| Today most competitive and noncompetitive | | | | swing faults as well as back pain. So your lack of |
| golfers understand the importance of physical | | | | patience with working on specific restrictions, and |
| training. However often times they are unfamiliar | | | | failure to use corrective strategies/exercises, will |
| with what it actually takes to succeed with a golf | | | | only lead to frustration in improving your swing |
| fitness training program. This short article will | | | | and overall golf performance. |
| reveal the 5 biggest reasons golf fitness | | | | Reason # 4: Failure to work on fundamentals. |
| programs fail. | | | | Failure to work on fundamentals is another key |
| Reason #1: Not knowing where to begin or failure | | | | reason that many golf performance programs do |
| to plan. | | | | not provide the wanted results. Top golf |
| When starting any exercise program, or any type | | | | instructors such as Butch Harmon, David |
| of project for that matter, you need to know | | | | Leadbetter and Jim McLean are always focusing |
| where to start. You need to have a plan and a | | | | on fundamentals of the golf swing. This same |
| destination. It is often stated that you need to | | | | approach to fundamentals should also be applied |
| begin with the end in mind, and that is certainly | | | | to exercise, the maintenance of basic human |
| true in this case. When it comes to fitness there | | | | movement patterns, and developing good overall |
| is an immense volume of information at our finger | | | | function. |
| tips. And often times it is confusing or un-proven. | | | | We all developed fundamental movement |
| Therefore having assistance from a Golf Fitness | | | | patterns as we grew from infancy to adulthood. |
| Professional to perform a physical assessment to | | | | These movement patterns or skills usually occur |
| help get you started, and in setting goals, is one | | | | in a specific sequence. Essentially the sequence is |
| of the first and most important steps to take. | | | | the building of the foundation for the more |
| Reason #2: Lack of commitment and lack of | | | | advanced functional movements we ask of our |
| consistency. | | | | bodies as we move into adulthood. Often times - |
| The second biggest reason golf fitness programs | | | | more than what we like to see - these |
| fail is the lack of commitment to your program, | | | | fundamental movement patterns are delayed or |
| and/or a lack of consistency in performing it. This | | | | fail to develop appropriately. Or more often, have |
| may sound pretty basic but it is a major reason | | | | become faulty as a result of our present lifestyle. |
| why you may not reach your goals. Commitment | | | | Now what does this have to do with sports, |
| begins with believing in yourself and your ability to | | | | specifically golf? Well, when we begin to develop |
| go after a goal and accomplish it. I believe that if | | | | specific movement skills, as we do when learning |
| you involve the use of your mind, and your belief | | | | the golf swing, we rely on fundamental motor |
| system with the use of appropriate self talk, then | | | | programs to help us out. If these fundamental |
| commitment to accomplishing your goals is much | | | | movement skills have decayed from years of a |
| easier. A formula that will be beneficial for you to | | | | sedentary lifestyle, then learning or changing your |
| remember is "Thought + Emotion = Commitment, | | | | golf swing is more difficult. The point here is it is |
| and Commitment = Results". After all, results are | | | | more than just getting a muscle strong or flexible. |
| what we are looking for, and results do not occur | | | | It involves making sure your fundamental |
| without a purposeful emotional thought, | | | | patterns of movement are correct and as |
| commitment and effort. | | | | efficient as possible. |
| Consistency, another important principle, is closely | | | | Reason #5: Desire to perform the new cool or |
| related to commitment, and must be present to | | | | advanced exercises. |
| succeed with your fitness program. When I look | | | | I admit we all are looking for the newest, most |
| at fitness research, the major components I | | | | advanced or cool exercise to help us become a |
| always see are; the program under study is | | | | better golfer. It is hard to resist the temptation, |
| performed at least 3 times per week, and it is | | | | but please, be disciplined. I used to work in |
| performed for greater than an eight week period. | | | | physical therapy and it was not uncommon for |
| The bottom line here is that in order to make | | | | patients to report injuring themselves trying to do |
| improvements in any area of fitness you must | | | | an advanced exercise. We are all physically |
| consistently do the work for a period of time. It | | | | different and our individual exercise needs are |
| is very common for people to perform exercises | | | | different. So trying to do an exercise you see |
| 1-2 times per week or stop after a few weeks. | | | | Tiger doing, or something you see in a magazine, |
| We live in a society of instant gratification. We all | | | | can not only hurt you, but can be a big waste of |
| want results now! And want them with as little | | | | time. If you want to waste your time and |
| effort as possible. But deep down we know that | | | | prevent your golf exercise program from |
| it requires consistent work. | | | | working, then do all those new exercises that are |
| Reason #3: Failure to focus on specific restrictions. | | | | constantly popping up. |
| As I mentioned, performing a golf fitness | | | | So when starting or changing your golf fitness |
| assessment is the starting point in developing your | | | | program, make sure you remain disciplined and |
| program. Its purpose is to identify specific physical | | | | focused on the task at hand. Stay away from |
| restrictions or problems that need to be | | | | these mistakes and you should be successful, and |
| addressed. You need to focus on those problem | | | | continue to have fun out on the course. Best of |
| areas in order to achieve the quickest results. For | | | | luck! |
| example limited hip mobility can lead to several | | | | |