“Come on… golf is not a real sport!”

How many times have you heard that?

No, you’re not running around a court or attacking a ball back over the net, or tackling through a defensive line… but the better your body is mentally and physically in peak condition, the better your chance to play at your optimum level in golf.

Did you know that along with his extensive workout routine, Tiger Woods does Pilates? Did you now Arnold Schwarzenegger used to take Ballet… really!

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Do more than just show up!

What many potentially great golfers fail to realize is you’ve got to do more than just show up at the first tee to truly excel at golf. Being on your game requires the cardio ability to walk three to five miles without getting tired, flexibility to move through a full-range of movement, and the balance control and strength necessary to hit a little white ball repeatedly with consistent power and precision.”

When you realize all the different muscles used in golf, you may begin to appreciate it as an athletic endeavor, and think again about getting to the gym or hiring a personal trainer! Stronger body means stronger mind, for a longer time!!

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Muscles used in golf:

Front of thigh (quadriceps)

Back of thigh (hamstrings)

Outer thigh or hips (abductors)

Inner thigh (adductors)

Buttocks (gluteals)

Sides of abdomen (internal and external obliques)

Low back (erectors)

Mid/upper back (latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)

Chest (pectorals)

Shoulder (deltoids)

Rotator cuff (infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, supraspinatus)

Back of arm (triceps)

Front of arm (biceps)

Forearm (forearm flexors and extensors)

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You are only as strong as your weakest link

If there is a weakness in anywhere in your muscular system, it will show up in your game, physically, mentally and emotionally. The more you try to compensate for a weakness, the more strain on your mental game. Get stronger in body and you’ll get stronger in mind!

So what does that mean for you the golfer, trying to improve your game? You need to ask your self a few questions:

1. Am I unhappy with my golf game?
2. Do I want more distance and consistency in my game?
3. Do I want to play golf for many more years to come?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, read on.

Here are some simple guidelines, of the Egoscue Method 8 Laws of Physical Health.

1. VERTICAL LOADING: Gravity is necessary for health. In order for gravity to exert a positive and dynamic influence on the body, the skeleton must be vertically aligned in the postures.

2. DYNAMIC TENSION: A state of constant tension exists between the front of the body and the back. The posterior is responsible for the extension of the body and the anterior is responsible for the flexion, or bending forward, of the body.

3. FORM AND FUNCTION: Bones do what muscles tell them to do. All skeletal motion is initiated by muscular activity.

4. BREATHING: (I love the idea of deep breathing when playing golf to minimize tension) The body will not function without oxygen. You must learn to breathe correctly.

5. MOTION: All of the body’s systems-digestive, circulatory, immune, etc are interrelated. The common thread that binds them together is movement. If we believe the activity will hurt, it will.

6. BALANCE: For balance to occur, muscles must work in pairs and equally on the right and left sides of the body.

7. STIMULUS: The body reacts to all stimuli twenty-four hours a day, regardless of the conscious state of health. Therefore, the law of motion constantly reinforces this law of stimulus.

8. RENEWAL: The body is in a constant state of growth or rebirth. Muscles, bones, nerves, connective tissues, cartilage, are all alive. If the body is not renewing, it is because we are violating the laws of physical health. The more laws we violate, the faster we age and die.

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These 8 laws are a great checklist. Here are some PATTERNED MOTION BUSTERS to get you on your way.

v Reach high over your head with both hands for 1 minute

v Twist at the waist 10x and hold for 5 seconds in each direction.

v Turn your head all the way to the right and left slowly, 10x each way.

v Look at the ceiling for 20 seconds with your feet pointed straight ahead.

v Flap your arms like a bird 25x.

v Balance on one leg for 30 seconds. Also, try it with your eyes closed and attempt to get to 30 seconds again.

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Get fit in body and mind for a life filled with golf, and golf filled with life!

Randy