Ever since the legendary Tiger Woods has set his feet in the game of golf, one can say that golf has been “kicked up a notch”. How he has made a difference is by displaying a healthy respect for fitness. Many industry professionals have been dedicated to the work of gathering data to clearly define the positive impact of fitness in golf. Golf fitness is a crucial element in today’s competitive pace of the game of golf. Perfecting the golf techniques won’t guarantee the enduring game you are looking forward to. What you need is to tone up your physique to beat the physical strains from the game. And this is what you’ll get from golf fitness.
- Why do you need golf fitness?
All golfers, whether they are amateurs or professionals, have been through the strenuous demands of the game. So how does golf fitness attribute to the better game? Passionate golfers would do anything to improve their game. After learning and perfecting the golf swing techniques, most of them do not understand that any trick or technique won’t give an instant lift to their game, rather fitness is what will make their game consistent and enduring. Golf fitness works on building core strength as well as game specific fitness level, helping them to better understand their swing mechanics and lowering the handicap. Without proper fitness, golfer tends to lose the strength in their grip, strokes and swing. Ultimately the resistance from aching body shows up and fitness is the way to alleviate the pain and condition the body’s strength.
- Evaluation for Golf Fitness
Though general physical fitness is as much essential, golf specific fitness is what a golfer needs to improve his/her game. Golf fitness program should be designed in such a way to address your style of game, its impact on your body and ways to alleviate it. In order to custom design a fitness plan for any golfer, one should evaluate the physical fitness and biomechanics of the golf swing. Functional movement testing and anatomical testing are the core tests of golf performance evaluation, which test the mobility and stability problems. It also brings out the postural imbalances which can then be countered with golf fitness regime.
- Golf Fitness Program
There are so many forms of exercises advised on books and internet that can be deviating from the main issue, that is, golf fitness. So what does a golf fitness program comprise of?
- Flexibility Exercise:
They are meant to enhance the range of motion in your joints which is base of giving a more fluid swing and helps alleviate the chances of injuries. Flexibility is often hindered by restrained muscles. Flexibility exercises help loosen the restrictive joints and improve the range of motion, required for golf swing.
- Stability Exercise:
A stable solid base is what helps generate those powerful shots off the tee and also the putting strokes. Stability exercises work on the controlling your swing action and maintaining the weight balance during the downswing. It is extremely crucial since out-of-control swings are most responsible for injuries.
3. Strength Exercise:
Strengthening and conditioning exercises work on building your stamina of core muscles. These exercises impart the endurance that will hold you longer during the unnatural bending of your body in golf swing action.
- Nutrition:
Nutrition and its importance cannot be summed up in few words. However, golf specific nutrition includes intake of carbohydrates and protein rich diet. Also it is advised to consume nuts or fruits during the game to maintain the sugar balance.
The premise of a golf fitness program is to first diagnose your physical limitations through a golf fitness evaluation, then come up with a plan to eliminate those physical limitations to achieve higher fitness level. Golf fitness is the key to a long lasting and consistent game of golf.
