www.seancochran.com. On this website you will find an abundant amount of information on golf fitness training and golf fitness exercises to improve your golf game.

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by Kol Tregaskes

Golf fitness stretching exercises can improve your golf game. These types of golf fitness exercises will help you in every phase of the golf swing. The golf swing requires you to draw the club through a long range of motion. This allows the golfer to execute a full shoulder turn, perform each phase of the swing correctly, generate clubhead speed, and accurately hit shots on the course. All to often the amateur golfer lacks the flexibility to execute the golf swing correctly. Causing an inability to make a full shoulder turn or efficiently execute the phases of the swing. Resulting in lower clubhead speeds, inaccurate golf shots, and higher scores rather than lower.

The amateur golfer can improve their ability to execute the golf swing, complete a full shoulder turn, generate more clubhead speed, and hit more accurate shots with improved flexibility. The process an amateur golfer can improve their flexibility is through golf fitness stretches.

Before providing information on what are the best stretches for golfer let us define flexibility. Flexibility refers to range of motion. It is defined as the optimal extensibility of all soft tissues in the body (Michael Clark, Director, National Academy of Sports Medicine). The biomechanics of the swing require the golfer to swing the club on the correct plane. In order for the biomechanics of the swing to be executed correctly every muscle, ligament, and tendon in the body must allow for optimal joint range of motion.

Increased flexibility is the benefit of stretching. These benefits occur through the elongation (i.e. stretching) of soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments). Typically certain muscles in your body are in a shortened position (i.e. “tight”), causing restrictions in the golf swing. Golf stretches (i.e. elongating) these muscles alleviates these muscles alleviates these restrictions allowing for the ranges of motion required of the golf swing to develop.

Because the golf swing requires a large range of motion from multiple joints (ankle, hip, thorasic spine, and shoulder), I suggest performing a series of flexibility exercises for the entire body. Many golfers will find “tightness” in the hamstrings, hips, lower, and upper back causing restrictions in their joint range of motions as well as golf swing. This may require additional golf stretches to assist in the restrictions caused by these muscles.

Guidelines to golf fitness stretches are quite simple. A comprehensive series golf exercises that incorporate stretches for golf swing should be completed a minimum of four times per week. If an individual desires these golf exercises can be performed daily. In addition to performing golf fitness stretches multiple times per week, each golf stretching exercise should take each target muscle passively to the point of “tension” and holding the stretch for 30 seconds. Do not attempt to “bounce” or “push” the stretch for this can result in injury. Pay strict attention to technique with each of your golf stretches. It also recommended to perform a golf fitness warm-up program prior to your golf stretches to get more out of each golf exercise. The following are the golf stretches I often recommend to the amateur player; Rotators, 90/90 Hamstrings, Cats Down, Cats Up, Piriformis, Kneeling Hip Flexor, Openers, Standing Calf, and Standing Quadricep.

Remember what is required from the body in regards to the golf swing. One of these requirements is drawing the club through a long range of motion. Golf fitness stretches and golf exercises can help with this part of the swing. To learn more about golf fitness training, golf exercise, and golf stretches go to my website at www.seancochran.com where you will find an abundant amount of information on of these golf fitness related topics.