Take a guess: what is the No. 1 thing 99% of the recreational golfers come to my lesson tee asking for?
If you said distance, you’d be correct.
Now, certainly a good coach can help you to some degree if there is a mechanical flaw that is causing a power leak. Power leaks are common among the amateur golfer. That said, if one were able to make the needed changes mechanically but the true motor of the motion wasn’t in order, the changed mechanics might, in fact, be useless.
In my book The Six Spoke Approach to Golf (available on Amazon), my very first Spoke is “The Body.” The true motor of your golf motion is your body. If that motor is not in a sound working order (strength and flexibility), I wouldn’t bank on additional yardage.
Let’s all start 2020 off the right way. Let’s get fit. Life fit, golf fit! Let’s lose those pounds that are slowing down our rotational skill and, of course, not good for our general health.
Let’s get toned. Let’s work on our core, legs, hands, wrists, and forearms. Let’s get more cardio fit. Let’s increase our general stamina/ endurance. Let’s just plan feel better about ourselves.
I promise: If you present me a sound golf machine, we can program it to hit longer, crisper golf shots.
Tom Patri, PGA is founder of TP Golf Schools based at The Esplanade in Naples, Florida. Visit him at www.tompatri.com.
It’s a fact: Golfers play better when they put in the time to not only train, but also use a compete warm-up routine.
For instance, a typical professional golfer may stretch for 10 to 15 minutes (the top-tier players, even longer) and then practice their putting stance for an additional 15 minutes. They may then spend an additional half-hour working on their ball striking and end their warm-up with 20 minutes of pitching, chipping, and hitting sand shots.
Some may even extend their warm-up with an extra five minutes or so of putting exercises before finally making their way to the tee.
The aforementioned warm-up routine may be very different from an amateur golfer’s warm-up routine, which may involve simply parking their car, walking to the course, swinging their club a few times for “practice” and then heading to the tee.
Let’s look at daily warm-up routines for amateur golfers that can make them feel like a pro when it’s time to tee off.
Dynamic Stretching
You do not need to necessarily practice on the links like professional golfers often do. However, if you are only able to get on the golf course once a month then it is highly recommended that you maximize your playing time by following the proper warm-up routine.
For instance, a quick and easy way to get warmed up is to practice dynamic stretching exercises on a continuous basis.
Dynamic stretching actually triggers your neuromuscular skeletal system so that it becomes more alert for your swing: This is in stark contrast to simple static stretching, which is far less effective.
Below you’ll find some dynamic moves that you can perform as part of your warm-up routine before you actually tee-off. You should hold each stretch for about four to eight seconds, which equates to roughly two to four pronounced breaths.
Pelvic Tilts While Standing
To perform standing pelvic tilts, cross your arms over your chest. Take your address stance and tuck your pelvis below so that a posterior tilt is formed. Arch your back to form an anterior tilt, then revert to a neutral spinal stance. Repeat this warm-up exercise five times (in each direction) to achieve optimal results.
Rotational Speed Trunks
Take your address stance as you would with the standard pelvic tilt exercise and bring the palms of your hands together. Inhale as you rotate from the core and bring your right arm back. Exhale as you bring your hands back together as if you were clapping.
Repeat this routine at least 10 times in each direction.
After a brief break, return back to your starting stance and extend both your arms directly in front of you, then rotate both arms from your core. Also repeat at least 10 times.
Standing Hip Stretch
For this warm-up routine, set both your hands on either a golf club or a sturdy chair to help keep you in balance. You can try to perform the warm-up without a golf club or chair, but it is best to play it safe.
Place your right ankle on the exterior of your left knee. Inhale as you bend your left knee, so it looks as if you are actually sitting on a chair. Then, proceed to bring your chest towards your shin so that your shoulder blades are rolled in unison. Hold the stance for 3 full breaths and repeat at least five times. Switch sides and repeat the process.
Club Behind Back Shoulder Stretch
For this warm-up, you will need either a towel or a club. To begin, your right palm should face toward the ceiling; place either a towel or a club in your right hand. Then bring your arm overhead while keeping your palm behind you. Bring your left arm behind you to grab the towel or your golf club.
Inhale gently as you slowly pull on your club or towel before exhaling and legging go of the item. Repeat five times before switching to the other side for five reps.
Neck Stretch
Tilt your head so your right ear moves toward your right shoulder. Inhale as your left arm is pressed towards the ground, followed by an exhale and relaxing of your arm. Repeat part 1 of the warm-up at least five times, but do so very slowly to reduce the risk of neck strain or sprain. In other words, you should slowly return your neck and head to a neutral stance and then switch sides to finish off the warm-up.
Oakville Chiropractic
If you need some help in creating the perfect warm-up routine in order to enhance your golfing performance as well as significantly reduce the risk of serious injuries, then we can help. At Oakville Chiropractic we specialize in health and wellness programs and treatments that are custom-tailored in order to help our patients maximize their strength, flexibility, and range of motion, while also reducing the risk of injuries.
We specialize in chiropractic as well as massage therapy modalities, and you can learn more about our full range of safe, effective, and homeopathic treatments by either visiting our website or by giving us a call at (289) 724-0917.
Golfer’s Elbow is a widespread condition, and it affects more than golfers. It can affect many types of athletes, and in many ways, it’s similar to the more widely known tennis elbow. The difference is that golfer’s elbow affects the inside of your elbow, not the outside.
More specifically, the condition causes pain in the area where the tendons of the forearm muscles attach to the bony bump that’s right inside your elbow.
Golfer’s elbow usually comes from playing golf or any racket sport, throwing sport, and weight training (when using incorrect techniques.) In addition to these, the condition can develop from any activity that requires you to bend and straighten the elbow often.
Furthermore, you have a higher risk of developing the condition if you are older than 40, obese, a smoker, and you perform repetitive activities two or more hours every day.
The Symptoms of the Condition
To recognize golfer’s elbow, you will need to check for the following symptoms:
Pain and tenderness within the elbow, on the inner side. It might move and affect other close areas, and you should know that it’s typically stronger with some movements while not with others.
Weakness in your hands and wrists.
Feeling stiff in the elbow area, and you can have problems making a fist.
Numbness or tingling sensations that affect one or more fingers of the arm.
The pain can come suddenly or gradually.
Now that you know how the condition works, we can talk about the ways of preventing it.
Preventing Golfer’s Elbow
First of all, there is no one foolproof measure that you can attempt that will eliminate the possibility of the condition ever appearing. However, there are things that you can do which can significantly reduce the chance of you eventually getting the condition.
Stretch before playing golf. Most golfers don’t feel that it’s necessary to stretch before playing, but you should. As with any sport, stretching is always important to prepare your body for the strain that it’s about to experience.
Strengthen the muscles in your forearm. Strong muscles in the forearm are the best way to prevent any significant problem from occurring within or around them. Try lifting light weights or squeezing a stress ball.
Use the right equipment. Don’t use old irons; get lighter, graphite clubs.
Improve your form. Learn to be a good golfer and respect the proper form if you’re not already doing so.
Lift things properly. It applies to lifting all heavier objects. You need to keep your wrist stable and rigid to reduce the strain for your elbow.
Take rest when you need to. It is usually the best manner of preventing any health-related problem. Don’t overuse your elbow, and often rest, whenever you feel that you need it or if you start feeling pain in the elbow area.
If you combine all of these methods, you will be able to reduce the risk of developing golfer’s elbow significantly. If you require more advice, or if you want to book an appointment with a proper physician that can help you with this condition; contact the Florida Orthopaedic Institute.
With the rise of Cameron Smith to the World’s Top 30, people are starting to pay attention to what makes the young Aussie so good. Although only a small part of the puzzle, as his trainer I would like to share a key ingredient of his physical preparation for building a better golfing body during the time we have worked together.
Cam’s approach is particularly relatable and applicable to the club golfer because he isn’t the biggest guy, or the most gifted athlete, or even the hardest worker. Cam likes to keep things simple and use practice and training approaches that can be completed in a short amount of time with the minimum of fuss.
It’s extremely simple, easy to apply to any level of golfer and very effective. We essentially aim to load the body in a closed chain or axial load fashion. Think light force being pushed down the line of the limb or spine.
Research conducted by Dr. Carolyn Richardson (founder of GravityFit) and her team has shown that adding this load to the body provokes an activation or stimulus for the deep muscle system. The same set of muscles responsible for holding you in good posture, stabilizing your joints and helping to ensure quality movement in your golf swing.
We look to apply this axial load in 4 different ways:
POSTURAL DRILLS — DAILY
Using The Gravity Cap and TPro, both made by GravityFit. The Gravity Cap gives him axial load on top of the skull and down the spine. This is particularly effective for strengthening the neck and muscles adjacent to the spine.
It really helps Cam’s head and neck posture, which is something he has historically struggled with. The TPro provides that same stimulus on to the hand in the direction of the shoulder girdle. Again helping with a key postural priority, shoulder and mid/upper back positioning.
CLOSED CHAIN GYM MOVEMENTS — 2-3 TIMES PER WEEK
Variations of squats, lunges, jumping and bounding deliver a lot of stimulus for the lower body deep muscles. These are combined with closed chain upper body push and pull movements.
GOLF WARM-UP — DAILY
Postural drills are key part of Cam’s golf preparation. It’s the final part of his warm up before heading to the range, with the aim of getting some last minute activation for that all important posture and deep muscle system.
GOLF DRILLS — DAILY
Here Cam looks to transfer the key axial load and postural feel to his skill practice, this time using the GravityFit TPro to hit shots with. He primiarly uses it during putting, pitching and short iron play but occasionally loads up with something a little longer!
If you would like to know more about how axial load can help activate and strengthen your deep muscle system, check out gravityfit.com/golf for more info.
There’s a lot of speculation about how to train like a tour player, and with tantalizing snippets of gym sessions being shared on social media, it’s tempting to draw large conclusions from small amounts of insight.
One thing I can tell you from my time on tour is that there isn’t just one way that golfers should train. Far from it. I’ve seen many different approaches work for many different pros. A strong indicator is the wide variety of body shapes we see at the top level of the game.
Take for example Brooks Koepka, Mark Leishman, Rickie Fowler and Jason Dufner. Put these four players through a physical testing protocol and the results would be extremely varied — yet, over 18 holes of golf there is just 0.79 shots difference between first and last.
This serves to highlight the importance of a customized approach to training. Sometimes common sense training programs backed by scientific evidence simply don’t work for an individual.
One of my athletes, Cam Smith, over the course of a season recorded his slowest club head speed when he was strongest and heaviest (muscle mass) and fastest club head speed when he was lightest and weakest. That lead me to seriously question the widely accepted concept of “stronger equals more powerful” and instead search for a smarter and more customized methodology.
Below is my current method of training tour pros. It’s a fluid process that has changed a lot over the years and will hopefully continue to morph into something more efficient and customized as we all move forward.
ASSESSMENT
I have poached and adapted aspects from various different testing methods including TPI, GravityFit, Ramsay McMaster, Scott Williams and Train With Push. The result is a five-stage process that aims to identify areas for improvement that can be easily compared to measure progress.
Subjective — This is a simple set of questions that sets the parameters for the upcoming training program. Information on training and injury history, time available for training, access to facilities and goal setting all help to dictate what’s included in a program that fits in with the individual’s life.
Postural — I take photos in standing and golf set-up positions from in front, behind and both sides. I’m simply trying to establish postural tendencies that can be identified by alignment of major joints. For example, a straight line between the ear, shoulder, hip and ankle is considered ideal.
Musculo-Skeletal — This is a series of very simple range of motion and localized stability tests for the major joints and spinal segments. These tests help explain movement patterns demonstrated in the gym and the golf swing. For example, ankle restrictions make it very difficult to squat effectively, while scapula (shoulder blade) instability can help explain poor shoulder and arm control in the swing.
Stability and Balance — I use a protocol developed by GravityFit called the Core Body Benchmark. It measures the player’s ability to hold good posture, balance and stability through a series of increasingly complex movements.
Basic Strength and Power — I measure strength relative to bodyweight in a squat, push, pull and core brace/hold. I also measure power in a vertical leap and rotation movement.
Cam Smith initially tested poorly in many of these areas; he was a skinny weak kid with posture and mobility issues that needed addressing to help him to continue playing amateur golf around the world without increasing his risk of injury.
REPORT
From these five areas of assessment I write a report detailing the areas for improvement and set specific and measurable short terms goals. I generally share this report with the player’s other team members (coach, manager, caddie etc).
Training Program
Next step is putting together the training program. For this I actually designed and built (with the help of a developer) my own Golf Fit Pro app. I use it to write programs that are generally split into three or four strength sessions per week with additional mobility and posture work. The actual distribution of exercises, sets, reps and load (weights) can vary a lot, but generally follows this structure:
Warm Up — Foam roll / spiky ball, short cardio, 5 or 6 movements that help warm up the major joints and muscles
Stability — One or two exercises that activate key stability/postural muscles around the hips and shoulders.
Strength — Four or five exercises designed to elicit a strength adaptation while challenging the ability to hold posture and balance.
Core — One or twlo exercises that specifically strengthen the core
Mobility — Five to 10 largely static stretches
Cam Smith has followed this structure the entire time we have been working together. His choice would be to skip the warm-up and stability sections, instead jumping straight into the strength work, which he considers to be “the fun part.” However, Cam also recognizes the importance of warming up properly and doing to his stability drills to reduce the risk of injury and make sure his spine, hips and shoulders are in good posture and moving well under the load bearing strength work.
TRAINING SESSIONS
My approach to supervising training sessions is to stick to the prescribed program and focus attention first on perfecting technique and second on driving intent. What I mean by this is making sure that every rep is done with great focus and determination. I often use an accelerometer that tracks velocity (speed) to measure the quality and intent of a rep and provide immediate feedback and accountability to the individual.
Cam especially enjoys using the accelerometer to get real time feedback on how high he is jumping or fast he is squatting. He thrives on competing with both himself and others in his gym work, pretty typical of an elite athlete!
MAINTENANCE
The physical, mental and emotional demands of a tournament week make it tricky to continue to train with the same volume and intensity as usual. I will often prescribe a watered down version of the usual program, reducing reps, sets and load while still focusing on great technique. Soreness and fatigue are the last thing players want to deal with whilst trying to perform at their best. It’s quite the balancing act to try and maintain fitness levels while not getting in the way of performance. My experience is that each player is quite different and the process has to be quite fluid and adaptable in order to get the balance right from week to week.
EQUIPMENT
Aside from the usual gym equipment, resistance bands and spiky ball, the following are my favorite bits of kit:
GravityFit — Absolutely the best equipment and training system available for training posture, stability and movement quality. The immediate feedback system means I can say less, watch more and see players improve their technique and posture quicker.
Push Band — This wearable accelerometer has really transformed the way I write programs, set loads and measure progression. It’s allowed the whole process to become more fluid and reactive, improved quality of training sessions and made it more fun for the players.
EXAMPLES
Of the PGA Tour players I work with, the following are the key areas for each individual:
Cam Smith— Improving posture in head/neck/shoulders, maintenance of mobility throughout the body, increasing power output into the floor (vertical force) and rotational speed.
Jonas Blixt— Core stability, hip mobility and postural endurance in order to keep lower back healthy (site of previous injury). Overall strength and muscle growth.
Harris English— Improving posture in spine, including head/neck. Scapula control and stability, improving hip and ankle mobility. Overall strength and muscle growth.
RECOMMENDATIONS
My advice if you want to get your fitness regimen right is to see a professional for an assessment and personalized program, then work hard at it while listening to your body and measuring results. I’m sure this advice won’t rock your world, but from all that I’ve seen and done on tour it’s by far the best recommendation I can give you.
Nick Randall is vice president of Sports and Performance for GravityFit. Reach him at www.gravityfit.com
Golfer Rodney Stilwell training at the Sports Science Lab in Staten Island, NY.
Though the argument should have long since been settled, it rages yet: Are golfers athletes? Of course they are, and that’s why the New York Sports Science Lab is such a valuable, expert resource for so many top-level players — or anyone who seeks them out to help realize their physical and mental potential.
We’re not just talking about PGA and LPGA Tour stars like Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka or Lexi Thompson. They are extreme examples, dedicating their daily lives to preparing for the next tournament through practice, diet and, yes, fitness. But the calculus for success for the rest of us — whether it be breaking par or breaking 100 — is no different from theirs. The golf swing is a purely athletic move, and to exe-cute it efficiently and repeatedly, you must be in some semblance of “shape.” Good old-fashioned workouts and stretching sessions help, but first you must know what muscle groups and connective tissues need the most attention, with as few compensations and as little pain as possible.
That’s where the New York Sports Science Lab excels: Analyzing a golfer’s body and mind to discern where they are on the fitness spectrum, where they’re weak or out of balance, then developing a plan for improving their swing biomechanics and avoiding injury. Based in Staten Island with a satellite office in midtown Manhattan, the lab works with athletes from just about every sport imaginable, from college football players to the Columbia University archery team. Most of the golfers they work with are collegians as well, but as they expand — plans call for a West Coast site in the next few years — they expect to get a broader base of clients, including top pros and serious amateurs.
FOCUS ON STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY
For Rushi Shahiwala, a clinical Instructor at Columbia and sports physiotherapist, helping golfers maximize their potential holds a special place in his heart … and in his once-overworked muscles. “When I was young I started hitting the golf ball without knowing much,” he said from the lab’s headquarters. “A friend took me to the range and I started having some back issues and inflammation. Then I got into the physical therapy field and learned biomechanics. The technology and knowledge changed my life. I was just swinging with-out training from a golf pro; I was using my back instead of my right hip and other muscles. It screwed me up and caused me to get into more detail.”
Shahiwala, Certified Biomechanist Michael Greene and the rest of the New York Sports Science Labs staff comprise perhaps the most tech savvy and knowledgeable team of its kind in the U.S. Using the freshest diagnostic and rehabilitative equipment available, they literally analyze every athlete from head to toe, establish a foundation of data and build a plan from there.
“Essentially when we’re training golfers, or any athletes, we put them through a comprehensive sports-specific global athletic assessment,” Greene said. “We analyze from the feet all the way up the kinetic chain, as well as their neuro-cognitive efficiency. That process is one hour to and hour and a half long. Once we identify objectively where the athlete is strong, weak and at risk for injury, we develop a training program specific to the athlete that fit with their goals. We look at their body composition — their muscles compared to their fat and their water content … what segments of their bodies are leaner than others. It’s a baseline. Via training or activity, we monitor the changes. After that we go into strength and flexibility.”
Those two words are familiar to any modern-day golfer who is at all clued in to the basics of round-ready fitness. Shahiwala explains why in physio-geek detail, and how he and his colleagues turn the words into action. “We know that to be a good golfer and hit the ball more yards, you have to have a certain degree of motion in the thoracic spine, lumbar spine, hips, ankles. First thing we do is strength and flexibility motion analysis, starting from the big toe, the ankle, proper movement in the hips and lower back, plus all the major muscles required for the swing — latissimus dorsi, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves. My background is as a physical therapist, so I’m familiar with what muscles to look for and what we need for golfers — rotator cuff activation, hip muscles, knee muscles. We check them the old-fashioned way, physically, just to get a basic idea of where they’re lacking. After the body composition, I briefly look them over to see if there’s a missing component — tightness somewhere that we should avoid. The third thing we do is 3D motion analysis and surface EMG (muscle response analysis/electromyography).”
THE PICTURE OF POSTURE
Added Greene, “The 3D analysis gives the sports scientist some X-ray vision to track joint angles and functional movements. This includes the Y balance (mobility, motor control and function asymmetries that could be a factor in increased risk to injuries and efficiency of movement). We look at posture — rounded shoulders, hip rotation, flat feet that cause the knees to turn in and down. We get an idea of capabilities and propensity to injuries. In some cases we’ll look at the golf swing in 3D analysis. This is where Surface EMG comes into play; we look at muscle activity during the motion. We can see if certain muscles are firing in the proper sequence, what’s overactive and underactive. We correspond that information with the joint angle, head movement, spinal rotation — making sure everything’s firing in the proper sequence according to our research.
Shahiwala says that research on just what that “proper sequencing” is reveals, at least so far, three protocols. “ For instance, we know that from the backswing through the follow-through, a lot of action needs to come from the hips, the glutes and the spine, so through the surface EMD we can see if the muscles we need to work more are working in the proper sequence. Some golfers with injuries use the hips the wrong way — swing them forward or sideways while other muscles fire more. We can easily capture these things and use them for their benefit — let them know they’re firing the wrong the muscle group, train them correctly and prevent further injury.
“Posture is the number one thing golfers don’t keep in mind. They think that once they work on their hips and back, everything else falls into place. But they have rounded shoulders, which puts their scapula, or shoulder blades, in the wrong position. That eventually affects the firing pattern of shoulder stabilizers — they’re interconnected with the rotator cuffs, which are very important when you’re doing any kind of hitting, impact or follow-through. So if your posture is bad, there’s a very high chance of injury due to poor rotation in the thoracic spine [chest area], and poor control of the rotator cuffs.”
Once the Science Lab team develops a clear picture of one’s muscular deficits and needs, they move on to the electric impulses behind every human movement — the nerves.
FINDING THE RIGHT RHYTHM
“The last aspect of our testing is neural efficiency — timing, rhythm, coordination,” Greene says. “It combines principles of music, sports and neural elasticity to identify inefficiencies. We test them with and without distractions. When we identify where they are in terms of timing, and incorporate that into training. We find that certain sports have trained inherent characteristics within the athlete — they have good timing — then you have the outliers who have poor timing. From our research and experiences, we notice that after they’ve been on our neuro-cognitive trainer, their ability to control emotions, maintain consistency of mechanics, coordination, focus and rhythm improves.”
But, just as with muscles, the nerves need a warm-up, and we’re not talking three cups of coffee. At the Science Lab it means some quality time on what’s called the Huber Motion Lab, which utilizes a technology called neuro-priming. The subject wears a device that improves the connections between the brain and the muscles. The Huber is the only device in the world that trains 180 deep core and spinal muscles; the majority of professional sports teams own one now. “Athletes are experiencing 13 percent more gains by using the neuro-priming device,” Greene reported.
The next step in the protocol involves what the Greene called “isoinertial training.” “Instead of lifting free weights which fight gravity, with this training you’re fighting the resistance provided by a flywheel. Wherever you are in the range of motion, the resistance is the same. It sort of works like a pendulum; whether you’re working the core or the swing, the athlete is getting trained in each range of motion — concentric and eccentric. It’s all measurable; and we can scale their training appropropriately if they’re getting fatigued.”
LONG-HAUL SUCCESS
So how long does it take the average athlete to travel through the entire, intensive Sports Science Lab regimen? “We have programs of 12, 24 or 36 sessions,” Green said. “It depends on the athlete and what they’re preparing for. We see results very quickly and it’s a testament not only to our staff but to the equipment giving us the information on balance and weakness, so it takes the guesswork out of training for us.”
Once the program is completed, Shahiwala says that his team gives clients “the full flexibility and strength training program to do at home. We also have a rehab center; if a golfer comes in with carpal tunnel issues, wrist injuries or back injuries, we have a chiropractor and physical therapy. We have a big recovery component here as well, plus cryotherapy to help with pain reduction and healing.”
So does all this high-tech training at Sports Science Lab replace your favorite teaching pro back home? Heck no, Shahiwala said; their job is to complement what happens on the practice tee. “We don’t interfere with golfers’ swings as far as technical detail,” he said. “Though through our analysis we know how the golf swing should work, we don’t work with their stance, tech-niques, clubs — we aren’t trying to take that away from pros, we make it clear we’re there to help them and their students.”
THE SPORTS SCIENCE LAB AT WORK
Brain Training With Sound
Training one’s timing is an important but often neglected aspect of performance. This protocol utilizes music elements such as the metronome to prime the brain and improve movements and performance by improving the signals going from the senses (hearing, vision, touch) to the brain and the subsequent responses (sensory-motor skills) such as driving the golf ball and timing the swing.
Brain Training Using Golf Club
By using visualization along with auditory stimulus, timing is bound to improve. Our proprietary protocol exercises combine auditory and visual feedback by using the sounds of a metronome as cues, while tapping the receptor mat with the golf club at the same time. The resulting signal will be translated to the screen, where the golfer can see if his timing is on point or if he is late/early. It primes the frontal lobe and the motor cortex (areas in charge of voluntary movements) as well as the cerebellum (in charge of balance). Neuro-priming allows a state of autopilot for the athlete’s brain, to perform in a more effortless and effective manner.
3D Motion & Kinematics
A proprietary combination of 3D motion analysis and surface EMG (muscle response analysis/electromyography) analyzes every detailed aspect of the three components of a swing, from the back swing to the downswing and follow through. Technicians measure hip and spine rotation and the activation of important muscles that give power and explosiveness to the swing like the Latissimus Dorsi, glutes, forearms and arms and legs to maximize the golfer’s biomechanics for a more efficient and accurate swing.
Depth Perception and Sensory Motor Skills
Improving the golfer’s sensory motor skills is a point of emphasis for the golf program. An important aspect of these sensory motor skills is depth perception. A golfer’s ability to discern distances to modify and adapt their swing and power to reach the desired distance is what separates elite golfers from the rest. Visual stimulus training primes the brain and helps the golfer’s vision to become more rapidly adaptable and efficient, both for short and long distances, central and peripheral fields of vision.
Isokinetic Extremity Testing
Certain imperceptible muscle imbalances can cause a swing to go south. This protocol focuses on functional muscle imbalances that can affect the force and muscle activation used during a shot or swing. Isokinetic extremity machines determine risk of injury, power-produced fatigue index and work done by muscle groups that pertain to specific sports, such as golf. In this photo, analysis determines the usage and power that the golfer can create with his hips, which will translate into a more powerful and balance swing.
Golf Specific Prehabiliation & Rehabilitation
A typical physical therapy protocol starts with a physical assessment, which includes a full postural analysis, gait scan analysis, and muscle control with weight transfer analysis. The proper use of ground reaction force and lower limb alignment analysis can affect how far golfers can hit the ball. Hip and core control with strength analysis and thoracic-lumbar mobility with hip mobility analysis are also very important for the golf swing. In addition, flexibility analysis of quadratus lumborum muscles, hip rotators, hamstrings, calves, etc. are critical elements in golf, as tightness can lead to back/hip injuries. These detailed assessments help trainers formulate custom programs for golfers to improve their swing biomechanics and pre-vent any injuries such as back pain, wrist pain, and golfer’s elbow.
Cynthia Newman and John Abendroth demonstrate how to use cable weights to build core strength.
There is a cliché used in the golf industry the past few years: “Get fit like the pros.” It generally refers to golf clubs and balls, but we’d like to offer you a different version of being fit … as in golf fitness and nutrition.
Professional players have become believers in golf fitness and nutrition over the past few years, but we have not seen it drop down to the amateur golfers or competitive junior golfers on a regular basis though we feel it is the “new” tool to playing better golf. Gary Player was a big advocate of fitness years ago, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. Jack Nicklaus would play tennis to get his legs ready for golf. It sure seems to have helped both of those great champions.
Recently we began a series of workshops in the San Francisco Bay Area aimed at high school golf teams and junior golfers in general. The concept of our workshops address that there are specific parts of the golf swing that can be improved by focused fitness and strength training, just like the pros are doing. We also have key ideas on nutrition to help with stamina during a golf round as well as improved overall health.
Golf Is An Athletic Pursuit!
In sports such as football, baseball and wrestling, there appears to be heavy physical training that that increases at the college level. A number of college teams encourage fitness for their players, but our effort is to encourage fitness at a younger age. We also want to clarify the argument that, yes, golf is an athletic endeavor.
These ideas are not restricted to juniors, of course; they can help any golfer. We see a few senior golfer embrace fitness and it truly helps them keep their game sharp into their later years.
A simple medicine ball helps work the right muscles throughout the golf swing
In the golf swing, you can break down the swing in regard to what fitness options will help, and certainly each person has his or her own issues. There are now fitness certifications for golf professionals, who in turn offer fitness ideas in relation to the golf swing. This is especially important if you have a regular issue in your golf swing, and likely some sort of specific fitness regime can be helpful.
Get To The Core
The legs and core (abdominals) are the foundation for the golf swing. There is turning and coiling into the back swing, some weight shift from the front foot to the rear foot and then back to the front foot into the finish and follow-through. For all of this to be consistent, the quads, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus need to be strong. Also engaged is the erector spinae; located at the base of the spine, it provides stability in the lower part of a squat and also helps to twist your torso. Basic squats are a great way to work this area.
A Medicine Ball is a very affordable tool to mimic a golf swing. As you get into the backswing using the medicine ball, you will feel your quads and your core talking to you, and that is a sign you are addressing those two key areas of your body. Similar to a baseball player starting his swing, the downswing starts with a weight shift towards the target — all because of the core and your quads supporting it.
For golfers struggling with stiffness in the hips — and that’s most of us — working on the hip-flexors can be very helpful. One valuable stretch: lay on your bed, use your hands to pull your right knee toward your chest, and gently hang your left leg with your knee bent over the side of the bed. Another version: lie on your back, bend one knee, bring the other foot up to your knee and with your hands, gently pull that knee across to the opposite leg. You will feel a stretch in your hip area.
Feed The Engine
Nutrition can also help with your golf game. Your body is like the car in a race and it needs to be fine-tuned and properly fueled.
Recently women on the LPGA tour have been noted as making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for their round of golf, cutting it into about eight pieces and eating one of the pieces every two or three holes. Each sport subscribes to different nutrition ideas and goals, but this seems to be a very wise way to go for women on tour. Stay hydrated as well — begin this before the round, and treat your body like the important engine that it is for optimal performance.
In a recent workshop we asked a group of about 10 high school players what they had for breakfast. It was a bit of a shock, but not a total surprise. About 80 percemt had a bowl of sugary cereal, only a couple of them had any type of protein or eggs. For many years eggs got a bad rap for their connection to high cholesterol, but now eggs are getting broad praise as a sort of a “super food” for breakfast.
Also consider eating fresh fruit with your breakfast. Eating an orange is better than drinking a glass of juice. You can learn a lot about the nutritional value of food by studying the Glycemic Index as it shows at what rate foods digest through your body.
So if you agree with the theory that golf is an athlete endeavor, a combination of fitness and nutrition is an important part of the equation for success. Your mind will work with more clarity and your body will respond to the situations found only on the golf course.
We are excited about our Fairway to Fitness workshops and feel that you can adopt our ideas as well. Cynthia has developed a Skype training program; check out her training videos to master your squats and use of the medicine ball as well as other training tips. Workshops are offered via Skype as well. Reach out to her at CynthiaFit4You@aol.com, www.CynthiaFit4You.com. You can contact John at igolfswing@aol.com or www.Hookedongolf.com.
For over two decades I have been teaching golf yoga to a diverse clientele, ranging from high level professional athletes to octogenarians. Regardless of age and fitness level, the initial visit is often prompted by back pain. At this point in the quest to overcome their suffering the buzz words “work on your core for a stronger back” have almost become a mantra. My question to them is, “what does working your core really mean?” Abdominal crunches? Pulling in your stomach? Stretching your core? Let’s talk about this important key to fitness.
When working your “core” there are some key components to consider:
Core stability and strength should target all your abdominal muscles including the rectus, oblique and transverse abdominus muscles.
Core stability and strength needs to include the muscles of your back including erector spinae and rhomboid muscles.
The glutes and muscles involved in hip flexion and extension should be considered in your core program as well.
Proper breathing strategies and the position of the diaphragm affects your core stability.
First and foremost, learn how to activate your pelvic floor so you build your core strength from the inside out.
The following yoga poses work the abdominals, back muscles, and glutes. Focus on pelvic floor activation and deep inhalations and exhalations while practicing the poses. Maintain a slight activation of your pelvic floor and pull your navel toward your spine.
Great Golf Yoga Poses
CAT COW
Begin on all fours, hands placed directly under the shoulders and hips over knees. Spread fingers as wide as possible. On the exhale, draw the navel towards the spine, pressing the spine towards the ceiling as the buttocks engage. Tuck the chin into the chest, stretching the upper back. On the inhale, drop the spine towards the floor, paying attention to press the thoracic spine towards the floor, shoulders roll back.
Repeat 7-10 times, coordinating breath with the movement.
EXTENDED TABLE TO ABDOMINAL CRUNCH
Begin on all fours, hands placed directly under the shoulders and hips over knees. On the inhale, extend the right leg back at hip level and extend the left arm forward with the thumb pointed up. Keep hips parallel to the floor and flex the right foot. On the exhale, draw the navel to the spine while pulling the left elbow and the right knee in.
Repeat 7-10 times, coordinating breath with the movement.
Switch sides.
MODIFIED COBRA POSE
Lying on the stomach, spread the fingers wide and place them directly under the shoulders. Exhale squeezing the legs together to activate the glutes and quadriceps. Inhale lifting the chest off of the floor keeping the elbows bent. Focus on activating the rhomboid muscles keeping the shoulders moving down away from the ears.
Repeat 5-7 times, coordinating breath with the movement.
THORACIC MOBILITY POSE
Begin on the right side, legs placed at a 90 degree angle to the body. Place a towel under the head so the neck is supported. Bring the palms together. Inhale opening the hands, rolling the left shoulder blade to the floor while keeping the knees in place. Exhale returning to the start position.
Repeat 5-7 times, coordinating breath with the movement.
SPINAL TWIST
Lie on the back with arms perpendicular to the body, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Raise the feet slightly and inhale as you bring the legs to the right, keeping the shoulders in contact with the floor. On the exhale, initiating the movement from the oblique abdominal muscles bring the legs back to the center starting position.
Repeat 7-10 times, coordinating breath with the movement. Switch sides.
For more of a challenge, lift legs off the floor with the knees at a 90 degree angle.
Katherine Roberts is the Founder and President of Yoga for Golfers, Roberts’ Yoga For Baseball, and Roberts’ Kinetic Yoga For Sports. She has been a certified yoga instructor for over 20 years, is TPI, FMS, and NG360-certified, is educated in PRI, is a Nike Swoosh Elite Athlete and Advisory Staff Member, is a Gray Institute Fellow certified in Applied Functional Science and Chain-Reaction Biomechanics, and is an Honorary Director with the PGA of Canada.
Editor’s Note: Following is the first of six in-depth instruction pieces in digest form from Top 30 Instructor Tom Patri’s 2005 book, The Six-Spoke Approach to Golf. Tom is one of the most respected teachers and coaches in the game, and we’re honored to add his deep passion and knowledge to the pages of Golf Tips.
As my journey as a golf teacher began, I questioned my own methods and, in some cases, my inability to get the student as far along in a period of time as I would like. So many thoughts and potential courses of action crossed my mind. As I compiled all the information I had available to me, one thing continued to smack me squarely in the face as a starting point to true and lasting game improvement: the athlete’s body. It became clear to me that without real functional change to a player’s physiology, he or she would forever be unable to effect true and lasting change. I decided to go on a journey and visit various experts in both the bio mechanical and sports physical training field.
Tom Patri
Keep in mind The Six Spoke Approach was first published in 2005 and I wrote early in “Spoke 1: The Body,” that “the new allure and prestige — and resulting attention to physical fitness and training — have changed the game forever for amateurs and professionals alike. Proper physical training for golf has finally gained serious attention.” Imagine I wrote that 11 years ago, and what has transpired in the the last decade! Of course, so much is due to the tremendous work and passion of Dr. Greg Rose and Dave Phillips of the Titleist Performance Institute, more commonly known as TPI .
There were many experts, and many trips I made to both observe and question them. Among those experts are two gentlemen who still today stick in my memory, head and shoulders above the rest.
An early cross-country trip with my teaching and playing partner, Evan Schiller, took us to Peter Egosque in San Diego, California. An anatomical physiologist since 1978, he created The Egosque Method and has had many clients of note in his career including Jack Nicklaus. Our visit to Peter was eye-opening. He was in my face, passionate, and basically told me I was on exactly the right journey, encouraging me to continue to learn as much as I could about the body, injury, and how exactly the golf swing functions — or doesn’t — during the motion itself. I’m forever grateful to Peter for throwing a bit of gasoline on an already burning fire.
ONCE YOU COMPLETE your physical fitness program, you’ll be ready to learn a new motion — a sound, mechanically correct one — because your body is ready to receive that motion. Your old motion is, in short, a bad habit.— From Spoke One of “The Six-Spoke Approach to Golf”
When I returned back to the East Coast, the stupidity chip in my brain finally quieted down and allowed me to wake up and realize I had a tremendous resource right in my backyard. I had met Eanna Rushe several years earlier when he was working for another gent in a physical therapy clinic not far from my digs at Westchester Country Club. Since that day in the mid-nineties, Eanna has been my go-to expert and suspect he always will be. He opened his own facility in the tiny hamlet of Cos Cob, Connecticut, called Biosport Technologies.
I often tell my more serious and passionate students that whatever it takes they should go see Eanna (rushe@biosporttechnologies.com) and begin both the educational process as well as the physical programming needed to free you from you own body.
As a teacher-coach, what seems like a million years later there have been so many wonderful strides made to more fully understand and educate golfers around the world that without physical training (posture, flexibility , strength, stability, balance, speed and coordination) your golf swing, and ultimately your ability to repeat and in fact score, will NEVER be realized. NEVER! Of course, not everyone will be able visit Eanna.
For those of you with the desire and passion to continue your journey, I highly advise you do several things.
1. Find a noted physical trainer in your immediate area, preferaby one who’s TPI Level lll certified. At myTPI.com you’ll find a listing of certified TPI experts all across the globe.
2. Speaking of myTPI.com, spend some quality time on the site and become an expert. Begin to read and educate yourself.
3. Build a program that you can comfortably follow on a daily basis without stress or strain. Of course, over time your routine should be modified and advanced as you progress and begin to develop various recommended skills.
So much water has passed under various bridges since 2005. Undeniably Tiger Woods woke up the golf world, perhaps more then any other person or factor, as to the benefit of golf-specific workouts. Please keep in mind that in many cases, these workouts will not only increase performance but can be designed to both prevent injury as well as aid those who have already sustained injury.
Every day I go to my lesson tee, my teaching eye as well as my coaching eye can’t help but evaluate every single student’s physiology as they make their very first motions in front of me. For years now, due to my journey I realize every day that often — almost always with the recreational club golfer — without some form of proper physical evaluation ( TPI ) and an assigned and structure set of exercises, in my opinion the conventional golf lesson is wasted.
That’s why the Body is Spoke No. 1!
The Six Spoke Approach is available on Amazon, as well as for Kindle and Kindle apps. Please do yourself a huge favor grab a copy today and educate yourself. This blueprint for success, as I call it, will change the way you view your own game-improvement journey.
Tom Patri teaches at The Esplanade in Naples, FL. He also spends limited time both on Long Island, NY and Maryland June-October. View his teaching and coaching bio at www.tompatri.com, and reach Tom directly at tpatri@mindspring.com or (239) 404-7790
It has long been argued whether golf is an athletic endeavor and if golfers should be considered athletes. In 2016 golf will be back in the Olympics … maybe that helps answer that question.
So, assuming golfers are athletes, where does fitness fit in? I have three words for you: Core, core, core. It’s all about the core. As you coil into the backswing, your core plays several key roles. Balance and stability of your body are first on the list, allowing for a strong and consistent position of the swing. Look at all great golf swings — there is a motion at the start of the down swing wherein the hips turn toward the target, starting the “power move.”
As you begin the downswing, a strong core allows for stable weight shift as the body creates power, not just hitting at the ball with your hands and arms. It’s similar to a baseball player starting to make a move with the bat; he will start with the lower body and the core with the hands and arms more quiet as they start the forward or downswing. Next you need to get to a proper balanced follow-through, and a stronger core is crucial there, too.
The core’s importance is even clearer when you consider that golf is played on uneven surfaces, uphill, downhill and side-hill. And don’t forget that a round of golf can take up to five hours; if you have a stronger core and better fitness, you will not be as tired and make a lazy swing when you get to the 16th or 17th hole. Let your core be your friend.
So, what exercises do I recommend to get your core muscles in optimum golf shape? Visit www.cynthiafitfor4you. com and check out the videos about use of the stability ball. Crunches, sit-up type motions and “functional movement” twisting and balance will help you build a stronger core, a complex series of muscles that extend far beyond your abs; indeed, they include everything besides your arms and legs. Add a medicine ball to your stability ball routine to build an even stronger core; they are very affordable and available in various weights.
I am also available for live online training to discuss your needs and goals, then go through sessions via skype or other online video platforms. So, to improve your fitness and your golf game, a strong core is a good place to start.
Cynthia E. Newman is based in San Mateo, California, with 30 years of experience. She is an A.C.E. (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer since 1996c, Functional Fitness specialist, and Certified Nutrition Consultant. For more information or to reach Cynthia, www.cynthiafitfor4you or cynthiafit4you@gmail.com.
It’s a fact: Golfers play better when they put in the time to not only train, but also use a compete warm-up routine.
It’s extremely simple, easy to apply to any level of golfer and very effective. We essentially aim to load the body in a closed chain or axial load fashion. Think light force being pushed down the line of the limb or spine.
Training one’s timing is an important but often neglected aspect of performance. This protocol utilizes music elements such as the metronome to prime the brain and improve movements and performance by improving the signals going from the senses (hearing, vision, touch) to the brain and the subsequent responses (sensory-motor skills) such as driving the golf ball and timing the swing.
By using visualization along with auditory stimulus, timing is bound to improve. Our proprietary protocol exercises combine auditory and visual feedback by using the sounds of a metronome as cues, while tapping the receptor mat with the golf club at the same time. The resulting signal will be translated to the screen, where the golfer can see if his timing is on point or if he is late/early. It primes the frontal lobe and the motor cortex (areas in charge of voluntary movements) as well as the cerebellum (in charge of balance). Neuro-priming allows a state of autopilot for the athlete’s brain, to perform in a more effortless and effective manner.
Improving the golfer’s sensory motor skills is a point of emphasis for the golf program. An important aspect of these sensory motor skills is depth perception. A golfer’s ability to discern distances to modify and adapt their swing and power to reach the desired distance is what separates elite golfers from the rest. Visual stimulus training primes the brain and helps the golfer’s vision to become more rapidly adaptable and efficient, both for short and long distances, central and peripheral fields of vision.
Certain imperceptible muscle imbalances can cause a swing to go south. This protocol focuses on functional muscle imbalances that can affect the force and muscle activation used during a shot or swing. Isokinetic extremity machines determine risk of injury, power-produced fatigue index and work done by muscle groups that pertain to specific sports, such as golf. In this photo, analysis determines the usage and power that the golfer can create with his hips, which will translate into a more powerful and balance swing.
A typical physical therapy protocol starts with a physical assessment, which includes a full postural analysis, gait scan analysis, and muscle control with weight transfer analysis. The proper use of ground reaction force and lower limb alignment analysis can affect how far golfers can hit the ball. Hip and core control with strength analysis and thoracic-lumbar mobility with hip mobility analysis are also very important for the golf swing. In addition, flexibility analysis of quadratus lumborum muscles, hip rotators, hamstrings, calves, etc. are critical elements in golf, as tightness can lead to back/hip injuries. These detailed assessments help trainers formulate custom programs for golfers to improve their swing biomechanics and pre-vent any injuries such as back pain, wrist pain, and golfer’s elbow.
EXTENDED TABLE TO ABDOMINAL CRUNCH
MODIFIED COBRA POSE
THORACIC MOBILITY POSE
SPINAL TWIST
