| Conditioning for Golf |
|
By Mike Casey BSc, CHEK Exercise Coach Golfers will do anything to lower their handicaps! They will regularly spend over £1000 on the latest equipment and yet despite all the massive technological advances the average handicaps for male and female golfers has not dropped in the last 16 years. It is commonly believed that golfers require a combination of professional lessons and more diligent practice to improve their game and very few associate the need for improved physical conditioning with their performance. This approach often ends in injury and leads to golfers not reaching their potential. The flight and destination of a golf ball is dependent upon these five factors: - Clubface alignment What many golfers fail to realise is that these five factors are largely dependent on the physical characteristics of the individual swinging the golf club. No amount of technology can bestow a physical capacity that is not possessed. It is therefore vital that golfers view the game as a sport and train as such in order to improve scores and reduce injury leading to more enjoyment on the golf course, for the rest of your life! The Take Shape golf-conditioning programme works on first restoring flexibility, then creating stability, before developing strength and power. It is very important that these phases are conducted in this order, to minimise the chances of injury and improve performance. For example, a golfer who is powerful has no chance of harnessing this power if they are not stable. Also, power without stability puts tremendous stress on the spine and can lead to injury. Restoring flexibility to the body paves the way for improved posture and a greater range of motion in a golfers swing. A good golfer will probably be able to rotate every joint in their body to its maximum range. If there are restrictions, compensations will be made elsewhere which will be seen as swing faults. Next, stability must be created to ensure that the golf swing has a solid framework to move around. Just like a building needs foundations to stop it falling over, so does the golf swing. The club head now stands a much greater chance of returning to the position it started at, therefore improving accuracy. It is now possible to improve strength and power. Take Shape will develop these characteristics using movement patterns that readily transfer to the game of golf allowing the golfer to hit the ball further. So the next time you are in the pro shop, looking for that wonder club that will correct your slice and allow you to hit the ball further, perhaps you should consider an individualised golf conditioning programme. It has the added bonus of reducing your chances of injury, and it will most likely be a lot cheaper! View Take Shape golf conditioning packages at www.takeshapepersonaltraining.co.uk/golf References: Chek, P. (1999) The Golf Biomechanics Manual. C.H.E.K. Institute: CA Lark, J. (2004) Golf conditioning. www.ptonthenet.com |
