Exercise for Golf: Balance (3)

This is the third and final balance golf exercise post for the time being. For the first and second blogs click here and here.

Figure 4 Walk

Purpose: Increase hip movement and flexibility

Benefit: Improves balance and and pelvic mobility

Instructions: Stand on left leg and take hold of right ankle. Pull right foot up towards waist. Hold for 2 seconds and return foot to ground. Repeat 10 times.

Repeat standing on right leg.

Balance on a Beam

Purpose: Improve balance

Benefit: improve coordination in the golf swing

Instructions: Stand on a balance beam. You don't need an actual beam - a 4x2 piece of timber on the ground works just as well. Take a stance position, move arms outwards in a small circle motion. Increase the size of the circles. Perform with eyes open and eyes closed.

Attempt 10 arm circles. Repeat in reverse direction. Perform 2 sets of 10 circles in each direction.

Stork Turns

Purpose: To improve balance

Benefit: Improves separation between the upper and lower body creating pelvic turn for controlled power.

Instructions: Adopt address posture with arms across chest. Lift right leg and lock foot behind right knee. Rotate your hips back and forward while keeping shoulders stationery. Maintain balance. Repeat 10 times on each leg. Perform 2 sets.

As you can see I am not great at these exercises but I am just starting along this path. I hope you can follow along. Happy balancing.

Next time, I will introduce some flexibility exercises into my routine.

Exercise for Golf: Balance (2)

This is the second article I’ve done on balance exercises for golf. For the first set of exercises, click here.

Steamboats

Purpose: This exercise aims at improving your overall balance by targeting the entire lower body. In order to stay balanced you will need to utilise muscles from the hips to the bottom of the foot in conjunction with one another.

Benefit: This exercise improves stability, balance and consistency in your golf swing.

Instructions: Begin this drill by standing with feet roughly 6 inches apart (an elastic exercise band around both ankles will add some resistance). With a straight leg, begin by slowly moving your right foot straight forward for approximately 15-30 seconds. Next move your straight right leg about 12 inches across to the left of your left leg for 15-30 seconds. Third, move your right leg straight backwards approximately 12 inches, without bending the knee, for 15-30 seconds, and finally move your right leg directly out to the right side about 12 inches and maintain for 15- 30 seconds.

Repeat standing on right leg. Perform 2 sets (twice).

Trunk Rotation (with ball between knees)

Purpose: Improve balance and rotation into backswing

Benefit: Find the best turn into backswing

Instructions: Stand in address position with football between knees. Hold arms across chest. Keep knees pointing forward and turn slowly into backswing. Return to starting point and turn into follow through. Keep ball steady between knees.

Repeat 10 times.

More balance exercises soon.

Exercise for Golf: Balance (1)

What has balance got to do with it?

The golf swing is a complex set of movements that require flexibility strength and power. In order to complete the swing you need balance - at the address, on the wind up, on the downswing and on the follow through. In other words if you do not maintain your balance throughout the swing then your shot will not be optimal.

In order to maintain balance the central nervous system takes inputs from the eyes, the inner ear, and nerve receptors in the joints and muscles.

As you get on in years balance is not always so easy.

A simple test of your proficiency in balancing is the Single Leg Balance. Stand on one leg with the other tucked in behind. If you can retain your balance for 10 seconds then your basic balance is classed as satisfactory.

A slight modification would be to stand on one leg and close your eyes. How long can you retain your balance?

I made 7 seconds to start with - after a week I can make 18 seconds - progress!

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There are a number of other exercises that you can perform that will improve your balance.

Some of my favourites are:

• Leg Swings
• Single Leg Balance
• Steamboats
• Trunk Rotations
• Figure 4
• Beam Balance
• Stork Turns

In this post we’ll look at two of these balance exercises that you can try. We’ll be looking at others in future blogs - keep an eye out for them.

Leg Swings

Purpose: This exercise improves balance and stability in the lower body and spine.

Benefit: Creates improved coordination and control in the lower body in the golf swing.

Instructions: From a standing position (use a club for support if necessary) slowly swing your leg back and forth several times to increase the range of motion in your hip joint. There is no need to swing your leg above the horizontal.

Repeat on the opposite leg.

Single Leg Balance

Purpose: This exercise quickly develops better balance or proprioception.

Benefit: Improves your balance in your golf swing.

Instructions: Start by standing on one leg (hands on hips) and getting into a stable posture. Once stable, maintain your balance first with eyes open, and then try eyes closed. Also try this raising your heel. Attempt to balance for 20 seconds per leg.

Repeat on the opposite leg.

Good luck and balance well!

Exercise for Golf: Cardiorespiratory Exercise

It is that time of year when our thoughts go to the spring golfing season. There are still a couple of months to go until it’s ideal playing conditions - so let’s plan ahead and get ourselves ready.

I will start with the normal warning - do not initiate an exercise program without taking adequate medical advice.

Often you may think you are ready and able to exercise. Yes, you walk the golf course; You could run for miles…10 years ago; You feel good when you walk to the local pub. Even better when you walk home!

But honestly - you’re not ready. Take it slowly and get advice. Trust me - it’s better to take care of yourself rather than going full tilt and find yourself making that appalling ‘old man’ noise whenever you move for the next 2 weeks!


My aim is to provide a basic structure for exercising to improve your golf game with the added bonus of hopefully providing a guide to living a healthier, happier lifestyle.

A round of golf requires walking some 6 to 7 thousand yards from tee to green, green to tee, deviations from the fairway plus walking around the green. This amounts to approximately 4.5 miles. Add to this the carrying (or pulling) of a set of golf clubs, hitting (roughly) 40 shots (driver to wedge) all while aiming to keep you heart rate under control - especially when hitting and putting - and you can see why fitness is so important.

You might think that playing a round of golf is the best way to get fit for golf but you could, especially at this time of year, get faster progress by fitness conditioning.

The golf swing consists of a set of movements requiring balance, flexibility and power.

In this blog we will start with cardiorespiratory. Look out next week for blogs on balance and in further blogs for flexibility and power (core training).

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Aim
The aim of improving your cardiorespiratory (aerobic) performance is to ensure that you are never out of breath and that you are able to put as much effort into the drive on the 18th hole as you did on the first.


Objective
By exercising (walking, jogging, stepping or cycling) for 30 minutes, 3 times per week you should be able to improve your overall fitness.


Don’t think that by simply walking you will get much benefit - you have to literally put your heart into it.

While exercising you should aim to increase your heart rate to 50% - 70% of your maximum.

The maximum heart rate is roughly 220 beats per minute (bpm) minus your age.

So, a 40 year old’s target would be 220 - 40 x 70% = 126 bpm

A 60 year old’s target would be 220 - 60 x 70% = 112 bpm

If this feels too hard then reduce.

If it feels too easy then increase.


Remember! Don't over do it!



Target
Use a map (digital or old school) and mark out 1 mile.

Get ready to walk!

To walk at an average of 4mph, aim to take 15 minutes to reach your mile marker.

The next day, aim to walk for 2 miles at a constant of 4mph which should take you 30 minutes.

Keep track of your heart rate (there’s an app for that!) and try to improve your performance with every day you do your walk.


Currently I am aiming to walk 3.6 miles every day. For 3 days each week I’m not in a position to walk much (work commitments etc) so I aim to make it up on the other days. So far, I can feel my cardiorespiratory health improving and hopefully it will continue as I continue with my new habit!

Look out for more fitness blogs coming soon...

My Golfing Resolutions for 2015

These resolutions could easily be called revolutions because it seems to me that they keep coming around year after year. Same as all resolutions, I suppose!

Anyhow, I have made up my mind that this year will be different. By making this statement, I hope to shame myself into making sure that I pull my finger out and get things done otherwise, the progress report in December will be interesting!

I do not play enough golf. Time and other commitments have not always been on my side. So my first resolution is:

1. To play more regularly. I am determined this coming year to play at least 2 times each month and practise in those weeks I cannot play a full round.

It is vital to keep track of progress in my game so game statistics are to be kept. The next resolutions relate to basic statistics.

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2. Putting. I want to improve my putting stats. 32 putts per round would be good.

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3. Long Game. My aim is to hit 12 greens in regulation in each round. (really my aim is to hit 18 greens in regulation. However this is not realistic and so 12 is the target.

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If I am to reach the above targets I realise that I must stay fit. Fitness is something which becomes more elusive as the years progress. In general terms this will include healthy eating and drinking. Being aware of what you put into your body is important. Most top sportsmen take this seriously so why shouldn't I do the same?

The next resolution is therefore related to improving my general fitness levels.

4. General Fitness. So, my resolution with regards to fitness is to be comfortable walking 3 miles at a time. Not on a golf course as I figure that a constant 3 miles walk each day will equate to a round of golf where you regularly stop and start.

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Swinging a golf club at over 100mph with all the resulting forces exerted on the body is not something to do without training. I am going to set up a routine of simple exercises to improve muscle tone and suppleness and swing speed. So the next resolution is to get fit for golf.

5. My fit for golf resolution means that I will commit to my series of simple exercises on a daily basis.

I reckon that if I spend 30 minutes less time watching the television/computer each day and use that time to exercise I will be feel better and stronger in a matter of months.

In the coming months I’m hoping to put up some fun and useful exercises on the blog. I plan to, but it’s not a resolution!!

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Last but not least…

6. Resolution #6 - be happy and keep smiling.

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