Maybe you bought new clubs not long ago. You’ve taken countless lessons and have a growing library of instructional videos, yet something tells you that not much is going to change in your performance this year. Well, I have some good news. There’s something you may not have addressed yet.
Your body.
Fitness for golf is becoming very popular now because golfers are discovering that sometimes their body can’t do what they’re asking it to. (See, those bad shots weren’t really your fault after all.)
There are very specific fitness checkpoints throughout your body which are crucial to perform the best golf swing possible for you. By best, I mean the most efficient and powerful. If you have limitations in any of these areas, it can restrict your performance tremendously.
Let’s say you have limited mobility in your hips. In your backswing, that can mean a common swing fault, known as a “sway,” because if your hips can’t rotate, then your body might shift as a way to compensate. And that’s not all. Tight hips might also cause you to come out of your posture during the swing. I’m sure your golf pro has told you the importance of staying in your posture.
As you can see, golf fitness is more than just going to the gym and hitting the weights. It’s addressing your body’s checklist. Every golfer’s body is different. I try to make this approach fun by giving the golfers I work with a golf fitness handicap. It’s scaled just like a regular golf handicap, only it addresses your body’s ability to go through the swing. It’s a great way to have direction in your workouts, too.
So, don’t settle for another season with the same old performance. Get over that hump by giving some attention to the most important piece of golf equipment you have. Your body is your golf swing.
Joe Lembo NASM, CGFI is a Titleist certified golf fitness instructor. He specializes in performance enhancement for athletes and can be reached at j5lembo@yahoo.com or 653-9266.