Guest post: Lose Weight While Improving Your Golf Swing
By Bob Foreman at www.golfitcarolina.com
One of the benefits I often hear from my clients is that they lose weight while working to improve their golf games. While not a priority for many who enter into the golf fitness program, it is a welcomed benefit.
The key to a successful golf fitness program is to isolate the anatomical weaknesses identified through the physical assessment. This often entails a combination of specific stretching and strengthening exercises, done on a regular basis, to help bring balance back into the golfer’s body. This is essential as the research is now crystal clear that muscle imbalance is the root cause of most swing faults, inefficient golf swings, poor performance, and both acute and chronic injury.
One of the benefits from this pursuit of a better golf game is a loss of body fat. As in any exercise program that incorporates a strength component, muscle tissue is enhanced. Not only does this improve strength, balance, and power, it makes you a better calorie burning machine.
It takes about 2 to 4 calories a day to maintain a pound of fat in your body. It takes about 50 to 70 calories a day to maintain a pound of muscle. That’s a pretty significant difference! Muscle is what drives our metabolism and when you increase muscle, you increase the number of calories you’ll burn during the day.
Most of us had more muscle when we were kids running around the neighborhood and walking to school, uphill, 6 miles both ways. Then, for one reason or another, we slow down and sit more. This wastes away our muscle and as a result lowers our metabolism. We usually don’t alter our eating patterns to make up for the slower metabolism, in most cases the eating patterns get worse, so we put on weight/fat.
When a golfer begins an exercise program to improve their swing efficiency, they inevitably will need to include strengthening exercise to correct the weaknesses they posses (and we all have some). This progressive strength component, usually moderate in intensity, has a positive impact on body composition. As you tone muscle, and this is worth repeating, you raise metabolism and burn more calories. Increase the number of calories expended during the day and you lose weight.
Now be forewarned, muscle is also denser than fat and will weigh heavier on the bathroom scale. So don’t be alarmed if the scale doesn’t change all that much, but yet you’re able to fit into those jeans you haven’t worn since high school.
A word about cardio exercise. Keeping the heart and lungs in shape is a must and will help you on the back nine when fatigue can lead to poor shots and an enhanced potential for injury. Cardio exercise is important and should be included. It will burn calories while doing the exercise, and for an hour or two afterward as your body returns back to resting state. Cardio will not, however, do anything for strength development nor will it increase resting metabolism. That needs to come from strength training.
Whether desired or not, exercising to improve your golf swing will have additional benefits for your health. One of these, if you’re consistent with your workouts, is a leaner body. This will ultimately improve your ability to burn calories and lose body weight/fat. So not only will your playing satisfaction improve, so, too, will your sense of well-being.
About the author: Bob Forman, has a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology and is a Certified Golf Fitness Instructor through the Titleist Performance Institute and the Flexor motor learning program for golf. The articles, videos, and other related material presented are intended to help golfers improve their game and playing satisfaction. The information is based on Bob’s 27 years in the fitness industry and his work with golfers of all levels and ages. www.golfitcarolina.com
Guest post: Alexander Technique and Golf
A Poised Golfer Is A Happy Golfer by Roy Palmer
Top golfers can make it look so easy. With effortless ease they can hit a ball well over 300 yards time and time again. So why do the rest of us fail to hit this distance on a regular basis? And why does it seem to take so much effort to do so? I believe it comes down to using the wrong kind of effort from trying too hard.
In my role as a teacher of The Alexander Technique, the world-renowned movement system, I’ve worked with almost one hundred golfers and found many unknowingly interfere with their technique. This usually involves unnecessary actions during their preparation, such as clenching the jaw, stiffening the neck and raising the shoulders. Our neck muscles play a vital role in coordinating all our muscles as part of their function in our head and neck righting reflexes. Undue tension in the jaw, neck or shoulders has a similar effect to applying the brake before driving away from the lights.
Yet it only takes a tiny amount of inappropriate activity in one seemingly insignificant muscle to upset your coordination and timing. Unfortunately, the majority of us simply don’t have the degree of sensitivity or self-awareness to notice these actions and small differences from one shot to the next. If you have the habit of tightening your grip on the club handle, this can also cause your neck and jaw muscles to tighten. It’s probably not on your list of things to do, but I see many golfers doing it.
On Monday you may tighten slightly with no noticeable effect on the shot, whereas on Tuesday you may do it a fraction more and see the ball go wayward. If you’re not aware that you’re doing this in the first place, it becomes an unknown variable in your technique and leads to an inconsistency with no obvious cause. More importantly, if you don’t know you’re doing it, you can’t control it. And of you can’t control it, your efforts to execute the perfect swing, chip shot or putt are undermined. You may think you’re doing exactly what your coach or text book are suggesting but in reality there may be any number of other actions you’re unknowingly bringing to your shot. This complicates your golf as whilst you’re trying to do one thing your body may be doing something else.
So how can you improve your coordination? Well it’s not something you can do directly as good coordination requires us to do less and thus prevent interference with our natural reflexes. The answer is to promote poise which means using the most appropriate effort for every given task. To be poised you need to relax and allow your own innate reflexes control your muscles; a bit like a puppet whose strings can let go a little. If you’ve had the experience of hitting the ball further than your average distance whilst it felt effortless, this was because you were poised, better coordinated and therefore able to let your muscles to do exactly what was necessary – no more, no less. We need to practice in order to become poised by trying less and less to hit the ball hard. Try a few shots on the driving range and see how much effort you can take out of the shot to let your club do the work. Check to see if you’re clenching your jaw or lifting your shoulders to prepare. If you can stop doing what you think is necessary, relax and let it flow you may be surprised to see how far you can hit it.
I have more tips on my website at www.play-better-golf.com and in my forthcoming book due out in February 2010 called Golf Sense: Practical Tips On How To Play Golf In The Zone (FrontRunner Publications).
How do I play without getting nervous?
Guest Blogger – Randy Friedman
First of all even Tiger gets nervous. He has said, if he didn’t get nervous going to the first tee, he’d be worried. The difference is, he perceives at it as excitement nerves and has learned how to use it as positive energy. We are not born with this knowledge, we learn it. It’s a choice what to think… you have that choice too.
You must learn to breathe deeply and rhythmically. When we get nervous, are fearful or become frightened, our breathing becomes labored and changes. I’ve witnessed many 2 foot putts lip out because the golfer felt extra pressure and held their breath during the stroke. Next time you are on the putting green practice a couple of things:
1) Create a pre-shot routine that’s consistent – (If you can speak it or write it down, you have a pre-shot routine)
2) Gratitude makes breathing easier!
Breathing will always relax your nerves. Golf courses have a lot to breathe deeply about. Look around, appreciate where you are and breathe in deeply everything you are grateful for.
Want to know more on how to play your best business golf?
Check out my book, Your Inner Swing – 7 lessons in golf and life.
If you’ve read it, leave your comments on Amazon or my website at www.yourinnerswing.com so others can learn about it too.
Remember … “Keep Swinging!”
Randy – randy@yourinnerswing.com
Randy Friedman – Speaker, Golf Professional, Mind Coach and Author
As a speaker and sports hypnotist, Randy Friedman is an expert on the power of the mind. She teach people how to get out of their own way, in golf and life.
Try trying less
Guest Blogger – Randy Friedman
If you’ve read Bob Rotella’s book, “Putting out of your mind”, you may remember that term, “try trying less”. It’s a great thought… if you understand what it means.
Did you know the word “try” implies failure. No two ways about it! What happens when you say, “I’ll try and hit the ball over the water” or “I’ll try and sink this putt” and then the ball lands in the water or your ball lips out of the hole? You just gave yourself an out. You then say something like, “See, I tried!” When you try trying less, it’s almost like a double negative (which is a good thing) that cancels out the thought of trying in the first place. It’s a beautiful thing!
Here’s an even better word than “try”. Instead of “try” use “going to” or “will”. “I will make this putt” or I’m going to hit the ball on the green.” There is no “try” only “do”!
Want to know more on how to play your best business golf?
Check out my book, Your Inner Swing – 7 lessons in golf and life.
If you’ve read it, leave your comments on Amazon or my website at www.yourinnerswing.com so others can learn about it too.
Remember … “Keep Swinging!”
Randy – randy@yourinnerswing.com
Randy Friedman – Speaker, Golf Professional, Mind Coach and Author
As a speaker and sports hypnotist, Randy Friedman is an expert on the power of the mind. She teach people how to get out of their own way, in golf and life.
I want to play more golf for business, but how?
Guest blogger – Randy Friedman
Golfers want to use golf to prospect new clients and schmooze the business they already have, but they don’t know how to, and don’t know if it’s okay to.
Did you know that billions (with a “B”) are spent on golf each year within corporations? It’s true… and it’s in the budget! Just look on Tour. Go to any PGA or LPGA Tour event on a Wednesday and you’ll see what I mean. Players must participate in a required number of pro/am’s. Why? Because the corporate sponsors pay a lot money to be there. It’s business… and it’s very legit!
So whether you belong to a club or not, you should be bringing your business to the golf course. Make it a day they won’t forget. Most of the time actual business is not conducted while you are on the golf course. Relationships are developed. The deals are done after the round, if you play your cards right.
Remember a few things for business golf. “Etiquette and Attitude.”
1) Never… EVER, step on the players line on the putting green. Step around or over, never on. That includes you own! It’s very amateurish. When they see you know that unwritten rule, they’ll respect you and think you know even more.
2) Dress like you belong. Wear a collared shirt tucked in and clean shorts or pants. Perception is everything! We are judged in the first 7 seconds. What do you want to convey? Your presence should say “I care about myself.”
3) Never, never, never… throw your club. I don’t care how poorly you missed the shot – throw the club and you may as well go home. No one wants to do business with a hot-head! Leave your attitude in the parking lot. When you miss a shot, say the best word in golf… “Oops.” It’s not good, it’s not bad… it’s just “Oops”.
Want to know more on how to play your best business golf?
Check out my book, Your Inner Swing – 7 lessons in golf and life.
If you’ve read it, leave your comments on Amazon or my website at www.yourinnerswing.com so others can learn about it too.
Remember … “Keep Swinging!”
Randy
Randy Friedman – Speaker, Golf Professional, Mind Coach and Author
As a speaker and sports hypnotist, Randy Friedman is an expert on the power of the mind. She teach people how to get out of their own way, in golf and life.