Continuing with the April 2022 Activity/Exercise #IMWChallenge.
Today let’s talk Golf Fitness with yet another guest author.
I have known Beth for almost 20 years. She was and still is my family’s personal trainer. Then Beth discovered golf and opened up a whole new type of training. I never thought golfers were in the best of physical shape but I have learned much over the past few years and will admit when I am wrong.
So while some people prefer running, and others lifting to get exercise, perhaps now we should consider “swinging” into another form of exercise. You know, there are different “strokes” for different folks!
So please keep reading so you can stay on “par” with the #IMWChallenge .
Take it away Beth!
Our bodies were built to move. Regardless of age or activity level, we need to stay active. The more functionally strong a person can maintain, the longer you can remain healthy. You feed the body with the oxygen and the nutrients it needs by staying in motion. By doing so, you continue to challenge the inner working of your body (Central nervous system, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems). The best part of your unique physical body; it’s never to late to start moving.
Golf is one of those sports that can be played late into your 80’s and 90’s. Like many sports it requires good core strength. (Abdominals, glutes, and leg strength). You are required to stabilize one side or part of the body while moving another. Training for golf gives you functional strength and gets better with breath work. Inhale into the top of the back swing, then exhale as your coming down into follow through (hitting the ball).
To really enhance your golf game, you need to work on exercises like Spinal balance (all fours, face down and extending the opposite hand and foot). Really feeling that lengthening across the whole body. Any exercises that incorporate balance, grip strength and moving the top half of your body independently from the lower half will grow your game.
So if you are a golfer and want to work on fitness more specific for golf, if you want to lower that handicap and change some of those bogeys into pars or birdies, perhaps consider training with someone focused on golf.
Beth Bartholomew
Head Personal Trainer
Golf Performance Institute
856-638-5906
Thanks Beth!
My golf story and how it helped in the founding of the Institute for Medical Wellness.
About 14 years or so ago I belonged to a club with supposedly a really tough golf course. That is not the reason I joined the club. I actually just wanted a pool and a good place to eat out at times.
But they had a big golf program so I decided to try out golf. I went out a bought a beginner set of used golf clubs.
I went to a driving range and tried hitting some balls.
As I was a pretty good tennis player in high school and college I thought my hand eye coordination would serve me well in golf.
Boy oh boy was I wrong.
But I wanted to try and learn the game. So I signed up for a golf lesson with a golf pro at the club. It was a 30 minute lesson. I don’t think I was very impressive and I needed lots of instruction. So the lesson is over and I know I did not pick up on the instructions too well. But I wanted to give golf a real go. I wanted to be able to benefit from not only all the outdoors and walking, but even socially golf has many benefits.
I asked the golf pro what I should do now to improve.
Should I go to the range and hit more?
Should I schedule follow-up lessons on a weekly or monthly basis?
Should I watch the Golf Channel and try and pick up some tips?
His answer to me and this is a quote.
“Whatever” and then he turned his back and walked away.
What did I learn from this?
I guess I really had golf potential - NOT!
I guess golf was not meant for me and I’d better just stick to tennis.
Perhaps if I had a golf trainer like Beth back then I might have made a better impression?
I did save a whole lot of $$ not having to practice my golf swing.
I also learned to not buy golf clubs until you know you will be using them on a regular basis!!
Anyone want to buy an old set of starter golf clubs? I’d have to find where I put them but…
Oh I remember where I last saw them. I last used them on my old health insurer contracts. I put the contracts that were expiring on the ground and used the golf clubs to rip them up. I think I “parred” or “birdied” most of those expiring contracts as I “sliced” through them.
And that is how my adventure in golf helped me get rid of health insurance contracts leading to the founding of the Institute for Medical Wellness and I will always be grateful for that day!
Memes of the Day
The ADHD meme is from Instagram. You should follow the Neurodivergent nurse there as she can be funny with ADHD.
As always, comments and questions encouraged.
Do you have any good golf stories you would like to share?
I actually went in reverse. I didn’t have the patience for golf, and I gave tennis a try!
Speaking of little white(or sometimes brown) balls, here is an excellent post on how powerful whole eggs are💪🏼
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CcgpRgYjzd0/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=