Wednesday, April 2, 2008

The Right Golf Training Aid is Out there

Most golfers want to improve their game. Of the many, many choices available, you can find the golf training aid that can help you improve virtually any and every aspect of your game. These include weighted clubs, impact balls, special mats, measuring devices and much, much more. Many golfers would agree that although golf is an easy game to learn, it is difficult to master.

Each golf training aid is designed to help you focus on one thing, such as your stance or your swing. Practicing over and over trains your mind and your body until the correct positioning or motion becomes second nature on the golf course.

However, a golf training aid that works for one person wont necessarily provide someone else the same benefits. Those new to the game of golf have an advantage in using training aidstheir lack of experience means almost any aid will be helpful by providing experience just by using it. More experienced golfers have probably developed bad habits that are harder to change. Or, they have very specific faults they want to address and its harder to find a golf training aid specific enough to improve those faults.

Whether you are a beginner or a golfer who has logged hours on courses around the globe, you will only benefit from training aids that are suited to your needs and your preferred learning methods. Read reviews and keep yourself updated about the teaching aids available. Dont be shy: talk to other golfers and find out what training tools they have found helpful.

Aside from making sure you choose a golf training aid best suited to your needs, make sure your selection makes sense. Be wary of products that make promises as well as those that address a certain skill without also touching on the related skills. For example, a training aid designed to increase your swing speed should also focus on establishing a good swing. What good is a faster swing if you are just hitting the ball into the woods? If the product promises to improve your swing speed without also addressing swing control, quality and accuracy, move on to another aid.

Bear in mind that a golf training aid can only improve your game to the degree that your body is able. If you dont have a good foundation of strength and flexibility, a training aid can only do so much. Work on improving your physical condition along with the specifics of your golf game.

Another important factor in successfully benefiting from a golf training aid is regularly using it. It will take several sessions with the device before you will see a difference in your game. Dont give up too quickly and move your training tool to the garage or basement never to be seen again.

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Dr. Richard Myers provides the avid golfer with the proper golf training aid improve his or her golf game. If the perfect game eludes you, see Richard at ThinkandReachPar.com.

Yoga Mat Carry

Play Better Longer: Reducing Golf Related Injury

On the surface golf may look to be a slow paced low impact sport with little risk of injury. However, as many golfers have unfortunately discovered looks can be deceiving. The Physician and Sports Medicine Journal reports 57% to 67.5% of all golfers will sustain some type of golf related injury.

Scientifically speaking our body was not designed to swing a golf club. During the swing strong compression, shear, and torsion force is produced placing our spine, joints and muscles at a relatively high risk for injury. The golf swing is an explosive movement that demands precise coordination of muscle contraction and relaxation, postural stability, strength, balance and body awareness. That is not to say we cannot swing a golf club without these elements. The body does a great job in compensating for weakness and faulty movement. However, there is a downside to this compensation. The downside is inconsistency, loss of power, and overuse of certain muscles which often leads to muscle and joint pain and injury.

Many golfers spend hours upon hours practicing their swing with little or no time devoted to training their bodies. This type of golf preparation usually results in two things: 1. Inconsistency 2. Aches and pains

So how does the golfer reduce their risk of injury? By establishing and maintaining core strength, muscle balance and flexibility by participating in a well developed integrated exercise program. Increased muscular efficiency and flexibility allow you to increase power and consistency while drastically reducing chances of pain and injury.

Beware; all golf fitness programs are not created equal. There are many programs out there that are merely body building or general strength training routines masquerading as golf fitness programs. These programs generally focus on training specific muscles or muscle groups with little attention paid to movement. Lying flat on a bench and pushing weight off your chest or doing biceps curls that isolate one single joint movement will hardly translate to improved performance on the golf course. In fact, many of the standard gym exercises found in such programs further disrupt muscle balance and postural stability and can increase risk of injry.

There are other golf fitness programs out there that claim to strengthen golf muscles by promoting exercises that mimic the golf swing. There are two problems with this approach to golf fitness. The first problem being; there are no specific golf muscles. It takes virtually every muscle in the body working in precise concert to complete a golf swing. The second problem is; due to the repetition necessary to master the golf swing those targeted golf muscles are often already over developed and over tight in relation to the rest of the body. Performing exercises that mimic the golf swing prior to establishing a strong foundation and good muscle balance will only strengthen the imbalance and lead to further inconsistency and greater chance of injury.

Look for a qualified strength and conditioning or fitness professional that has a solid understanding of not only exercise science and biomechanics, but also the physical demands of the golf swing. Increased muscular strength and efficiency will allow you to increase power and consistency while drastically reducing chances of pain and injury. Add a well developed integrated exercise routine into routine and you will not only be playing better, but you will feel better doing it.

Bill Scibetta, RN, NSCA-CPT

Bill is the founder and President of Precision Fitness Personal Training Centers in the Charlotte, NC area and co-author of the book Play Better Longer! Peak Performance and Injury Prevention for Golf. Bill is a licensed Registered Nurse as well as a National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Personal Trainer. After spending years practicing in the specialty of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Bill has dedicated his career to helping individuals identify and overcome obstacles that stand in the way of optimal wellness and peak physical performance.

http://www.LakeNormanFitness.com

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