Can strength training improve your golf game?
PGA Hall of Famer Greg Norman says it can.
Norman, 63 and super-buff, recently posed nude for ESPN’s annual Body Issue, along with about a dozen much younger athletes from basketball, football and other sports.
“I’ve really looked after my body for a long time,” says Norman, famous for his fitness for many years on the PGA tour. “I don’t work out to be ego-fit. I work out to be life-fit. And that’s what I’ve always wanted to be.”
Being strong and flexible also helped him on the golf course – like a “15th club in my bag,” he says.
You might not want to pose nude any time soon, but here are some ways that time in the gym can improve time on the course.
Focus on core, mobility and flexibility, says current PGA star Justin Thomas. He works to stabilize muscles in his abdomen, back, hips and glutes – key for powerful swings and proper alignment.
As we age, we lose strength, flexibility and speed. Working out with weights can slow all of those.
Talk to your doctor or trainer before beginning any weightlifting program. They can help you foresee any problems – and also to design the right workout routine for you.
If an amateur golfer lacks flexibility, mobility, stability and core strength, “the ability to execute the golf swing in an efficient manner is going to be limited,” says Sean Cochran, trainer to PGA stalwart Phil Mickelson.
Norman encourages stretching, a light workout, or a massage after a round of golf.
And while all of this might seem like a newfangled twist on a traditional game, don’t forget the famous story of Jack Nicklaus.
When the legend was in his 20s, already a champion of many tournaments but overweight, he decided to slim down so he wouldn’t get tired on the golf course.
It was big news then – and, as history shows, it did nothing to hurt his golf game.
Get in touch with me today to get started with an exercise program to improve your golf game!