How to Get Strong
This article is very much for the serious and competitive golfers amongst you because it involves a significant amount or work and effort on your behalf.
To allow you to hit shots with effortless power while possessing the ability to play little finesse shots you will have to develop a fitness and diet regime that allows you to work on all parts of your body.
In previous articles we have discussed the dietary requirements and this article concentrates and the elements required for fitness and strength.
Any fitness routine that you have should include stretching, aerobics and weight training to increase not only strength but your stamina and endurance also.
Firstly, allowing for your busy work or home schedule, you should try to run three to five miles a few times a week and if this not possible use an exercise bike.
Both of these physical exercises will strengthen your legs, which provide the power in the golf swing.
Secondly, remember that as you get older you swing shorter because the muscles in the upper back lose their elasticity so before any workout or practise session ensure that you limber up all key muscles and joints such as the lower back, hips, chest, shoulders, hamstrings, hands and fingers.
Not many golfers realise the importance of hand flexibility and all you need to do is shake your hands like a swimmer does before competition.
This will allow you to develop ‘soft’ hands for those touch shots around the green.
Thirdly, consider weight training to keep your upper body fine-tuned, as it is the swings ‘engine’.
Before you start remember not to overdue things and always use a ‘spotter’ when lifting heavy weights.
Detailed below are just a few weight training exercises that you can do to stabilize muscles in specific areas of your body:
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Pull downs (for the upper back).
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Overhead Press (for shoulders).
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Horizontal bench press (for chest).
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Pushdowns or Dips (for triceps).
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Horizontal or Vertical wrist curls (for forearms).
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Stomach crunch (for abdominal muscles).
Remember to start out cautiously and do not take on more than you can handle.
Building up your muscle strength when you are young will help you to maintain it when you are older.
Just why should you develop such a fitness routine?
Remember what your granny used to say to you “strong in body, strong in mind”.
She was correct you know because with increased body strength and stamina you will not become weary and tired in the latter stages of your round and your thinking will also remain clear and focused.
You therefore need to make your body compliment your mind to make the most of whatever golfing ability that you have.