Guest post from wellness ethusiast, Susanne Loxton
Has your doctor advised you to take up more exercise? Do you find yourself wondering if taking your clubs out can suffice? These used to be my concerns, fuelled by those who claimed that golf isn’t a good way to work out or just serves as an excuse to socialise, eat and drink. Well, here I’m going to go through how a game of golf can be a real workout for your body.
Provides a Cardiovascular Workout
Walking is one of the gentlest forms of cardiovascular exercise. It may not get you sweating like a spin class would, but then again, it’s not supposed to. Not all of us are capable of high-intensity training – and that’s ok. If you play 18 holes on an average course of 4 miles in length more than twice a week then you will have walked enough to reduce your risk of cardiovascular heart disease.
Of course, the faster you walk, the better the workout will be for your heart. If you want to exercise for your health then ditch the buggy and enjoy some stress busting chats with friends as you walk your way around the course and reap the benefits.
Gives you the chance to do some weight bearing exercise
No, we’re not talking kettlebells here, but with an average golf bag laden down with all your clubs and accessories weighing in at approximately 10 kg, that’s quite a lot of weight. Pop that on your push cart and give yourself some weight bearing exercise as you traverse the hills and dips of the course and your muscles will make sure you know that they’re there at the end of the day!
Carrying your bag on your back will give you even more weight bearing exercise, but that weight distributed unevenly over your back can lead to lower back and foot pain overtime. As pain is not the aim of the game, stick to pushing your gear, you’ll still a get a workout but without the negative side effects.
Stretches the Hips and Glutes
Your hips and glutes are key to getting your swing right. After all, it is from here that we gain momentum which follows through the rest of the swing. The glutes are the biggest muscles in the body and when we work them out we feel it! Keeping this section of the body in good working order, which comes from perfecting your swing, will help you maintain optimum mobility in your later years.
Works Your Core
The core is the middle part of our body, from where we get the strength to perform most of our everyday movements. It’s not just about aesthetics or having a six pack, if we have a weak core then we can end up with restricted mobility in our arms and legs. Good core strength helps reduce back pain and improves our stability, balance, and posture. When golfing we need to ensure that we have some good core strength so that we have the ability to tilt our pelvis correctly for our swing, and so that we can control our posture and stability. When we play golf regularly this carefully cultivated and controlled swing from the core works this part of our body making sure that we maintain good mobility.
Keeps Your Upper Back in Good Shape
Do you ever get stress headaches that originate in your upper back or neck? They can be a right pain! These can come about when there’s tension on the levator scapula, which is located between the top of shoulder blade and cervical spine. When we sit at a desk all day our upper bodies get stuck in a rigid position, arms bent at the elbow to type, head titled to look at a screen and neck tight with tension. On the golf course our posture is completely different. In order to maintain a good swing we need to have good mobility and stability in our core and hip section, but without our upper backs and arms being in good nick we will very quickly succumb to injury as we try to overcompensate. Building up strength and mobility in our upper back, neck and arms from playing golf can help to reduce tension headaches as well as keep the muscles in this part of our body in tip top condition.
There is also a range of stretches that you can incorporate into your golf regime which will help improve mobility to better your game and your overall fitness.
For the best health benefits, when you hit the course remember to be sensible. The sun can be hot out there, so don’t forget your hat and sunscreen. The sun’s rays are reflected off all the surfaces around us, including the fairways, so even when you’re wearing your hat you can still get sunburned.
Stay hydrated, particularly during the summer. If you’re going to be out on the course for a couple of hours bring a bottle of water that you can sip throughout the game. Avoid sodas and caffeinated drinks; they don’t hydrate as much as water and can wreak havoc on your waistline. The same goes for those tasty bites in the clubhouse afterwards!
If you keep moving at a steady pace, do your warm up and stretches, and keep an eye on your snacks, golf can be a great addition to any fitness or weight loss regime.
Author’s Bio: Susanne Loxton is a wellness and personal development enthusiast who combines her zeal for all things healthy with a passion for writing. On a daily basis, Susanne works for Aubiz, a compendium of knowledge about companies in her native Australia. Follow her on Twitter @LoxtonSusanne
