Sports Blogs | The People's Sports Network | ecachockeycoachesvscancer.com

Posts Tagged ‘golf tips’

Functional exercise for golf can mean different things to different golfers. But the key is to take a look at the golf swing mechanics and devise golf exercises, drills, and golf programs to strengthen weak or limited phases of the swing.

Not every golfer has the same deficiency; and treating golfers this way is like “one-stop” shopping. This will result in failure. No improvement for the golfer. This is a complete waste of time, money and physical effort.

The first step is for the golfer to partake in a golf fitness evaluation to determine the correct functional exercise for golf program.

This evaluation should cover strength, flexibility, stabilization and endurance. These are all key factors in performing at your best. These individual tests cannot be general fitness tests, but tests devised specifically for the golfer in mind.

Functional exercise for golf is dynamic, sequential and incorporates core strength and stabilization. Any functional exercise for golf that does not address this is not for golfers.

First off the golf posture is not common among many sports or athletic movements. Being ‘bent-over’ at the waist with your weight more at the balls of your feet incorporate balance and stabilization immediately.

And remember…this is only at address!

To maintain your posture dynamically throughout the golf swing takes a ‘unique’ blend of all components mentioned above. That is why it is so important to incorporate functional exercise for golf in your routine.
Read the rest of this entry »

There is no doubt that flexibility for golf is extremely important to your golf game. Little wonder that one of the biggest fears among many golfers looking to improve their game is that of losing their flexibility specific to golf as a result of weight training that builds muscles and stretching exercises.

This is one of the reasons why many amateur golfers still avoid joining golf-specific exercise and conditioning programs. They mistakenly link every weight-training program with muscle building and bodybuilding.

Although it is true that muscle building and body building will tend to make somebody stiff, the facts are that weight training can either be used for body-building and building of muscles, or it can be used to build strength.

The golf specific weight training programs are aimed at building strength and endurance. Not muscles. A genuine golf exercise program will have nothing in its’ weight training routine to remotely relate it to muscle or bodybuilding. Read the rest of this entry »

Flexibility exercise for golf is a critical component to performing a repeatable, powerful, and mechanically sound golf swing. Senior golfers are the prime target to benefit the most from flexibility exercise for golf. With a declining level of both flexibility and strength, the muscles of the senior golfers are not as pliable and responsive to the physical demands of the golf swing.

The golf swing requires a higher level of flexibility to produce maximum power. Turning your upper body (shoulders) 90 degrees, while maintaining less than half that with your hip turn takes a tremendous amount of dynamic strength and flexibility.

It always surprises me when I speak to a golfer and really spell it out to them. I’ll even go through the swing visually and explain and certain points where physical restrictions can ruin your golf swing. I think the combination of my showing the golfer and explaining it really hits home for them.

It’s tough via an article like this, or any of my websites to get the golfer to understand these physical demands on flexibility (and strength). I can, and will do my best to always explain it in a way that gives you a good visual.

The sooner you realize flexibility exercise for golf is a necessity, the sooner you will see improvement. I’ve been fortunate enough to experience total “golf transformations” with the golfers I’ve worked with.

Testing them before they started, on backswing range; follow through range; initial posture set up and restrictions: I’ve seen miraculous results with golfers. The senior golfers are the ones who see the biggest improvement. That’s mostly based on their initial level of fitness when they started.

That’s why I always tell golfers I come intact with…”it’s NEVER too late!” Never! Everyday that goes by is another day you’ll have wished you would have started. Don’t let one more day go by. Get started right away!

Now…to define flexibility exercise for golf you just need to take a look at the golf swing. Get in your golf posture right now, and bring the swing down into phases. Imagine taking a club back just a couple of feet.

Where do you feel the tension so far?

If you’re really paying attention to your body, you will feel the back of your legs (hamstrings), your left hip, the back of your left arm, and even your lower back. This is if you are a right-handed golfer.

Now take it back further. Where do you feel it now?

You’ll start feeling tension in your right shoulder, your core (from rotating), more in your upper left back muscle and shoulder.

Isn’t it amazing to slow the swing down and realize how restricted you are? It’s a wake-up call to embark in flexibility exercise for golf right now.
Read the rest of this entry »

Fix golf slice is a thought on many amateur golfers’ minds. Studies reveal over 80% of all amateur golfers slice the ball. There have been more training aids, drills and tips to fix the golf slice that I can’t even begin to count.

If you hit a golf slice, have you taken lessons; bought any training aids, and done several drills only to still hit a slice? What a frustrating situation! Do you realize what’s causing your golf slice?

A golf slice is caused by the clubface coming across the ball from outside the target line, creating side-spin on the ball. Upon first thought, this may seem like a mechanical issue. And it is…but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find it’s a ‘physical’ issue.

You see…your body dictates your ability to swing the club efficiently. If your body has ‘physical limitations’, your swing will not be mechanically sound and swing faults will appear.

In the golf swing there are many compensations for lack of proper mechanics. If you can’t make a 90 degree shoulder turn on the backswing, you’ll do whatever it takes to feel like you are making a full turn.

A good example of this would be to rotate your hips beyond the desired 45 degrees to enable your body to make a full backswing. What this does is rob you of power. You have no torque built up in your core to unleash into the ball at impact.

The same thing with a golf slice.
Read the rest of this entry »