Golf may seem like an idle diversion, but its health benefits can be astounding. With some planning and preparation, golf offers all of its rewarding social and outdoor activities that are fun at your leisure!
Even when riding in a cart, moderate exercise can still be gained, as walking across a golf course requires stride length and intensity to travel from hole to hole. Furthermore, walking across increases core and upper body strength, thereby improving balance and posture.
Cardiovascular Workouts
Golf may not seem like an aerobic workout, but it can provide great cardiovascular workouts. Walking from tee to ball and carrying your bag burns calories quickly – as does improving balance which can prevent back injuries.
Swinging a club and walking the course aren’t difficult strength-training exercises, yet they help develop a stronger core. Golf also makes an excellent way to keep both hands and arms in great condition!
Golf may not seem like a strenuous cardio activity. Still, research published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine shows that it can improve cardiovascular profiles for healthy adults in similar ways to Nordic walking and regular walking. Walking 18 holes three to five times weekly provides optimal endurance exercise for your heart.
Strength Training
Golf may not be a high-impact sport, but swinging a club and walking an 18-hole course can provide significant strength training benefits. Golfing utilizes muscles such as the biceps, triceps, and quadriceps as well as core muscles; additionally, carrying heavy bags around can be an excellent upper-body strength workout.
Implementing a golf-specific strength training routine can boost performance and injury prevention on the course. Following a dynamic warm-up routine is crucial, along with stretching the areas of your body used during golf swinging (neck, shoulders, hips, wrists, elbows, and knees).
Golf can be an enjoyable and beneficial outdoor pastime, offering numerous health benefits like lower blood pressure, stronger immunity and plenty of Vitamin D.
Flexibility
But unlike biceps curls and chest presses that can tighten muscles that inhibit your golf swing, golf-specific flexibility routines increase range of motion through joints essential to full golf swinging. By stretching and exercising properly for golf swinging, golf-specific flexibility routines help extend playback times, hit further distances with each shot, and reduce injury risks.
One reason Tour pros make their game look effortless is how well their bodies function. When their hips, spine, and shoulders move freely, they can produce powerful yet consistent golf swings without pain on the course.
Golf will help develop your flexibility, core strength, and cardiovascular endurance – the cornerstones of good health – necessary for improved scores and a healthier lifestyle. Start playing today – your scores may benefit as a bonus! PGA Pro Randy Myers provides an effective training program designed to build functional strength while increasing clubhead speed and eliminating swing flaws to create an easier and more consistent swing motion.
Injury Prevention
Golf may seem leisurely, but it can still be physically demanding. Golf involves repetitive movements that utilize many muscle groups – shoulders, hips and core – but lacking strength or flexibility in these areas may lead to injury. Furthermore, twisting and turning of the body while swinging a club can stress joints such as your back, knees, and elbows that might otherwise not experience stress as often.
Medial epicondylitis, or “golfer’s elbow,” is an often painful condition of the elbow that develops over time and can appear anywhere along its entirety. Stretching shoulder, elbow, and hand muscles before playing golf and as part of the cool-down routine may help avoid this condition.
A proper golf fitness regimen requires dynamic stretches and resistance training exercises that strengthen hip, back, and core muscles to reduce injury risk, particularly when combined with an individual training program focused on increasing swing performance and power.
