5 Tips for Introducing Yourself to Golf Fitness
If you are looking to begin a golf fitness or training regiment for the first time this off-season, first and foremost welcome!
I want you to know that I, as well as the community at SCRATCH Golf Training, are here to support you.
I have 5 tips that you NEED to consider as you begin your journey into golf fitness.
Let's dive in.
[1.] Set goals - Write them down - Share them
Before starting our fitness journey, we should understand why.
What are we hoping to achieve with fitness? Why do we want to achieve that?
The actual act of fitness, isn't the goal.
I don't workout to get better at working out - and I am guessing you don't either.
Instead, we use fitness and training to help us reach a goal. We use it as a means to an end.
Set goals for yourself.
Write them down.
And share them with loved ones - people who truly care about you and want you to meet those goals.
And that brings me to another point that I'll lump into this first key: Surround yourself with people who genuinely care about the golf fitness mission you are setting for yourself.
Join a community, or bring the right people into your circle, that will embody your mission and actively root for your success.
If you need somebody to share your goals with, or a community to join, you know where to go > SCRATCHGolfTraining.com.
[2.] Get on a consistent schedule
Put training on your calendar.
Keep it consistent week over week.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7 am.
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 10 am.
Whatever your weekly schedule looks like, keep it consistent.
Keep it repeatable.
Something you will always be able to attend.
Something that you can never say "Ope a meeting a popped up" or "Dang, have to stay late at the office today."
No excuses.
Pick a time. Stick with it. Get it done.
[3.] Start VERY Simple
As you begin training, positive adaptations will be created very quickly. Your body isn't well adapted to stress. Because of this, the moment you expose it to a even just a small magnitude stressor, it will need to create adaptations.
As you become a more experienced trainee, adaptations become tougher to create due to the fact that your body is already well adapted to stress.
As a beginner, complete very simple exercises and training sessions.
Exercises that you can start feeling confident and strong within.
Complex exercises with no real adaptation producing mechanisms run rampant in the golf fitness world.
"Next we are going to do a rotational lunge into a step up with a light band pulling you to the right... "
This is a clear sign that your coach is more for show than for the benefits of you as an athlete.
You can get SUPER far in your training journey with just four exercises:
[4.] Strength train more than you cardio train
So many people walk into a gym, hop on a treadmill or stationary bike for 45 minutes and call it a day.
Not us. Not you.
Increasing your heart rate in training has important health benefits.
However, I would argue even more important for our movement ability is strength training.
Why?
Getting stronger is extremely functional and will increase your resilience to injury.
Strength training will improve the function of joints, which will help you move pain free and through the ranges of motion necessary for your golf swing.
Becoming stronger offers your movement more options and more adaptability.
Lastly, you can increase your heart rate and burn calories amongst strength training as much, or potentially even more so, than you would in cardiovascular training.
Spend most of your training time initially getting STRONGER.
Learning some of the "fundamental" movement patterns that exist in the training world.
Squats. Push Ups. Hinging. Rowing.
Get really strong in each of these patterns, and the many variations of exercises that fall within them (and that I post often).
[5.] Get a Coach
This isn't just a cheeky plug to join the SCRATCH Golf Training Community, it's a note that you should get a coach - any coach that you can trust.
Strength and conditioning coaches, like myself, spend their lives helping individuals like yourself maximize your ability to MOVE.
You only get one chance to explore this world.
To utilize your movement ability to see and experience this world.
Want to go travel and play golf somewhere? Your movement better be ready.
Want to go hiking with your family? Your movement better be ready.
Want to go bike on the coast line? Your movement better be ready.
Make sure it is by getting a quality coach.
Have a great off-season, and don't hesitate to reach out to me, Carter, if you need anything along the way!
Carter Schmitz
Founder and Head Coach - SCRATCHGolfTraining.com
CSCS, TPI
Carter is a strength and conditioning coach out of the Milwaukee area working with athletes, in-person and virtually. Having helped hundreds of athletes, ranging from the middle school to the professional level and beyond, Carter brings a breadth of experience and knowledge to every athlete he works with. He launched SCRATCHGolfTraining.com in the summer of 2021 to help empower golfers to greater performance and longevity.
Carter believes ALL golfers are athletes, and they should be training accordingly.
Become a SCRATCH Athlete today, and start training like the ATHLETE you are!
