Golf, although not thought of a strenuous activity, requires a higher level of fitness than most people would think.

In a single round, a golfer will swing an estimated average of 300 swings (including practice swings).  And they may even walk eight thousand yards, the equivalent of four to five miles.

Swinging a club over and over again twists the neck, back, shoulders and arms unnaturally, the physical stress loads become substantial, therefore overall fitness and endurance play a critical role in the game.

Stronger, fitter, more flexible athletes hit a ball further and straighter. They have better touch around the greens. And they also respond better under pressure, in the closing holes, for example, then do their weaker counterparts.

The term “the wheels are falling off” usually comes mid-round when you start to lose focus and your muscles start to fatigue. One way to alleviate this syndrome, is to work on increasing your endurance or stamina. The definition of endurance is the capacity of something to last or to withstand wear and tear.

Aerobic exercise also known as endurance exercise or ‘cardio’- is when oxygenated blood is pumped by the heart to muscles in the body, therefore the more you increase your aerobic capacity, the more endurance and stamina you will have on the golf course.

The American Heart Association recommends that everyone reach a minimum of 30 minutes of some form of cardiovascular exercise 5 to 7 days per week.

Start by adding short bursts of ‘cardio’ exercises into your daily routine to improve your endurance like this lateral side shuffle over the CardioGolf Slope.

CardioGolf Move of the Week-

CardioGolf.com

Lateral  Shuffle Over Slope-

1. Stand on one side of the Slope to start.
2. Carefully place one foot on top of the Slope and then step up and over to the other side of the Slope.
3. Alternating shuffling side to side on the Slope for your interval time (refer to the CardioGolf Slope Manual to determine your intensity level).

• Par Level: Do interval exercise for 20:40.
• Birdie Level: Do interval exercise for 30:30.
• Eagle Level: Do interval exercise for 40:20.

Modifications include:

• Keep motion low impact.
• Bend more from the knees to get down lower for more lower body strength.
• Add a hop or more speed for more intensity.

Benefits of this Exercise include:

• Multi-directional Movement
• Speed and Quickness
• Agility
• Balance
• Endurance
• The side to side motion combined with the quick change of direction, done in this exercise, is the same motion needed for the golf swing.