Golf Information

Facts and Fallacies of Strength Training for Golf


Various aspects of golf training have expanded rapidly, but one area of development that has caught on somewhat slowly is golf-specific strength training. Not until very recently has this specific need been addressed. As with many things, it started at the top with pros like Tiger Woods and David Duval and began to trickle down to the masses over time. Unfortunately, many golfers still live under the old assumption that strength training is detrimental. The truth is that the days of simply practicing and playing to make yourself a stronger and better golfer are from a bygone era. I am not trying to diminish the fact that ultimately golf skills are the most important aspect of golf, but improving your swing performance will only get you so far. If you want to develop into the best player you can be, you better get with the program-a strength training program, that is.

Let's take a look at a few of the fallacies that may be holding some of you back.

Fallacy #1: Resistance training will cause a loss of flexibility.

Fact: It is a proven fact that full range of motion resistance training will actually improve your flexibility.

Fallacy #2: Resistance training will result in "bulking up".

Fact: Performing resistance training by itself will not cause the development of excess muscle mass; additional caloric intake is also required. Some individuals are under the impression that lifting heavier weights for fewer repetitions will cause this "bulking-up" phenomenon. This is also false. As a matter of fact, lifting heavier weights for fewer repetition is one way to gain strength without adding "bulk". Therefore, if you are involved in a program designed to develop stability, strength, and power specific to the needs of golf, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

Fallacy #3: Resistance training will have adverse effects on your swing.

Fact: Performing resistance training can actually have a positive effect on your swing. Resistance training helps develop what is known as kinesthetic awareness, the ability to detect bodily position, weight, and movement of the muscles, tendons, and joints.

Fallacy #4: Swinging a weighted club will produce more specific strength gains than performing a resistance training program.

Fact: If anything, swinging a weighted club will produce an improper swing. The compensation required to swing the weighted club creates faulty swing mechanics and firing patterns. Also, most weighted club programs call for using the clubs at slow speeds. The problem with that is when golfers tee up, they are not trying to drive the ball with a 50-75% swing. They want to all-out blast it down the fairway with a powerful 100% swing. If the name of the game for golfers is club head SPEED, using a heavy club and a slow swing to gain strength won't work. To gain strength and develop speed, you have to train for speed.

Fallacy #5: It takes too much time.

Fact: You can't afford not to start a golf-specific flexibility, strength, and conditioning program if you desire to be the best golfer you can be. Depending on your individual starting point, you may be able to make progress with as little as a 1 ½ hours training time per week. A small investment that will reap huge dividends on the course.

Hopefully, reading this article helped shed some light on the truth about strength training for golf and how it is NOT detrimental to your game, but more than likely, VERY beneficial.

Download your FREE Reports The 8 Keys To Golf Fitness Success and How To Build The Perfect Athlete For Any Sport - GOLF: at www.integratedevolution.org

Troy M. Anderson, B.A., PES, CPT, is the owner of Integrated Evolution, LLC, in Tempe, AZ. The #1 goal of Integrated Evolution is to provide individuals with solutions to their performance enhancement needs. For more golf fitness tips, subscribe to The Blue Collar Fitness Report at http://www.integratedevolution.org


MORE RESOURCES:

The Canadian Press

Words and mirrors aren't going to help golf
The Canadian Press - 47 minutes ago
With all that going on, the biggest news in golf might be that Tiger Woods is about to become a father for the second time. That's huge because this one ...
Golf | LPGA backs away from English rule Seattle Times
LPGA Tour should have seen the fallout coming from English policy ... ESPN
LPGA bows to pressure, reverses course on English rule Los Angeles Times
Reuters.uk - Newsday
all 632 news articles


Nationwide Tour expected to announce golf tournament in KC
Kansas City Star, MO - 1 hour ago
By MECHELLE VOEPEL Another professional golf event appears headed to the greater Kansas City area. It is expected the PGA Tour will announce Tuesday that ...
Giselle Davies to step down as IOC spokeswoman Xinhua
Nats' Hill has surgery; Belliard out with groin strain Sports Network
Boston activates trio, including Beckett Seattle Post Intelligencer
Belleville News Democrat - Sports Network
all 354 news articles


Wall Street Journal

Chicago's golf tourney a hit in St. Louis
Chicago Tribune, United States - 7 hours ago
Do you know where your golf tournament is? It's here, at Bellerive Country Club, about 30 minutes west of the Arch downtown. A couple of years after the ...
Ordinary players scoff, but physical and mental exhaustion is a ... Wall Street Journal
'Tiger Woods' tops this season's golf games International Herald Tribune
Hit the virtual green with new 'Tiger' golf game USA Today
Sports Network - The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com
all 517 news articles


Peninsula On-line

FedEx fails to deliver on promise
Globe and Mail, Canada - 13 hours ago
More points than in those events are allocated at major tournaments, the Players Championship and World Golf Championships events. ...
Golf buzz attracts golfers Fiji Daily Post
Golf: Singh's PGA playoff lead nearly insurmountable National Post
Ordinary year turns extraordinary for Singh PGA Tour
CBC.ca - TMCnet
all 153 news articles


TopNews

Dog has 13 golf balls removed during op
guardian.co.uk, UK - 11 hours ago
Unlucky for some: Oscar, the black labrador who had 13 golf balls removed from his stomach. Photograph: PA A dog had to have 13 golf balls removed from his ...
Golf ball-loving Labrador The Press Association
Black Lab swallows 13 golf balls United Press International
The sound puzzle Independent Online
Glasgow Daily Record
all 27 news articles


Appreciating golf
Economic Times, India - 2 hours ago
How many of us watching sporting events, be it athletics or golf, pause for a moment to think of the hard work and toil that has gone into the honing of ...


Man found dead on golf-course
Edmonton Sun,  Canada - 2 hours ago
A 56-year-old man has been found dead in a golf-course pond near Millet. The man was found pinned underneath a lawnmower in a pond on the Pipestone Links ...


SuperSport

Golf-Furyk begins marathon day with sprint up BMW leaderboard
Reuters.uk, UK - 1 hour ago
Furyk had little time to savour his performance as he headed straight back out on to the Bellerive Golf Club layout for the third round. ...
Golf: Villegas Leads BMW Championship By 1 Hartford Courant
Golf-Villegas sets early pace at BMW Championship Reuters UK
Ryder Cup rookie Stricker back on his game in St. Louis - Golf ESPN
PGA Tour - Reuters.uk
all 561 news articles


Opera singer and music teacher Jim Doing shoots 80 at US Mid-Amateur
The Canadian Press, MILWAUKEE - 47 minutes ago
Alli Jarrett, the US Golf Association official directing the tournament, said Doing and Bemowski are examples of why the event, limited to players 25 and ...
Off course but on track Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Heimer Tries Hand in Mid-Amateur The Ledger
all 15 news articles


St. Paul mayor has hole in one on golf course
Fort Mills Times, SC - 7 hours ago
While the Republican National Convention got mixed reviews this week, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman aced at least one test - on the golf course. ...
Mayor Coleman, just call him 'ace' Pioneer Press
all 16 news articles

Golf - Google News

home | site map
© 2006