Staying consistent over 18 holes: maximizing endurance

I’ve talked about the five physical pillars of a good golf swing before: flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power. In previous weeks, I’ve talked about strength, balance, and flexibility, and this week I’ll address endurance, and what you can do to improve yours.

A thorough pre-golf warm-up is something many people ignore, being more interested in getting out on the course as quickly as possible. A golf-specific warm-up will lubricate your joints, warm your muscles and connective tissue, activate your nervous system, and sharpen your senses. All in all, it will help improve your golf game.

You can’t achieve great results using a muscle endurance warm-up routine. The golfer’s body will respond better to this type of exercise with people over 40, since the aging process produces degenerative change in joints, which decreases mobility.

Walking 18 holes can be up to a five mile walk on uneven terrain. So what endurance exercise movements can you do in between rounds? All successful golfers will make the time for this. Don’t invest as much time in TV, reading, or even the driving range, and spend more time on rhythmic walking: twenty minutes a day, five days a week, NOT on a treadmill or elliptical, as this doesn’t mimic life or golf movements. During the rhythmic walk, change directions. Walk backwards one minute, then walk sideways thirty seconds each leg. This will ensure proper balance in the legs and core to improve performance and decrease injuries. You can also add skipping in your walk for fifteen seconds.

Remember, to be better in golf endurance, you must be committed and be consistent. If you found this information helpful, please share it with a friend; it’s as easy as clicking the Facebook share button on this page!

Member Spotlight:

Tony C. of Albany separated his shoulder after a hard fall on ice.  He could barely move his arm and was in a lot of pain.  I taught him some exercises that he could use to help himself heal, and here’s what he says: “From following Jeff’s program, my range of motion and strength has increased.  As I continue to do the exercises, I keep seeing improvement and look forwards to regaining the full use of my arm.  I am very grateful for Jeff’s knowledge and expertise in helping me.”

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