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There is a major difference between these two forms of fitness.
One that is very common is going into a gym, plopping down on
machines and isolating one muscle group at a time in a controlled environment. Picture for instance an abdominal machine. You lie down in it, grap fixed handles that guide you through a set range of motion.
That would be considered “general fitness”.
On other hand, picture standing (just like you do in golf) holding a single hand weight (dumbbell) straight out in front of you, and rotating (turning) back and through just like your golf swing. That is an exercise that would be consider fitness for golf. It directly benefits your rotational strength AND flexibility…enabling you to make a bigger turn with more power.
This area rapidly declines with older golfer. Abdominal strength and flexibility if not tested often, will decrease, and ability to make a full backswing with stored energy will be less and less…resulting in a massive reduction in power output, therefore distance.
So next time you’re on course and you get frustrated about you lack of distance off tee…ask yourself “what was last time you worked on your BODY?” Your answer will dictate your performance on a daily basis.
I have just barely scratched surface of importance of fitness for golf…but I hope I’ve got you thinking about how important fitness for golf is if you want to play your best golf.
About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Check out his new golf fitness – golf training site at Perform Better Golf.
