| Over the last few weeks at BioForce Golf, we have | | | | before your lower back started to bother you, this is |
| had many questions about golf fitness exercises. | | | | an indicator to me that this is where we begin your |
| Questions such as: are these type of exercises | | | | golf fitness program. I would have you "hold" the start |
| beneficial to someone who has had a lower back | | | | position of this golf exercise for a certain number of |
| injury, what are the best types of exercises to | | | | seconds and sets. This would, over a period of time, |
| improve my clubhead speed, and what flexibility | | | | develop more strength and endurance in those golf |
| exercises can improve my back swing? | | | | muscles. |
| Through many of our free daily golf tips on our | | | | Once we have reached a good "hold" time on a golf |
| website, we have provided answers to these | | | | exercise, we then progress to adding "movement" into |
| questions and many more. One area of golf fitness I | | | | the equation. Movement simply stands for range of |
| get quite a few questions about revolves on how to | | | | motion (how much movement you can do). Every golf |
| implement golf exercises into a golf swing | | | | exercise has a certain range of motion you move |
| improvement program. | | | | through to get the greatest benefit for your golf game. |
| Many of the individuals who come to our site are not | | | | In the Russian Twist example, a full range of motion |
| experts in "working out." I've written my golf-specific | | | | would be a full shoulder turn to the left and right of |
| exercise manual, YOUR BODY & YOUR SWING, to | | | | center. Again, at the beginning you may be unable to |
| help you develop a program for yourself. | | | | make a full shoulder turn. So what do we do? We |
| Probably one of the most-asked questions is: how do I | | | | slowly work on increasing the "movement" within the |
| go about introducing certain exercises into my golf | | | | golf exercise until you are at a point of full range. |
| fitness program? | | | | As with the idea of "position," we do the same with |
| At times, certain individuals are unable to perform an | | | | the idea of "movement." We gradually increase until |
| exercise in its basic form. They are either out of | | | | you have achieved a full range of motion in the golf |
| shape, suffering from an injury, or too stiff to perform it | | | | exercise. Once this is achieved, we move on to the |
| correctly. A Russian Twist may be too difficult for a | | | | final stage of implementing a golf-specific exercise. |
| beginner to execute correctly. It takes great core | | | | The final stage of implementing any golf exercise into |
| strength, endurance and flexibility to complete the | | | | your golf swing improvement program is "tolerance." |
| exercise to the limit. | | | | Tolerance can be defined as performing the correct |
| In this type of situation there are "baby steps" you can | | | | number of sets and repetitions of a golf exercise for it |
| take in terms of implementing such exercises into your | | | | to be beneficial to your golf game. |
| golf fitness program. | | | | No Pain, No Gain! |
| I like to call this the "position, movement, tolerance" | | | | The idea of "no pain, no gain" does not work in this |
| training guideline. This is an easy methodology to follow | | | | situation. Rather, you want to be able to perform a |
| in terms of implementing exercises into a training | | | | self-prescribed number of sets and reps of every golf |
| program. | | | | exercise in your program. This prescribed amount of |
| We'll use the Russian Twist exercise in my book, | | | | work is up to you, the individual golfer, and what you |
| YOUR BODY & YOUR SWING, as an example. | | | | feel is best for your body. |
| When you are implementing a golf fitness exercise(s) | | | | Too little work will provide you no benefit. Too much |
| into your golf swing improvement program, you must | | | | work or following the "no pain, no gain" mind-set can |
| be able to place the body in the correct starting | | | | increase the possibility of injury greatly. |
| position of the exercise. | | | | You need to use your best judgment on every golf |
| For example, if I were to have you perform a Russian | | | | exercise in your program. This will allow you to |
| Twist, first I would ask you to place your body in the | | | | perform each golf exercise with the correct technique, |
| correct position for the exercise. In this situation it | | | | develop (maybe over time) the correct range of |
| would be knees slightly bent and placing your torso in a | | | | motion of each golf exercise in your program, and |
| position where the "abs were turned on." | | | | finally take each exercise to "your own level of |
| Hold it Right There! | | | | tolerance." |
| Just placing your body in the correct position for an | | | | It is very easy to implement golf exercises into your |
| exercise requires effort from the body. If you were | | | | golf swing improvement program. Follow the simple |
| able to place your body in the correct position, I would | | | | rule of "position, movement, tolerance," and this should |
| then ask you to "hold" this position for a certain amount | | | | help you dramatically in the development of your golf |
| of time. This would indicate you are strong enough to | | | | fitness program. |
| add movement to your golf fitness exercise. | | | | Once you've mastered the exercises and routines in |
| On the other hand, if you were only able to hold the | | | | your current exercise program, you'll be ready to take |
| starting position of the Russian Twist for 15 seconds | | | | it to the next level, a more advanced program. |