What The Average Amateur Golfer Says…
- “Hi, I’m interested in learning more about personal training with an emphasis on functional movement and flexibility for golf & life.”
- “Hello, I’m interested in starting a golf-related training program to increase mobility, improve recovery and avoid injury.”
- “I want to increase overall strength and mobility to allow me more consistency, easier recovery, and better quality of life.”
- “Looking to develop a golf fitness routine that allows me to improve my swing and its endurance.”
“My body doesn’t work the way it needs to – to play golf the way I want to and I have no clue what to do.”
The key word in that sentence is POTENTIAL. Improving or removing the physical restrictions that are preventing you from playing your best golf is only part of the solution.
Step 1: The TPI Level 1 Screen
The screen will identify just what movements you are good at and what you need help with. This is the starting point for improvement. Until we know what the problem is we can’t fix it.
Most of you will struggle with mobility, core strength, and coordination. Together we decide where to begin. Since mobility is almost always in need of improvement I will take you through the following 5 steps to help get the most out of your body so you can get the most out of your swing.
- Roll it (self-myofascial release)
Self-myofascial release (SMR) helps to hydrate the body’s soft tissue (muscle & fascia), as well as creating an effect on the nervous system, allowing the muscle to relax.
- Stretch It
Once we have hydrated the tissue we have a window of opportunity to stretch it. This kind of stretching is static. One that you hold for a sustained period.
- Distract It
By distract I mean applying a mechanical force from within (as with ELDOA stretches), or with the aid of something like a strength band as you see below.
(Scott James Bailey)
***WARNING: Just because you get some flexibility in your myofascial system and mobility in your joints doesn’t mean you’ll swing the club any differently. We have to work on Motor Control.
What Is Motor Control?
Motor control is the ability of the nervous system to control movement
Just because you have the physical ability to do it, your brain is still running the old software program it developed around the physical limitation you had before you started your program. That means you need to reprogram the movement patterns of the swing.
- Move It
Up until now, all we have done is give us the best opportunity to take a joint through its full range of motion. In this case, the hips. Exercises that are prescribed should be a combination of open-chain and closed-chain. Meaning, one with your foot NOT connected to the ground and one or more with your foot connected to the ground. Here are a few examples:
Open Chain
Closed Chain
- Groove It (use the new mobility in the pattern relative to your sport)
In the examples above, the work was done on the hip complex to create more internal and external rotation. Something all of you will struggle with.
In this Wall Drill, you get a chance to use the new range of motion in internal and external rotation to avoid the dreaded Early Extension swing fault and allow you to be a more powerful and consistent golfer.
Brett’s Bottom Line:
If you want a different outcome from your swing you MUST:
- Roll it
- Stretch it
- Distract it
- Move it
- Groove it (that’s practicing the pattern) the previous 4 stages simply give you the window of opportunity to do something different in your swing.
If your body doesn’t work the way it needs to – to play golf the way you want to, come see the Guru. I can help you Play Golf Better.
Ready to take your game to the next level? I’m here to help.
“Like so many others, I took regular golf lessons but resisted the notion that I was out of shape. I have been working with Brett for 3 years and I now understand what I believe to be true for virtually every golfer over 50, namely that we are physically unable to produce the swing that our golf pros are teaching us.”__Mark Cusick
