Fitness, stretches

I am not into fitness, nor do I plan to be for some years
I smoke, drink, never exercise, and always use a cart.
After injuring myself last year golfing, I started simple stretches before each round at home before I left for about 10 minutes, then quick basics right before I play.

I know fitness, weights, etc have become huge in the sport and am curious as to what some you do that are not generally into fitness to help your golf game?

Soon, I plan to begin daily stretches (to help in general, lots of aches and pains in my old age. Neck issues and minor arthritis).

I'd like to get some of those rubber resistance bands, as I figure that would help with the stetching. I've considered some very light weights, but what kind? Honestly, anything more than 10=15 minutes a day I wouldn't do.

ANy suggestions as to stretches, specific golf related weights and or exercises. And no, I will not walk a few miles a day.

You might want to look into something like the pro leaderboard. It works quite well with many things.

i practice various martial arts regimens that i've been involved with, more interesting to me than the repetition of weights and healthier

Ted, I used to practice martial arts, but these days time with being lazy and lack of time I know I wouldn't keep up with how I should. Good thought though.

I dont really have a golf-specific workout program. IMO, fitness is fitness. I lift weights,do pushing, situps and I do about 45 minutes of cycling a day.
I alternate every other day. One day I will do arm curls and use my forearm builder (that thing with the 2 levers that you squeeze in your hand between your thumb and fingers). With the arm curls I do 3 sets of 15 reps (45 altogther). I rest for about 30 seconds between sets and then I do another set. When I get to the point where I can do all 3 sets, I add more weight. Right now Im up to 100 pounds.
For the forearm builders I simply go until my muscles cant do anymore. I think Im up to something like 150 on that.
Then, on the next day I do pushings and situps. Again, I go until I cant do anymore. For pushups I think Im up to something like 80 and for the situps Im up to something like 130.
I alternate those every day to give my muscles a chance to recover and heal.
During the summer months I do 45 minutes of cycling a day. That gets me my cardio and works my legs.
Id love to have a home gym with all the weight stations to do a really complete workout, but Im somewhat limited in terms of space and having a gym membership is too expensive and time consuming for me right now.
Like I said in the other fitness thread, Im not Camilo, but Im OK.

Bakemono said:

Im not Camilo, but Im OK.

Click to expand...

i'm almost a camillo

Ted Ray said:

i'm almost a camillo

Click to expand...

Is that a Genie hat Ted? If so that is awesome.:good:

I say take a pilates class once and learn some of the fundamentals of building your core muscles and stretching. Im in fat lazy mode right now, but when I go to the classes routinely, my back never hurts and I easily get more distance on my shots.

I agree. Building your core and improving your flexibility is much more important to your golf swing than going crazy with the weights and getting big.
Big arms do aboslutely nothing to help you hit longer shots.

I don't wanna be big, nor is this thread about getting big. I'm talking 10 pd weights or whatrever with simple stretches and those resistance bands. SOmething 15 minutes daily. Just seeing if anyone had any fail proof 30 day money back gurantee style of routines:>)

Im not talking about using weights Scooter.



My favorite.:act-up:

Do you watch Nip/Tuck, Gasman?!!!

scooterguitar said:

Do you watch Nip/Tuck, Gasman?!!!

Click to expand...

Ive seen it a couple times but never got into it. Why, was there something with that in it?

Yeah, but not appropriate for on here. A few episodes ago...
Honestly, though, yep stretching I think will be key for me this year.

I've got strength and stamina but not much flexibility or balance, and I know that's an issue. It's really hard to work on stuff at which you're no good and won't see speedy improvement...

After injuring myself last summer I quickly learned jus thow important stretching can be, especially for someone out of shape and in his mid years.

I read somewhere recently that stretching as a warm-up was really unnecessary or not tremendously useful.

From personal experience, in 15 years of running, other than high school, I cannot recall ever stretching prior to a workout and never before a race. I did warm up for races, running slowly/jogging for a mile or two. I was a distance runner. Shorter run/sprints meant faster warmups eg short sprints.

The only time I did some stretching was when running a steeple chase. The 36 (?) hurdles are 36 inches tall and constructed out of 4"x4" which one could stand on. I was not used to lifting my legs that high during normal running. And then the running warmup contained a few hurdles.

I cannot recall any injury that I would attribute to not doing stretching exercises.

As to stretching or flexibility training eg yoga or some of the martial art motions, although I personally have not done that, it could be useful.

IMHO given the long time intervals between strokes especially if riding, one should be stretching prior to each stroke.

YOu never feel tight before you play, then looser after a few holes in?

I found some information on stretching usefulness. It follows below.




I have a lot of pre-game rituals. The warm-up is just one of them.

I want to warm-up including practice swings (stretching? :confused2, hitting a bucket of balls (60+), 20 minutes of chipping and pitching, and 10-20 minutes of putting. I want to feel ready to play and confirm my swing is working. I should try adding a brisk walk -- a half mile or so -- to get all my muscles warm.

I really do not know how much time I need nor what is the minimum level of warm-up. I am often concerned about too long a break from completing a warm-up and playing. Similarly, all the warm-up may be more ritual than function. I have played after walking quickly from the club house to the first tee, with only a couple practice swing.

I personally find myself more relaxed after a few holes. However, I believe that is due to anxiety reduction, not the warm-up or lack of it.

Maybe an alternative question is how do you feel physically walking off the 18th green. I am not sure if stretching is going to make you feel better then.


Mike Krolewski

An abstract follows. There are other articles...

Rev Med Suisse. 2005 Jul 27;1(28):1830-4.Links
[Is stretching for sports performance still useful? A review of the literature]

[Article in French]


Gremion G.
Hôpital orthopédique de la Suisse romande, Swiss Medical Olympic Center, Rue Pierre Decker 4, 1005 Lausanne.
Since 1980, according to several authors, it is accepted that increasing flexibility of a muscle-tendon unit allows a better performance and decreases sports injuries. Stretching is regularly included in warm-up and in cooling-down. However, there are contradictory findings in the literature. In contrast, since 1990, there's evidence suggesting that stretching not only does not prevent injuries, but can also decrease the level of performance. Some part of these contradictions can be explained by the various sports activities. Those requesting an increased flexibility, such as gymnastic, dancing or diving, necessitate pre-exercise stretching to optimize the level of performance. In contrary, for sports with slow stretch-shortening cycle such as jogging or cycling, there is no scientific data showing a positive effect of stretching.
Some other articles:


"They showed there was minimal or no effect on the muscle soreness experienced between half a day and three days after the physical activity."
http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab004577.html

"Stretching before or after exercising does not confer protection from muscle soreness. Stretching before exercising does not seem to confer a practically useful reduction in the risk of injury, but the generality of this finding needs testing."
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstrac/325/7362/468

Interesting for sure, but I have to disagree. As staed, I am no fitness junki whatsover, but common sense should predicate any of those artcile's findinds or results, for every one such study focusing on negatives, there are surely more to sumise the benefits I'm sure.
Again, interesting read, but I think "just another" grad student study looking for something different to reaearch, IMO of course:>)

I have a terrible back, and someone bought me the Roger Fredericks DVDs a couple of years ago (http://www.fredericksgolf.com/). It's basically yoga, and it works (when you actually do the exercises). It keeps me away from the chiropractor. I stretch for 10 - 15 minutes most mornings, then do pushups and situps. If I keep it up, the back feels good. When I slack, I hurt.