Wintertime is here and for the majority of golfers out there the clubs will go in the closet for a period of time. While you should be working on your body and your health year around, the winter is a great time to make that a primary focus. This is a great time to address any nagging aches and pains, improve strength and power output, maximize mobility and flexibility and improve overall health.
For golfers, the gym is meant to support the skills needed for the sport and improve power output, movement skills and resiliency against injury. This involves doing things to improve the way the body moves as is needed for each athletes sport, improving strength in the basic movement patterns (squat, hinge, push and pull) which helps build resilience against injury and builds a base for power development and lastly training specifically for speed/power development to maximizes the athletes ability to create and absorb forces.
Golf is a very skill-based sport, so the winter is also a great time to practice the skills needed for golf as well. Even if stuck inside you can still work on swing mechanics, contact drills, putting and chipping etc. While skill development will always be the biggest factor in improving performance both physical improvement and skill development are needed in order to perform at your best. You still need to have the necessary skills to carry over the physical attributes gained in the gym over to the needs of the sport.
Lastly, let's also not overlook the non-sport related physical and mental health benefits of a regular exercise program on top of all of that. In general, doing the following will not only help improve your athletic ability but also your overall health and wellbeing.
So, this winter lets commit to a consistent regular routine consisting of:
· Lifting weights (force x mass=acceleration)
· Swinging and moving fast
· Get your heart rate up on a daily basis
· Eating in a way that serves your goals but still allows you to enjoy food
· Focus on stress management and sleep
Lastly, these things are easier said than done. So, If needed get help and guidance from a coach to make sure what you are doing is aligned with your goals and to help keep you accountable.
By: Dr. JP Guidry DPT CSCS TPI
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