Posts Tagged ‘golf’
Using A Golf Fitness Video Will Save Time And Improve Your Game
Using a golf fitness video is a great alternative to going to a gym. Just think of the time you’re saving not worrying about what you where or how you look; or driving 20 to 30 minutes to your local gym; and then showering, changing and getting back home.
Golfers are realizing that a golf fitness video is a great shortcut to a better game, quickly. The great thing is?you don’t have to be young or fit to do it. I have golfers who are in their 70’s doing my golf fitness videos.
When you’re researching golf fitness videos, there are several things to keep in mind. There should be easy to follow demonstrations of every golf exercise. This is separate from the workout component of the golf fitness video. You want a menu that is user-friendly and easy to move around to the different sections of the golf fitness video.
But what you are really paying for is the golf fitness workout itself. There should be a component of the golf fitness video that takes you through the entire golf fitness session, from start to finish. This way it’s like having the trainer right in your home.
I have seen hundreds of fitness videos that do not take you through the entire routine. They are pieced together and leave you trying to figure out what to do with it.
Another important point. Watch out for the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. This is not what you want. You want to be lead through a golf fitness routine that is suitable for your current level of fitness, age and abilities.
If your starting point is a little lower, then a golf fitness dvd that is more challenging will only promote you to fail. I’ve seen this time and time again.
On the other hand, if you are an experienced exerciser, you want a golf fitness video that is more challenging than a beginner (novice) one. One that will challenge your core stabilization, balance, coordination and muscular endurance.
Don’t be overwhelmed! But making the right choice will dictate the ultimate success of your program. So make sure to thoroughly read over all the information pertaining to that golf fitness video before you buy it.
About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Take a look at his just released golf fitness videos at Perform Better Golf.
Golf Specific Core Exercises Improve Your Drive Distance
What if I could give you three important exercises for golf and you were able to hit the ball further than you’ve ever hit it before? What if these exercises could be performed with a minimal investment of time and required no equipment. How about if I made it so simple and convenient you could simply perform them in the evening in the comfort of your own living space? What are you waiting for?let’s get started.
The golf swing starts with core stability, then adds in the elements of strength, flexibility, balance and coordination. Core conditioning is very important for a golfer because all movements in the upper and lower body are tied together, supported, and coordinated by your core.
The core is where the body’s center of gravity is located, and it is where movement begins. Because all movement begins at the core and then progresses out to the arms and legs, core strength is essential. The core acts to produce force, it stabilizes the body to permit other musculature to produce force, and it’s also called upon to transfer energy.
So, what types of equipment or tools are best to most effectively train this power region of the body? I’ll give you a hint. It’s not the machines in your gym. If you like the gym, then use the equipment that will provide the best results like pulley systems, free weights, and exercise/ medicine balls which provide far more neurological advantages than your typical exercise machine. Not only is the core challenged to fatigue with these alternatives to traditional machines, but you can recruit more muscle groups in two or three planes of motion compared to only one with machines.
Most people have a very weak core, and as a result, chronic posture problems. Over time, this creates wear and tear on the body. A golfer with a weak core is vulnerable to injury and will never be efficient in their swing. These weaknesses must be reversed in order to promote proper health and function. For now, let’s put the gym equipment at rest and get started with those simple, home based exercises and get ready to create some serious distance with those woods.
Crunch ? Lie on the floor facing up with knees bent. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest and crunch forward. Contract the abdominals to raise the shoulders off the floor, pause and lower. You may also try this exercise on a Swiss ball.
Twisting crunch ? Identical to the crunch except as you crunch up you rotate the shoulders to alternating sides. Don’t forget to contract your abdominals.
Plank – Begin by lying on your stomach with legs extended. Place elbows directly beneath your shoulders with hands reaching forward. Push your body up onto your toes and elbows. Pull navel up and towards your spine. Do not allow your low back to drop towards the floor. Try and hold this position for 30 seconds to start.
Strengthen your core region for golf and add an extra 20 yards to your drive distance. Perform these three exercises several times weekly and you’ll see your hard work pay off in longer length off the tee.
Susan Hill is a CHEK Golf Biomechanic, Sports Performance Nutritionist and President of Fitness for Golf. For exercises targeted to lower your handicap and give you a competitive edge every time you play, then visit http://www.fitnessforgolf.com
Junior Golf Is Becoming More Competitive?Why?
How do you get the edge when you’re playing junior golf? To keep up with the top junior golfer’s means getting stronger both physically and mentally; and almost perfecting your golf swing. That’s how competitive it’s become.
There are big bucks at stake. Full scholarships are now worth up to a hundred thousand dollars, and for some of these to junior golfers, becoming a professional golfer can mean millions…
We have started to see a dramatic change in the caliber of junior golfers. They are getting fitter, stronger and are hitting it as long as the PGA and LPGA players. This is a combination of personal coaching on swing mechanics and getting stronger.
Junior golfers like Ty Tryon, Michelle Wie and the Song sisters are a perfect example of what junior golfers are capable of, given the right approach. Parents are now realizing the investment in their kid’s golf pays off big when they receive partial or full scholarships for college. The difference between junior golfers and adults is typically strength – not flexibility. I’ve worked with hundreds of junior golfers and within a very short period of time, doing strength training, their drives increased as much as 50 yards.
Participating in a strength training program doing the wrong exercises can hurt junior golfers not help them. The exercises have to compliment the golf swing from a dynamic standpoint and a stability standpoint. If this is not taken into consideration, improvement will not happen.
The age to begin a strength training workout for juniors is between 12-13 on up. Having a professional oversee the program at the earlier ages is crucial. The upside is a rapidly improving game and who knows…a scholarship for college.
Too many parents and juniors are going it alone and aren’t seeing the results they hoped for. This can be a long and frustrating road to take. Why not save years of searching and hundreds if not thousands of dollars, by doing a little research? Do some talking around your town to see if anyone knows of a fitness trainer who understands golf.
They are a rare breed, but if you look hard enough you can find someone somewhat qualified. Even talk to some of the teaching pros. They might know of some golf trainers who are acceptable. If not, hit the book store. There are several golf fitness books out there, but be on the “lookout”.
From what I’ve seen, most of them are NOT golf fitness books, but only “general” fitness books in disguise. If you see any pictures of a golfer sitting in or on a machine, don’t by the book. That is a telltale sign of a general fitness book. Remember, golf is played on your feet, not sitting down.
So get the edge, by getting stronger for golf! Who knows?you may be the next Tiger Woods or Annika Sorenstam.
About The Author: Mike Pedersen is a respected golf fitness expert, and the author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, numerous golf fitness tips and founder of several online golf fitness sites. For more information on his new, cutting-edge golf fitness e-book, go to http://www.ultimategolffitnessguide.com.
5 Best Uses for Hybrid Utility Clubs
Have you seen those new hybrid utility cubs? They are showing up all over the place, rescuing golfers from all kinds of situations. The reason for this is simple; they open up opportunities for a number of great new shots.
Even the tour pros are using them to help them win big tournaments. (Todd Hamilton ? British Open, David Toms ? PGA Championship, Reteif Goosen ? US Open) We have come up with what we believe are the 5 best uses for these hybrid clubs.
1. OFF THE TEE ? These clubs are great for long par 3’s and short par 4 tee shots when you must carry a bunker or water hazard. Most long irons shots have a low piercing trajectory. These hybrids have a lower center of gravity that helps to launch the ball up into the air. Because of this high ball flight, the ball will come down on a steeper angle making it easier to stop on the green.
2. FROM THE FAIRWAY ? They are good for long approach shots to the greens on par 5’s and long par 4’s. Because of their great distance control and accuracy, these hybrids will build your confidence. Hitting this club form the fairways will have you going for more par 5’s in 2 and leaving you short putts for eagle.
3. FROM THE ROUGH ? Most long irons get caught up in the rough causing them to twist easily and produce mishits. The bigger size and mass of the hybrids over regular irons makes it easier for the club to drive through the rough while keeping the face square. This squaring of the clubface is also aided by the rudders and rails on the sole of the club going through the turf.
4. OUT OF A BUNKER – Move the ball back in your stance to promote a little steeper angle of attack. The bigger club heads and larger ruddered soles of hybrids make it easier to swing through the sand without catching it fat or heavy. It is very important on these long bunker shots to hit the ball first. This will help get the ball up in the air very quickly and out of the bunker.
5. AROUND THE GREEN ? Hybrid utility clubs work great for bump and run shots around the green (just ask Todd Hamilton). They help to eliminate the chance for error by getting the ball rolling on the ground as quick as possible. Because the shafts are shorter you can play these shots almost like a putt without choking down on the shaft to gain control. This eliminates the chance of a skull, chunk, or a decelerating wedge shot.
We find these hybrid utility clubs to be one of the most versatile clubs you could have in your bag. Get more info about hybrid utility clubs from our website. Then try one out in your bag today! www.golfequipmentsource.com/hybrid-golf-clubs.html
John Bolt is the full time owner of GolfEquipmentSource.com. With years of competitive golf experience under his belt, he understands the importance of having properly fitted golf equipment. You can visit him online at: http://www.golfequipmentsource.com
How to Cure a Golf Hook
If you’ve been battling a hook for a while you understand how frustrating they can be. Everyone else is, more than likely, slicing the ball, and you are playing from the opposite side of the fairway.
But… the hook really is pretty easy to cure. Try this sequence of corrections, and most likely the hook will be fixed in no time. Your goal in correcting a hook is to swing from outside to in.
1) Weaken your Grip – You could be playing with a grip that is too strong. You’ll want to simply rotate both hands around the grip and towards the target. This will make it much harder for the clubface to naturally close through the impact zone. Don’t over do it, and like everything else, testing is crucial. Make sure to test this, before moving on, unless you are positive that you already play with a weak grip.
2) Move the ball forward in your stance – It is common of players that slice the ball to play the ball forward in their stance. So copy them. If you hook, the result should be a relatively straight ball. (Side Note: Whether you hook or slice, your first goal should be to learn to do the opposite.) Moving the ball forward in your stance should get some things back on track.
3) Aim to the left (to the right if left handed) of the target – Start out with an open stance to the target. This will put that clockwise rotation on the ball that you are looking for. Just open your stance a little bit, and swing along the line of your shoulders.
4) Make sure that you are finishing with your weight on your forward foot – This is the single best solution for the hook. If you hook the ball, chances are that you finish with some of your weight still on your back foot. This causes you to come around the ball with a closed clubface. This is the number one cause of the deadly snap-hook. Finish with all of your weight forward, and you’ll never experience it.
David Nevogt writes golf instruction material that helps golfers of all levels reach their full potential and lower their scores. David is the author of “The Simple Golf Swing” which guarantees to have you shooting 7 strokes lower in only 1 week from today.
Back Exercise And Golf Are Synonymous
Back exercise and golf. Doesn’t that sound like a common denominator? Of all the injuries in golf, the low back is by far the highest one.
To explain why doing back exercise for golf is important, a golfer needs to understand why.
The golf swing is one of the most (if not the most) stressful movements on the lower back. Picture this. You’re in a static position at the start; then you try to rotate your upper body as far as you can go, while keeping the lower body as stable as you can.
This movement all by itself puts tremendous stress on the lower back. If you have a lower level of rotational flexibility, you are at HIGH RISK for low back injuries. You many have one as we speak.
Now picture having the strength to ‘uncoil’ that backswing, maintaining your golf posture at between 80-100 mph. If you have not participated in a back exercise for golf, you will not be able to generate any power at impact, therefore your driving distance is inadequate.
Does this sound familiar?
It should. I see this all the time on the golf course. Especially with the senior golfers. They have physically declined over the years and have not done any back exercise for golf and can’t generate and clubhead speed.
There is hope!
To remove the threat of low back injury and improve your ability to turn back and turn through with power, you just need to do a couple of simple back exercises for golf.
One example of a back exercise for golf that you should be doing several times a day is what I call the Lying Leg Crossover, which is incorporated in all my products.
Here’s what you do:
- Lie on your back with your legs extended.
- Raise one leg and bend at the knee to 90 degrees and the hip to 90 degrees.
- Cross that leg over extended leg, while opposite shoulder stays on ground.
- Go until slight pull in butt and lower back.
- Hold and repeat once more.
- Switch legs and do opposite side.
This is a very simple back exercise for golf and no equipment is required.
Just do this back exercise for golf religiously and you’ll see a HUGE improvement!
About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Take a look at his just released golf fitness dvds at Perform Better Golf.
The Impact of Golf Specific Exercise
Golf specific exercises are part and parcel of the modern day golf game. Yet many people associate golf specific exercises with exercises used in other sports and by other athletes involved in more rigorous sporting activities.
For example many golfers look down on golf specific exercises that involve lifting weights. The fear that they will develop muscles which will tend to make them stiff and less flexible in their golf game. Everybody knows that flexibility is very important in golf.
Yet the truth of the matter is that golf specific weight exercises have nothing to do with building muscles like a weight lifter. This is because lighter weights are used and the lifting action is repeated more times. The effect of this is to build strength and not muscles.
Strength in muscles has a remarkable effect on the quality of a golf game, especially when the muscles targeted are all “golf muscles”.
The other wrong image people often have about golf specific exercises is that there are as rigorous and as demanding as the sort of exercises one would find in a marine corps training program.
This cannot be further from the truth, especially when some of the golf specific stretch exercises can be done from the comfort of the office or the home. Some can even be effectively carried out on your chair in the office, without you having to get up from your chair. Stretch exercises are some of the most important and critical golf specific exercises. It is important to warm up before this exercises and also after you game of golf.
Again these warm up exercises need not be as difficult as you probably imagine. It can be simply a brisk walk from your car to the course.
Achieving a good enjoyable game of golf these days has become very difficult without the help of golf specific exercises.
About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Visit his new golf fitness – golf training site at Perform Better Golf.
Golf Fitness Training Made Easy?And Anyone Can Do It
Golf fitness training might sound grueling, sweaty and a lot of work! Doesn’t have to be that way. Now of course I’d be lying to you to say it’s easy and you won’t have to make a small commitment to stick with it to see results.
But what I am saying is?you can participate in a golf fitness training program with minimal equipment and can do it right in your home or even your office.
How ?
With only a stability ball, exercise tubing and a pair of handweights. Grand total?under $60 for your “total golf fitness gym”. That’s about one months membership to your local club that you’ll visit once or twice and never go back (but keep paying every month).
I want you to get that picture out of your head of the “muscle-bound” hulk, heaving hundreds of pounds with on arm, slamming it to the floor and letting out the infamous LOUD GRUNT for attention.
No..you’ll be doing golf-specific exercises with bands, balls and handweights that will quickly and directly benefit your golf swing. Sports conditioning or in this instance golf fitness training requires you to use your body in space incorporating balance, stabilization and sequence of timing just like your golf swing.
The direct correlation results in longer, more accurate drives, hitting a larger number of greens in regulation; and walking off the course beating the pants off of your playing partners.
Now that’s “instant gratification” at its best!
And how about no more injuries! I’m dead serious! All those aches and pains finally gone. Forever! A stronger more flexible body will have a much higher level of resistance to pain and injury. And the added bonus is swinging “easier” and with much less effort, but seeing the ball go much further and straighter. It will feel like an “out-of-body” experience.
A few words of caution!
If you hear or see any programs touting they are golf fitness and see the golfer and/or trainer using the basic machines in the gym, this is NOT golf fitness training. This is without a doubt “general fitness”. Not altogether a bad thing, but won’t directly help your golf game.
Working on a stability ball, and using tubing and handweights you can mimic many phases of the golf swing and at the same time challenge your core stabilization, balance and muscular endurance. All critical factors in achieving optimal swing mechanics for 18 holes.
And?they’re fun to use. You’ll never get board. You can always make it more challenging from a balance and/or stabilization factor.
Just try to get one of those “muscle-heads” on a stability ball lifting the same heavy weights they use. Call the medics..cause it’s going to get ugly real quick.
You see?most people who workout in the gym never challenge their proprioceptive awareness (or simply?using their body in space). This is the key to great golf.
The stronger you can get your core stabilizers, coupled with increased rotational flexibility?you’re headed to an awesome game of golf. You’ll definitely be the envy of your foursome.
So don’t hesitate to get started on your golf fitness training right away!
About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Check out his new golf fitness training site at Perform Better Golf.
Fitness For Golf Isn?t Just For The Pros
Fitness for golf is a common term on the television these days. I’m sure you’ve heard it a few times. The secret is out. Fitness for golf has come to the forefront of total golf performance.
Golfers have heard it enough. The golf swing is a physically abusive movement to the human body?unless you take the time to prepare for it.
I was watching the Golf Channel (I do that frequently) the other day, with Tiger on. He said it perfectly.
He said, “it would be absurd to think a football player, basketball player or baseball player wouldn’t physically work on his body to play better golf. Why wouldn’t a golfer do the same thing?”
I was sitting there saying, “thank you Tiger”?fitness for golf is here to stay.
If it takes the Number One golfer in the world to convince you?then I’m all for it.
How many times have you walked off the course or practice range with a twinge or two in your body? How about when you got home? Did it get worse?
What’s that tell you?
I hope you realize how important fitness for golf is, in not only helping your prevent injury, but utilize your true potential to it’s fullest.
Doesn’t it make sense to improve your flexibility AND strength to hit longer drives that go straighter? Doesn’t it also make sense to improve your fitness for golf as you get older?to slow down the aging process?
Don’t look at it as “work”, “sweating” or “effort”. Look at it as “playing your best game ever!”
You will continue to hear about fitness for golf, when it comes to performing better golf.
About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Take a look at his just released golf fitness dvds at his golf fitness site – Perform Better Golf.
Finding A Good Golf Product Is A Lot Easier With The Net
The World Wide Web has made life a lot easier for many people. Golfers are no exception and apart from valuable golfing tips being widely available on the net, the other huge advantage is that it has become a lot easier to find good golf products.
To find a good golf product one can subscribe to one of the many regular ezines, or email newsletters available online that deal with golf and golf products.
You can also identify useful web sites that you can be visiting a regular basis to read about the very latest releases in golf products.
Make sure that you also check out a few blogs or web logs on the golf game and golf products. Here the advantage is that you will be able to read comments from numerous other golfers some of whom are bound to be experiencing exactly the same problems that you are facing. This is the true magic of blogs and one of the reasons why they have become so popular online.
However there is a range of golf products that you will need to be very careful about. More so because they are marketed very aggressively online, usually accompanied with a lot of hype. And these are golf products that promise to improve your game.
It is a big mistake to place your focus on what a product will do without first focusing on your weaknesses in the game and getting a clear strategy or direction on how you can improve those areas of your game. It is then very easy to see if the golf improvement product fits into your program or not.
This way you will save yourself a lot of time, cash and trouble tinkering with golf products that will not be able to have any impact on your golf game.
Most of these golf improvement products involve exercises and so if you are able to get some advice from a golf exercise expert, it can also be of great help to you.
About The Author:
Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Visit his new golf fitness ? golf training site at Perform Better Golf.
