Day-5-Better Posture

A common problem among high-handicappers and even elite golfers is a lack of mobility in the pelvis and hip area from hours of sitting and lack of activity.

To maximize your full potential in the golf swing, you must have the ability to take your joints and muscles through their full range of motion. Performing exercises that focus on muscles that are chronically tight will help your become more efficient in your golf swing.

Learning to set up properly is the key to a better swing.

Bend From Your Hip Sockets

• Stand in a shoulder width with your spine straight, holding onto a golf club.
• Bend from your hip sockets as you keep your spine straight and set the clubhead on the ground.
• Add a bit of knee flex.
• Let your arms hang naturally as you grip the club.
• Your weight should be evenly distributed between your heels and your toes.

Off-Course Fitness Tip-Hip and Pelvic Tilt: Test measure range of motion in hips and low back

This test measures the range of motion in your lower back and hips and reveals your capacity to engage your abs and gluteus muscles. To transfer power from your lower body to your upper body in the golf swing, the ability to control your pelvis is imperative for power in your swing and limiting the chances of injury to your lower back. Low test results may also be related to S-posture, loss of posture and lack or rotation.

THE CARDIOGOLF 1000 PRACTICE SWING CHALLENGE

The challenge is straightforward-simply make 1000 practice swings over the month to improve your swing technique and increase clubhead speed.

You don’t need to go to the driving range or golf course, you can simply make practice swings in your garage or living room at home a few minutes a day (just make sure that you don’t whack the ceiling or walls!)

Break it Down-make 30 practice swings a day for 30 days and you will have made 900 swings over the course of a month.  Okay, so it is not exactly a 1000 swings, but close enough (if you really want to get technical, you’ll have to take 33.3333 swing per day to reach 1000 practice swings).  The amount is not the point, the point is to be consistent with your practice; take a few minutes out of your day to work on your golf swing and get some exercise.

How the Challenge Works-

1. Warm Up First-

Before you play, practice or work out, you should always do some kind of warm-up routine to prepare you body to move smoothly.  Do these moves using the CardioGolf Slope.

2. Make 30 Practice Swings-

After you have warmed up, make 30 practice using the CardioGolf Shortee Club.

Watch the Video

 

Start the CardioGolf 1000 Practice Swing Challenge from the Beginning

Day 1-Grip Essentials 

A lot of people overlook the importance of the grip in the golf swing.  Whether you have a conventional or non-conventional grip, the most important factor is that it allows you to square the clubface at impact. Watch the video to see how to place your hands of the club for a square clubface.

 

Nobody’s hands are the same, so you grip might not be the same as your fellow player’s, but that doesn’t mean it is wrong. How you join your hands together is up to you. There are three basic grip choices to find one that best suits you. Use whatever grip feels comfortable to you. Most importantly, use the grip that helps you square the clubface at impact with the least effort. Experiment with your grip by hitting balls with the different grips to see what works best.

 

Day 2-Waggle

If you watch professional golf tournaments on TV, undoubtedly you will see the professionals doing some sort of waggle before each shot.  The waggle is crucial to set the pace and shape of the swing.

You want to incorporate a waggle into your swing to rehearse your takeaway. The objective is to waggle the clubhead on the same path that you want to take the club back.  Most high handicappers tend to whip the club too far inside  in attempt to get behind the ball.   Well, if you do this, then your swing is already off plane.

You want to waggle the club with the clubhead outside your hands moving the clubhead straight back.  This keeps the club on plane. Making waggles will also help reduce tension in your hands and arms for a smooth takeaway.

Take the challenge with me.  Feel free to post pictures of yourselves practicing.on my Facebook page letting me know that you are up for the challenge.  I will post reminders and more tips this month to help you achieve your goal of 1000 practice swings this month.

Day 3-Strengthen Your Lower Body

The goal of resistance training or strength training is to improve muscle structure to prevent injury. Typically, golfers are vulnerable to injuries in the neck, low back, knees, hips and wrists. For this reason, it is critical that you strength train in these areas.

Golf is basically a squat sport.  We start in a squat position and we want to maintain that position throughout the swing.  The ability to squat effectively can help us generate power in the swing. Squat exercises are great for a total body workout, they effectively work most of the major muscles groups.

Squats are also a versatile exercise. They can be done almost anywhere.  Doing squats can also increase joint flexibility and engage the core.

Watch Karen Palacios-Jansen demonstrate this exercise.

Modified Squat for Golfers

• Stand in a shoulder width stance. Optional-Raise your arms above your head.
• Lower your rear-end backwards towards the floor as you maintain a straight back.
• Try to lower your thighs parallel to the ground.
  Slowing stand up and repeat.
• Do 8 to 10 repetitions.

Day 4-Tight Lies

In order to make the best golf swings with irons off of a tight lie, you must believe you can hit them well, but sheer anxiety high handicappers experience when standing over a tight lie prevents them from hitting a solid shot. Either they don’t complete the backswing or they tense up and try to help the ball up in the air.

So think about swinging the club instead of hitting the ball. When you take a practice swing, pick out a piece of dirt or blade of grass and try to clip it as you swing all the way through to the finish and make a conscious effort to hit your shoulder with the shaft.

If you raise your body up and down, you’ll mis-hit shots. So as you take your practice swings today, think of maintaining your spine angle throughout the swing.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE WITH ME.  POST A NOTE  ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE LETTING ME KNOW THAT YOU ARE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE.

Visit Cardiogolf.com to download the FREE Cardiogolf Pre-Round Warm Up Routine E-Book.

Do the Cardiogolf Pre-Round Warm Up Routine.

Practice something about your game everyday. #CardioGolfChallenge

CardioGolf™ Total Body Conditioning Workout Video Series-Golf Body Featuring Meghan Trainor

Get your Heart Pumping and your Golf Form in shape with the Cardiogolf Fitness System…No golf ball required! Professional golfers know the importance of athletic development for golf. As a recreational golfer, you may not have the time to train like an elite athlete, but by simply adding a few swing drills into your daily routine, you can dramatically improve your game. And you don’t have to go to the golf course or driving range, you can do these exercises at home with the Cardiogolf Slope and Shortee Training Club.

This workout features nationally recognized Certified Personal Trainor Meghan Trainor and Master LPGA Teaching Professional Karen Palacios-Jansen. Together they have developed a workout to help golfers of all levels improve their golf swings and fitness at the same time. Using the Slope and Shortee Club, Karen and Meghan take you through a collection of exercises and drills to improve your game and get a great workout at the same time.

Visit this link to start working out today-CardioGolf-Total Body Workout Video Series

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