Swing Shape
By Kent Lorenz, MS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
- More distance
- Less injuries
- More efficient golf swing
Golf is one of the most popular sports played recreationally, with many new people taking up the game annually. One of the misconceptions about golf is that it is a passive game that requires little or no athletic or physical ability. Nothing could be further from the truth: golf requires great skill, physical coordination, flexibility, strength and cardiovascular health to play successfully. The majority of touring professionals regularly train with strength and conditioning coaches to improve their physical fitness and reduce their risk of injuries. Touring pros will hit thousands of golf balls a week, consequently, repetitive stress injuries are common, so, to prolong their careers and reduce pain they seek professional help to condition their bodies to tolerate repetitive movements.
Average weekend golfers probably will not hit thousands of balls a week (especially if they are married), but they can still benefit from golf-specific exercise. In fact, they may benefit even more than the pros. Typically, weekend golfers will play once or twice on the weekends, and maybe go to the driving range once during the week if they are lucky. By having long stretches of inactivity, your body becomes less accustomed to exercise and when you do begin an activity; you are tight, imbalanced and are more likely to hurt yourself. The average golfer usually gets hurt from not enough activity, where touring pros tend to get hurt from too much activity. Therefore, by incorporating golf-specific exercises during the week, the average player can benefit enormously.
Swing Shape is a fitness program specifically designed to improve performance and reduce injuries through exercises and movements that mimic or develop the golf swing. The golf swing is a complex coordination of lower body stability and strength, trunk flexibility and power, and upper body mobility and control. By incorporating exercises to develop each of the individual areas of the body, and performing integrated exercises that train the body to move more efficiently as a unit, Swing Shape can increase distance, improve accuracy, reduce injuries and enhance your overall enjoyment of the game.
For example, by developing strength and flexibility in the hips, you create a more solid base for your back swing, and in doing so can store more energy. Combined with a fluid and flexible truck, this stored energy is released during the downswing to create more distance with less effort. Also, strengthening and stretching the muscles of the back, shoulders and hips, can reduce injuries by minimizing strain on the body as you finish the follow-through. The follow-through is where most golfers experience their pain, as the body is working very hard to decelerate the clubhead after impact. This strain is where most people hurt their lower back as they are stretching the muscles while trying to apply a braking force. Conditioning the body to be stronger, more flexible and more efficient reduces this strain and allows for a more complete follow-through (improving ball striking) as well as minimizing injuries.
The golf swing is a complex coordination of power, flexibility and stability; combining the lower and upper body through the core. This coordination requires the muscles and joints to be strong and supple. Practicing golf specific exercises can improve performance by making the body more powerful, more flexible and more efficient. By improving your physical abilities you are improving the motor of your game, which will help you hit the ball farther, have more consistent ball striking, reduce your risk of injury, and start to enjoy the game more.
For more information on Swing Shape, please contact Kent Lorenz at the Center for Optimal Health and Performance. 858-505-4782 or klorenz@projects.sdsu.edu
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Tip of the week
If you are experiencing mild depression or anxiety, aerobic workouts such as walking or jogging can significantly improve your mood. Non-aerobic exercise, like weight lifting, can also boost your spirits, improve sleep and appetite, reduce irritability and anger and produce feelings of mastery and accomplishment.
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Testimonials
I went on an 18 day tour of China this fall (2005). I climbed over two hundred steep steps which was more than most of the 30 people in our group were able to do, and I felt fine. Without being in this program, I feel sure I would not have ever been able to make the trip, especially since I am 88 years old.