In the interest of being fair to women golfers, we decided to show a YouTube video of Natalie Gulbis’ workout. One does not often think of women working out to improve their golf game but it can help them just as much as men.
Sure Natalie is easy on the eyes but please focus on her workout and information she provides. It can help men just as much as women.
As always, keep ‘em in the fairway.
While playing golf two weeks ago I noticed I had trouble extending through the ball. I did some stretching during the round and found that behind each shoulder there was an area that did not want to release. Since we had been in Florida for several weeks I figured it was probably related to different beds, etc.
When it was unchanged this week I realized something was up. I went for my regular massage and the therapist asked what the heck I did to my shoulders. After talking it through with her we realized my beloved cat was the problem.
I have been working a financial consulting job at home on my computer. The cat loves to sit on my lap when I am on the computer. But when she is with me she forces me to lean forward and stretch my shoulders to reach the keyboard. If I do not let her sit on my lap she stands in front of the monitor and just stays there. If I close the door she yowls to get in.
My choices are limited;
Let here sit in my lap and ruin the back of my shoulders
Let her yowl and have problems concentrating
Lock her in a closet and pay the consequences when she is let out
Give her away
Have her for dinner – I heard cats taste like chicken
I would love to hear from our readers on their solution to the problem. Someone else must have the same problem. (Yes she is sitting in my lap while I write this blog.)
As always keep ‘em in the fairway.
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
In our last blog we heard from Gary Player, in his own words, the importance he has always place on physical fitness to improve both his golf game and his life.
In Part 2 Gary gets more specific about his views on exercises to improve his golf game.
Excerpted from www.GaryPlayer.com, lets listen and learn from golf’s Mr. Fitness.
“Let’s begin at the base. Every strong building must have a strong foundation. That same logic applies to any sport and is critical to the golf swing – think legs. Strong upper thighs, hamstrings, and gluts (your rump) are critical for power and stability in the golf swing. I remember the first time I saw Nicklaus hit a ball and looked at his legs. I could not believe it. His legs were at least the size of my waist. The power Jack generated with those legs was scary. Now, for a small man, I was blessed with naturally strong legs. Yet I knew they had to get stronger so I did squats until I was blue in the face. Fortunately, I was blessed with a very good spine as well. Many people have back problems and squats can be very dangerous for compressed vertebrae, bulging discs, etc. Even I have changed by routine to 
incorporate a squat that does not put any compressed pressure on the spine. I am also a big proponent of the lunge. Both the squat and the lunge will test your metal. They are difficult exercises that incorporate many muscles in one movement. They will really push you and force you to dig down deep.
Secondly, the torso is critical to power, stability, and posture in the golf swing. Many people refer to this as core training. I believe this to be a bit of a buzz word and since I am “old school,” I will continue to emphasize the mid-section or torso. For starters, I believe it is nearly impossible to over train ones abdominal muscles. Every workout I do incorporates a great deal of training for my abs. Not only are the abdominals critical for generating swing speed, they are the critical protector of the lower back. When you combine great leg strength with a strong torso, you are able to swing powerfully while holding the correct posture through the entire swing. Often times when I play with amateurs in Pro-Ams, I will give them a swing tip and quickly realize that the individual simply cannot make the correct swing due to his or her physical limitations in this area. The average golfer does not have a prayer of executing a repeatable golf swing. While they turn to instructors, equipment, and even their buddies who don’t have a clue, they would do very well to get up off their couches and get into the gym!!”
All content © 2011 Black Knight International
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