Increase your fitness to decrease your score!

By Dr. Tudor Bompa
and Reggie Reyes, Bkin.

The next time you watch Tiger Woods tee-up, take a closer look at his upper back and arms, the balance of muscle size between his upper and lower body and the amount of flexibility in his torso. The reason why his drives are so long and his game is consistent should become clear. You guessed it—he’s in great shape!

There’s a saying in the sports training field, those who tire first, finish last. Simple, but so true. Golf is a game of sheer accuracy and concentration. Therefore, most errors occur as a result of physical or mental fatigue. Combining general aerobic, strength and flexibility training is the first step to negating the onset of fatigue. However, golfers need specific training, similar to the Truestar Sport-Specific golf training programs.

Golf challenges the entire body
Do you remember feeling tired and stiff after walking an entire round? That’s because golf incorporates all the muscles in your body. Whether it’s the rotational pattern of the swing that uses your upper torso and mid-section area, or the emphasis on your lower body to create a solid foundation for your swing, the end result is the same—you must be strong and flexible. Other physical components of the game, such as the constant bending, twisting and squatting performed while preparing for a chip or putt, or the six to eight miles of walking completed in the average round, call to mind the importance of lower body flexibility, strength and muscular endurance as well as aerobic endurance. It’s obvious that a fit golfer of the same technical skill level has an advantage over the unfit golfer. So how do you become fit for the game of golf?

Fitness program for golf
Below you will find some basic exercise suggestions to improve each part of your game before next season. For an in-depth golf-specific program, visit the Truestar Sport-Specific section.

To develop aerobic and muscular endurance to make walking, bending and squatting easier:

Exercise	Frequency	Duration
Treadmill, stationary bike	2-4 days per week	20-45 minutes

To develop muscular strength to improve your golf swing:

Exercise	Frequency	Duration
1. Lat pulldown 2. Shoulder press 3. Lunges 4. Oblique crunches 5. Lower back extensions	2-4 days per week	3-4 sets of each exercise 15-20 repetitions per set Rest for 30-90 seconds between sets

To develop flexibility to improve your golf swing:

Exercise	Frequency	Duration
1. Hip cross-over 2. Shoulder stretch 3. Upper back stretch 4. Lower back stretch	2-4 days per week	Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds Repeat each stretch 3 times