Better Golf With Fitness

What Is A Core?

What Is A Core?
by Mike Romatowski

Many people think that the term “core” refers to the abdominal muscles, or perhaps to the abdominals plus the lower back. I have a better description: Your core is everything but your arms and legs.

Essentially the core is the trunk of the body, including the groin muscles, the hip muscles, the abdominal muscles, the lower back muscles, and the butt muscles. Yep, it’s everything but your arms and legs!

An interesting fact:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Golf

Here is a new article by my friend, Dr. Larry Foster (aka Dr. Divot), about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.   Dr. Foster's book, Dr. Divot's Guide to Golf Injuries is a really fun and informative book that all of us hackers should have.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Golf

One of the most common clinical problems I see in my orthopedic practice is carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). I’m sure you or someone you know has suffered from CTS. In the US alone, well over 100,000 people a year undergo carpal tunnel surgery. For such a common disorder, it’s amazing that doctors have so little understanding about what actually causes carpal tunnel syndrome. 

We do know that carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, thyroid disease, and gout. Furthermore, it is widely believed that repetitive use of the hands and wrists causes CTS. However, no scientific study has ever proven a direct link between any specific job activity and carpal tunnel syndrome.

All Hot Golfers Get “Warm” First!

Here is an article by my friend, Dr. Larry Foster (aka Dr. Divot), on the importance of warming up.   Dr. Foster's book, Dr. Divot's Guide to Golf Injuries is a really fun and informative book that all of us hackers should have.

All Hot Golfers Get “Warm” First!

Long thought of as a “cushy” pastime, golf actually causes an alarmingly high number of injuries.  During the golf swing, our muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints are stressed to near full capacity as we accelerate the golf club head to nearly one hundred miles per hour in less than half a second.  In fact, the injury rate for recreational golfers is an astounding sixty percent—and even higher for golfers over age fifty.

And while the typical golf-related injury won’t put you in the hospital, it will result in an average of five weeks lost playing time—and some golf injuries can be season ending.

Foundational Strength: Your First Golf Strength Training Program

This an a great article from a true expert in conditioning for golf, Bill Hartman.  Bill, a physical therapist and sports performance coach, has a website called YourGolfFitnessCoach.com.

Foundational Strength: Your First Golf Strength Training Program

One of the biggest mistakes golfers (and many other athletes) make is attempting to train too “specifically” for their sport when they lack even the most basic levels of conditioning.  Just as you begin building a skyscraper by laying the foundation, so do you begin your golf-fitness program by establishing a level of foundational strength.
Developing adequate foundational strength is necessary allow you to tolerate more intensive golf-specific fitness training programs that will take your physical abilities to new levels and really impact your golf game.
The exercises should be very basic and involve the larger muscles of the torso, hips, and legs.  You won’t need any fancy equipment.  A simple barbell will do.  Give these five exercises a try:

Secret 7 Necessities for Great Golf

Here is an article from my friend Susan Hill, President of Fitness for Golf, a website dedicated to helping golfers improve their game through golf specific programs.

Secret 7 Necessities for Great Golf

The game of golf can be difficult when you consider all of the individual elements. Most golfers are overwhelmed with information regarding which tips will benefit their game and which ones won’t.

The most important aspects of the golf swing and the game, in general, all revolve around the building of a strong and solid foundation for the body, the mind and the basics of an athletic swing. Each of the following concepts plays a critical role in your understanding of what creates a great round of golf as well as contributes to a lifetime enjoyment of the game.