Most people get caught up in an internal war with their mind when it comes to figuring out their golf fitness training program. The devil on one shoulder, and angel on the other… caught up in a never ending debate.
They get all stressed out about one training technique followed by the next. They can’t commit to any program because they second-guess the hell out of it.
Then, if they actually do start a program, they’re constantly worried about being perfect.
They tend to obsess over:
- How many days a week to train?
- What kind of cardio should I do?
- Should I take short or long rest breaks?
- Should I do drop supersets or straight sets?
- Should I do steady state cardio or HIIT?
- Should I use light weights or heavy weight?
- Should I use static stretching, dynamic stretching, or foam rolling?
While all of those questions should be answered and deserve attention, the bottom line is that only one thing really matters if you’re looking to improve your golf game.
Setting Personal Records is the only thing that matters when it comes to building a golf body. Well… it’s the only way to guarantee results.
If you’re a guy who swings a 35 pound kettlebell for ten reps I can guarantee you that by the time you double that and can swing a 70 pound kettlebell for ten you will be substantially more powerful. Probably the longest driver at your club.
Obviously, this takes time and won’t happen tomorrow. It won’t happen 90 days from now and it may take one or two years. Building up to that much weight takes time and effort.
After the first 90 days, your body will begin to acclimate.. further gains will take more effort and require slightly changing your training modality. Serious dedication and work is involved.
That’s why most people quit a specific workout and move on to something else.. shiny object syndrome. What’s the hottest new workout or training style? It’s much easier for them to start something new than to stick with a program.
They don’t have the dedication it requires.
Get Strong & Flexible
Getting stronger and more flexible and having a long-term focus is damn hard. Who wants to do that? There’s got to be an easier way. So keep on searching…
“Oh! Check out this new workout! It will surely help me get better.”
Armed with this new info you switch your workout and low and behold you start to notice a difference. You look slightly different. You’re putting better. You’ve discovered the Holy Grail.
But not really. This new stimulus is providing some quick gains but they’ll be short lived.
Why?
Because you have Shiny Object Syndrome. When thing’s get tougher or progress slows, you are going to move on to the next thing.
Basically, you don’t have the dedication to adhere to the only thing that matters in golf performance:
Setting Personal Records
The grind. The day after day. Slowly improving each and every workout.
Getting stronger.
So is the secret the exercises and tempo used in most programs like 30 Yards or More and Shed Pounds to Shave Strokes?
Not really. Yes, it works better than doing it a different way. At least that’s the conclusion I’ve found in training golfers just like you. But it’s still not the single most important thing.
At the end of the day, your workout style, rest periods, and every other factor pales in comparison to strength gains (more reps in a certain time or more weight) and increasing flexibility and setting new PR’s for both.
Long-Term Approach Made Simple
If your whole goal from now to eternity was to double your kettlebell swing from 35 to 70 pounds, you’d be crushing your drives.
If you worked up to say 4 or 5 minutes of one hand swings at 70 pounds you would generate more power than 90% of the golfers on tour. Not worlds strongest man strong, but pretty damn strong.
It doesn’t matter how you get there. Supersets, straight sets, HIIT or no HIIT, whatever…
At the end of one year, you need to be using more weight for the same number of reps or time, otherwise you are wasting time.
Of course, the kettlebell swing is just an example and you need more variety than to just use it, but I am hoping you catch my point.
A better approach is to pick 3 to 5 strength and power exercises along with 3 to 5 flexibility exercises and focus on DRIVING THEM UP. Driving them up workout after workout.
inch by inch, pound by pound
So for core strength and power you might choose:
Plank variations (standard, one-arm, one-arm one-leg)
Squat variations (bodyweight, dumbbells, barbell)
Kettlebell Swing (two-hand, one-hand)
Cable Rotations/Woodchop
For flexibility you might pick:
Jack Knife
Standing Splits
Pigeon
If you built a program based on just the above and focused on setting personal records, you would have a pretty kick ass program.
Of course, variating the movements and using supporting exercises would ensure your long-term health. The above is just really an example of a few things you should look to incorporate and use as a measuring stick for your progress.
Try to beat your last workout by a single rep… add more weight.
Keep it safe.
If at any time you can’t use perfect form, STOP.
Keep it simple.
Focus on setting Personal Records everytime you step in the gym.
Previously,
Christian Henning, NASM-CPT, gfs, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer
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