This is a guest post from our fitness trainer, Kathy Ekdahl, of PersonalBestPersonalTraining.com
While golf season may be waning, there’s plenty to do in the off season on the fitness end of things to keep yourself strong and injury free. Whether you are an avid amateur golfer, or a pro, there are certain times of the year to emphasize various aspects of performance and fitness.
Spring and summer are when you should be working on swing mechanics and the golf game itself by meeting with your pro and practicing at the range. Late fall into spring is when improving your fitness can be your major project, getting the body physically ready for the upcoming season.
This variety in training intensity and focus is called periodization, and allows athletes to increase workload and performance just in time to peak for the season, as well as taper off workload at the end of the season to rest and recover.
So, how is this executed?
- If you’ve played a lot of golf this season, and are experiencing overuse injuries, take a few weeks off to rest and recover.
- Then, beginning in late fall, progressively increase your strength and flexibility with a consistent exercise program.
- Late winter/early spring is the time to really increase workload- power, speed and strength can all be emphasized- just in time to start the season in April.
While periodization is about emphasizing certain aspects of your game or your golf fitness, remember, fitness should always be a part of your life! Having a knowledgeable physical trainer can help you to create the type of fitness programs which will enhance your golf performance, not decrease it.
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Kathy Ekdahl, CSCS, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, is the owner of Personal Best Personal Training in Hudson, Massachusetts. She is a former health club owner and has been teaching Yoga since 1997. Kathy is a TPI Certified Golf Fitness Instructor and is the Staff Personal Trainer at The International Golf Club, Bolton, MA. Kathy also coaches Women’s Varsity Lacrosse at Hudson High School.
