| |
| |
|
Free Golf Tips | Sponsored by GreatGolfGizmos.com - Click Here to Shop for Great Golf Gizmos | Article List |
|
|
|
Finish Your Round of Golf with Birdies
All the major tournaments, especially the U.S. Open and the PGA, are a true test of endurance. They are usually located in a part of the country where it is hot, humid and muggy. A real physical and mental drain on any golfer. Look who has been winning the Majors in the last couple of years: Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh. They have incredible endurance. It doesn't come by accident. They work at it. Endurance is a word that is commonly associated with athletes such as marathon runners, tri-athletes, swimmers, and cyclists. Granted, the majority of amateurs use a cart to play. This takes the walking part of the game out of the equation. Bit when most golfers break down, it has more to do with the endurance of the swing muscles than the walking part. Think of endurance as the ability to perform the same activity over and over for an extended amount of time at max effort and peak performance. Relating this definition to, say, a marathon runner becomes pretty easy. A marathon runner, for example, has to have the cardiovascular (blood and oxygen) endurance to run 26 miles at a steady pace. In addition to having the cardiovascular endurance to run 26 miles, a marathoner needs to also have the endurance in their muscular system to again run 26 miles. If they do not, the body begins to "give up" and this is seen in the form of cramping, muscles not responding, and the body "hitting the wall" as many marathoners call it. Endurance as it applies to the golf swing and the ability to perform the swing correctly is different than the intensity of running a marathon. But the underlying theme when it comes to endurance is the same. Swinging a golf club is a repetitive, explosive movement performed by the body. The muscles are active from address, back swing, transition, contact, and follow through in the same motor pattern every time you swing a club (or at least they should be; for some of us amateurs the swing path changes from time to time, but that is a subject for another article). Anyways, to perform the golf swing efficiently and effectively for an extended period of time (like 4 rounds of tournament golf) the muscles involved in the golf swing are required to have a certain level of endurance developed within them to sustain the swing. Do you have enough gas in the tank? It is essentially having enough "gas in your tank" to swing a club a given number of times. Now I referred to a four-day tournament, which is the average number of days a PGA tour event lasts, but when it comes to endurance and golf swing the number of swings in a tournament is only the beginning. Remember the definition of endurance is the ability of the body to perform a certain movement over and over for a given period of time. In relation to the golf swing and endurance we must also include a time frame. Let us first begin with looking at a typical four-day tournament. At the very least, we need enough endurance in the muscles that swing a club to hit all the shots from tee to green in 72 holes of golf. On top of just the tournament play you must add the additional practice time before or after the round. This could comprise anywhere from 2-3 hours of additional time swinging a club. Now, at this point we are just talking about a single tournament for a tour player. Let us expand this time period to 7 days. A 7-day time frame for a tour player would consist of a 4-day tournament (Thursday through Sunday) in addition to 3 additional days in the week. Realize that those three other days during week are not "rest" days, but rather filled with work. First off, you have Wednesday, which, at most tournaments, is when the Pro-am is scheduled. If you are unaware of what a Pro-am is on tour, it is a round of golf usually held on Wednesday where each pro in the upcoming tournament is paired with three amateurs for a round of golf. So we can chalk this up to another round of golf. This again would comprise all the golf swing made during the round and any practice before and after. We are up to Wednesday through Sunday of a tour week. Now what about Monday and Tuesday of a tour week? I would guess that it would be safe to say that probably most players take Monday off, not always, but most of the time. Tuesday is a whole different story. Tuesday is a practice day where a pro could spend 4 to 6 hours at the range, putting and chipping. The number of swings taken on Tuesday can be huge! So there you have it, a full week on tour with an idea of the number of swings taken by a tour player over a 7-day time frame. Now take this number of swings and multiply it out over an entire season where an average player will participate in 25 tournaments. The numbers get really big looking at it from this perspective. I imagine at this point the connection between endurance and the golf swing has been made. It essentially comes down to this: to swing the club effectively on the correct path over an extended period of time, you need to develop endurance in your muscular system specific to golf. The next question to present is how do you do that? Developing Endurance Specific to the Golf Swing So how do you develop endurance in the muscles that are used in the golf swing? You can not really do it by running or doing the Stair Master at your local health club. The reason why? These types of exercises are great for developing cardiovascular endurance and developing some musculature endurance in the legs, but they do not "work" all the muscles involved in the golf swing. And they certainly do not create endurance in these muscles in relation to how they are used to swing a club. The methodology that is required to develop endurance in the golf swing requires you to perform what I call "cross specificity" exercises specific to the movements and positions in which the body placed during the swing. The result of this type of training is what we term a "transfer-of-training effect." A transfer-of-training effect is where the exercises performed in your training program improve the performances on the field of competition. Field of competition, when it comes to golf, pertains to the golf course and your swing. So invariably we need to develop what I term "golf endurance" through exercises that are cross specific to the golf swing with the outcome of a transfer-of-training effect to golf swing. To learn more about "golf endurance training" and what it entails take a look at our website www.bioforcegolf.com. Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website http://www.bioforcegolf.com. To contact Sean, you can email him at support@bioforcegolf.com.
MORE RESOURCES: |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Can A Golf Swing Video Change your Game? There are many golfers who have been exposed to many a golf swing video and yet there has been no effect on their game. At least not a positive one. Functional Exercise For Golf WarrantsThe Quickest Results Functional exercise for golf can mean different things to different golfers. But the key is to take a look at the golf swing mechanics and devise golf exercises, drills, and golf programs to strengthen weak or limited phases of the swing. The Best Golf Training Aid The best golf training aid is pretty basic.But first let us answer a simple question so that we're all reading from the same page. Getting to the Core of the Problem with Your Golf Game How do you fix it? Well, there's no magic core strength pill or patch. It takes some good, old-fashioned flexibility training and exercise. Effective Golf Training Equipment Isn't What You Think If you are like most golfers, you have purchased hundreds of dollars of golf training equipment. How many gimmicky training aids do you have lying around?Now I want you to picture something. Watch the Pros Play Golf You can check out a pro golf swing on video instruction tapes and on TV during golf shows and games. Checking out the golf swing of a pro can help even the amateur fine tune their own swing. Golf Nutrition On And Off The Course For best competition performance on the golf course, maintaining proper nutrition is very important. There's no one specific food or diet that will fit every golfer's needs. Why Golf Fitness Stretch Training Is Important Golf fitness stretch training is such an important part of the modern game today and yet there are still many amateur golfers that do no see its' benefits. They continue to avoid golf specific exercise programs or any exercise program for that matter. Golf Flexibility For The Senior Golfer Golf flexibility is the biggest term you hear when the senior golfer is complaining about lack of distance or a sore back.Why is this?It's not a secret that with age comes a decline in physical capabilities?especially golf flexibility. What Impact Does Exercise For Golfers Have In spite of numerous assurances some golfers still dread and fear joining any exercise for golfer programs. So as a last line of defense, they pop up the question of wanting to know just how effective exercises for golfer are on improving a person's game. Improve your Golf Game by Learning The Secrets of The Golf Club Grip Grips are the least expensive yet one of the most important parts of a golf club. Remember, the grip is the only part of the clubs that you make contact with, so it's extremely important to make sure that you have the right size and the right quality of material. Why Do You 'Not Benefit' From Coaching Golf Tips Most golfers have had dozens of opportunities to receive coaching golf tips from numerous sources. However the most interesting aspect of it all is that many are not able to benefit much from these coaching golf tips. 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. Golf Schools Require Golf Fitness Are you planning on attending a golf school on your next golf vacation? Don't expect to kick your feet up, relax with a cold beer and nap every couple of hours. Furthermore, don't expect to enjoy your learning experience unless you prepare yourself physically. Need Some Help With Your Golf Swing? What should you do if you need some golf swing aids? Where do you find golf swing aids? What golf swing aids are available?There are many golf swing aids to choose from. Golf swing aids will help improve your golf game. Sciatica Exercises Alleviate Discomfort For Golfers If you are fortunate enough to have never experienced sciatica, you may be wondering what it is. The sciatic nerves run from your lower back down each of your legs. Women Golfers Set New Standards For The LPGA It used to be unusual to turn on the television and catch coverage of an LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) tour, but that's not so anymore. Women are proving to be quite adept at golf and an exciting sport to watch, and networks and sponsors are catching on that people want to watch these talented women play. Top of the Mountain: The Masters, Augusta, GA If you're a stockbroker, the center of the world is New York. If you are a commodities trader, it's Chicago. Fitness Ball Training for Golf There are many training tools available to help achieve better balance in your golf swing. The most effective way to improve balance is by training the core musculature. Golf Carts -- A Surprisingly Large Industry You probably just take them for granted when you play golf, and never think about their origin. I'm talking about golf carts, those miniature vehicles dotting every golf course.
|
| home | site map | Sponsored by GreatGolfGizmos.com - Click Here to Shop for Great Golf Gizmos |
| © 2006 |
