In our last two blogs we have been hearing from Gary Player, golf’s original Mr. Fitness. Describing in his own words, from www.GaryPlayer.com, in this third and final segment Gary concludes his golf related fitness knowledge and describes how fitness has changed his life.
One last time, sit back and learn from one of the most successful golfers of all time.
“Thirdly, while many instructors talk about how only the big muscles hit the golf ball, I have yet to find a good athlete that does not incorporate a good amount of arms and hands in the golf swing. It is true that the big muscles – legs and torso – are the greatest source of power in the swing. However, the hands, arms and shoulders are critical for power but just as importantly for feel. I have always contended that strong hands, forearms, and triceps are critical to the swing. One of the greatest champions the game has ever known is Arnold Palmer. He had the strongest hands and forearms that you could imagine. I have told the story many times when Arnold came to South Africa with me in his prime, we went on a tour of the gold mines. There was a block of gold that the gentleman conducting the tour boldly proclaimed could be taken home by anyone who could pick it up with one hand and carry it out. Well, Arnold walked right over, grabbed it in his big
Gary Player's famous one-armed pushup
paw and began to walk right out of the room. The poor guy about had a stroke!! I will never ever forget the look on that man’s face. In all of his years, he had never had someone even come close. It was no coincidence that Arnold was such a great driver of the golf ball and could slash it toward the green even from the thickest of roughs.
Additionally, I believe it is critical to keep the rotator cuff very strong and supple. Every one of my workouts incorporates some specific training for this area. The rotator cuff is found deep within the shoulder. A tear in this area can end ones career. Therefore, keeping it strong is critical, especially for a pro that beats balls endlessly on the range.
Finally, flexibility must be equally as important. I have always been a fairly flexible person (my wife and kids may argue this point). However, it is important to train for flexibility in each and every workout. To me, if one performs the exercises properly with the proper amount of repetitions and weight, he or she will not become bound up. Certainly, we are not training to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, yet lifting weights, particularly when trying to build very strong legs, can begin to tighten critical areas that ultimately will affect your ability to perform at your dead level best. Most critically, I work very hard at keeping my hamstrings loose. Due to some of my leg training, the hamstrings have a tendency to get tight. When your hamstrings are tight, your entire torso, especially the lower back suffers. Therefore, I do a great deal of stretching in this area which I will share with you in the following paragraphs.
To conclude, I would put the greatest emphasis on the legs and the torso. While all elements that I have mentioned are very important, I realize that most people just have a hard time crawling down off the couch to do a sit-up. Therefore, if you have to cut some corners, do not ignore your legs and stomach. I have talked to so many people with back pain that have slowly begun to incorporate abdominal work into their daily lives and could not believe how much they improved. Given my travel schedule, I have worked out in some of the best gyms in the world and some of the worst. However, I will tell you that as long as you have a set of dumbbells, there is a way to push your body through a very effective workout. Give it a try, it is only the quality of your life we are talking about! Heck, you might even find that little white ball taking off more explosively in your Saturday morning best ball!! Exercise and eating right has to become a way of life. It is difficult at first, but you will find that once you get into a routine, your body will crave the workout. When I travel and miss up to three days in a row, I can hardly sit still until I get in that gym. There is no way I could ever quit. It is a part of my life and my body needs it and feeds off of it. You, too, can become like this. Just set realistic goals and slowly make progress. Remember, life is a marathon not a sprint. Stick with it and you will begin to enjoy life like never before.”
All content © 2011 Black Knight International
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