When I wrote my first book on Golf, "
R-Factor for Golf",
a number of years ago, much of my typical audience was surprised with
my choice of topic. In writing the book, it was my intention to address
the needs of the sport as well as dispel the myths associated with an
endless array of training gadgets and questionable ideas.
Like many well intended volleys, it came on the
heels of the constant barrage of hype that surrounds the game. Even as
some in the exercise industry have made a "meal" out of golf
preparation by slapping the prefix "golf" onto a myriad of exercise
classes and resistance approaches in an effort to dupe the public, the
current economic downturn has done an efficient job of weeding many of
those snake-oil salesmen out of the exercise game. However, getting
factual information out to the golf-playing public is still no easy
matter.
The essential peculiarity of golf, or "
training for golf,"
is that regardless of how you train off the course, if you do not
carefully monitor your swing, your efforts will be largely wasted. To
suggest to the untrained reader anything to the contrary is to display
a practical lack of playing knowledge of the game and of the latest
technological advancements. This doesn't mean you shouldn't exercise.
It simply means that you should exercise correctly.
Within golf, a few basic tenets need to be
understood before proceeding. Golf is played by individuals possessed
of a wide range of physiques and levels of fitness. Indeed, many "less
fit" individuals will possess an outstanding game. Interestingly
enough, the training that most of the younger players seem to do
contravenes the needs of the game.
To drop your score we will need to focus
particularly on dynamic range of motion, core strength, explosive power
and sport-specific needs. Please note this is not a departure from the
"Wheel of Conditioning" but merely a summary for a topic that could
fill volumes. In stage of one of this series, let's first look at
Dynamic Flexibility.
Borrowing from my book "
With Grace"
on middle-aged health and virility, dynamic range of motion directly
impacts upon performance. It involves general and ballistic type
movements to assist with hip, shoulder and spinal rotation. This
section is performed at the start of each session and will help prepare
the hips, shoulders, back and activate the core for training. It
recognizes the relationship that the spine has in controlling the
position of the torso in space and that the shoulder and hips perform
in controlling the arm and legs in space.
For our work, we will the use the "Red2" program found in "
In Search of Power, part 2"
and the hurdle mobility drills posted below. Depending upon the amount
of training time available, I suggest a combination of both done to
level of ability of each user. In future stages of this series will
expand upon this and layer additional work on top.
For the Hurdle drills, the barrier is optimally
set at hip height but make sure the level is set where the exercise can
be performed properly. There is no problem lowering or raising the
height as needed as it will ensure proper technique and gradually
loosen the hips. Per exercises align five hurdles and complete roughly
five plus sets totally over a six minute training block, with two
movements per day.
1. Side movement, lead leg over;
Stand to the right side of the hurdles. Raise your lead leg over,
maintaining a slight bend in the leg. Stay on the balls of your feet as
you plant each leg. (Tuesday)
2. Side movement, crossover leg over;
Stand to the left side of the hurdles. Raise your crossover leg over,
maintaining a slight bend in the leg. Stay on the balls of your feet as
you plant each leg. (Tuesday)
3. Side movement, lead leg, then opposite;
Stand to the right side of hurdles. Raise your lead leg over (again,
maintaining a slight bend) and then off to the side. Stay on the balls
of your feet. (Wednesday)
4. Front movement, from side;
Stand facing the hurdles. Proceed with one leg at a time by raising
each knee over the first hurdle. Stay on the balls of your feet as you
plant each leg. (Monday)
5. Front movement, down center;
Stand facing the hurdles. Raise your lead leg over the first hurdle,
and then bring your trail leg over the second hurdle. (The hurdles must
be set close enough to accommodate this.) Stay on the balls of your
feet. (Monday)
6. Duck under, stay low throughout;
Stand perpendicular to the hurdles. Duck under the first hurdle with
your lead leg. Make sure your movement is initiated by pushing your
buttocks back and that your feet always face forward. Stay in a low
squat position throughout this drill.(Wednesday)
7. Duck under, pop up;
Stand perpendicular to the hurdles. Duck under the first hurdle with
your lead leg. Make sure your movement is initiated by pushing your
buttocks back and that your feet always face forward. Pop up from the
squatting position after you clear each hurdle.(Thursday)
8. Duck under, twist, stay low;
Stand perpendicular to the hurdles. Duck under the first hurdle with
your lead leg, and then twist to lead under the second hurdle with your
opposite leg. Make sure your movement is initiated by pushing your
buttocks back and that your feet always face forward. Stay in a low
squat position throughout the drill. (Thursday)
9. Duck under, twist, pop up;
Stand perpendicular to the hurdles. Duck under the first hurdle with
your lead leg, and then twist to lead under the second hurdle with your
opposite leg. Make sure your movement is initiated by pushing your
buttocks back and that your feet always face forward. Stand up from the
squatting position after you clear each hurdle. (Friday)
10. Forward zigzag duck under;
Stand facing the hurdles, which are arranged in a zigzag pattern, each
successive hurdle offset one length from the previous hurdle. Duck
under each hurdle, and stand up between them. (Friday)
Get ready for Better Golf this spring Renegade
Style. In the next in this series we will look towards proper trunk
development for the Golf Course.
