| Fitness is a major priority for professional | | | | overdo it at first, swimming is also |
| golfers on tour these days. Golf, like any | | | | excellent because it takes the body weight |
| other physical activity, takes a good amount | | | | off your legs. Hold on to the side of the |
| of stamina because you're constantly pushing | | | | pool and do plenty of kicking exercises, both |
| yourself to excel and you're doing a lot of | | | | on your stomach and on your back. |
| walking while you're out on the course. | | | | |
| | | | Once again, remember to take it slowly and |
| Although it's important to focus on improving | | | | you'll be back in the game before you know |
| your golf game, you'll also need to keep in | | | | it. |
| shape in order to increase your stamina and | | | | |
| prevent injury that could keep you out of | | | | #3. Upper body exercises will not only help |
| commission. Here are a few tips that will | | | | your stamina, but also help you to improve |
| help to keep you on track: | | | | your swing. Exercises like push-ups (arms and |
| | | | chest), sit-ups (lower back and abdominal |
| #1. Participate regularly in some form of | | | | muscles), mountain climbers (brutal, but |
| strenuous cardio activity. This can be | | | | effective) and even jumping jacks will help |
| running, swimming, sprinting (hill sprints | | | | you to increase the strength in your torso |
| are excellent cardio builders and a good fat | | | | and hips, which will result in you being able |
| burner), stair stepping, treadmill, ect. This | | | | to have more "push off" power in your down |
| will also improve the strength in your hips | | | | swing, hit the ball straighter and farther |
| and your lower body. | | | | than before and also improve your |
| | | | consistancy. |
| Always remember to stretch before and after | | | | |
| any type of strenuous exercise. This is not | | | | #4. It's also a proven fact that exercising |
| only important to decrease soreness after | | | | regularly will help to reduce stress, |
| your workout, but most importantly to help | | | | therefore helping you to "keep your cool" on |
| prevent injury. | | | | the back 9 while the other guy sweats and |
| | | | stresses out. You'll also feel better off of |
| #2. Improving Abdominal strength is helpful | | | | the course too. You can realistically count |
| in preventing injuries to your lower back. | | | | on a "whole life" benefit from working out. |
| This is an injury common to golfers. You can | | | | Oh, you'll also lose weight and lower your |
| improve your abdominal strength by doing sets | | | | cholesterol. |
| of sit ups, crunches, swimming, ect. | | | | |
| | | | Let's recap what we've learned here. |
| Another injury common to beginning golfers is | | | | |
| shin splints. You may also have these if | | | | #5. Doing the correct exercises on a regular |
| you've taken an extended lay off from the | | | | basis will help you to improve your golf |
| game and are just returning. The best | | | | game, reduce your risk of injury, increase |
| recommendation that I can make for shin | | | | your strength and stamina and also have great |
| splints is to take a slower pace when | | | | health benefits, such as weight loss, |
| starting out or returning to the game. I've | | | | lowering bad cholesterol and looking and |
| personally suffered with shin splints ever | | | | feeling emotionally better. |
| since my days in the military and it just | | | | |
| takes time to build or rebuild the strength | | | | One last question....What are you waiting |
| in the muscles in that area of your legs. | | | | for? |
| | | | |
| Try riding a stationary bike regularly to | | | | Start incorporating fitness into your golf |
| increase your leg strength, hill sprinting | | | | game today! |
| (in short sets) will help a lot, but don't | | | | |