5 Tips to Prep Your Body for Golfing

Now that golf season is in full swing, you’re surely ready and eager to get back on the course. Though you may be really excited to start playing again, you should take a moment to consider whether your body and health is in check. If you haven’t golfed in a while, you should be careful and take a moment to assess if you’re in shape. According to experts, the six pillars of golf training are balance, flexibility, posture, core stability, strength and power, and cardiovascular fitness.^[1]

Check out these tips on how to prep your body so you’re ready to jump back into golfing.

Stretch It Out

Right before you go out golfing, you’re probably eager and ready to hit the course and enjoy your day. But you should take the time to stretch and make sure your body is fully ready for the day. If you don’t stretch, you make yourself more prone to injuries. The most common golf injuries are knee pain, tendonitis in the elbows, and back pain. ^[2] To decrease your likelihood of injury and pain, you should stretch. On top of that, flexibility can help you get that fluid golf swing.

Stretching is only one aspect to fitness. According to certified personal trainer Brandon Fahrer, you should make sure to warm your muscles by walking, doing jumping jacks, and other cardio movements before you start stretches. ^[3] Once your muscles are warmed up, you will be able to tackle your stretches with ease. After you do a warm-up, you should stretch your back, hips, elbows, wrist, core, harmstripes, arms, and shoulders. ^[4] This way, you can be prepared to spend a day out on the golf course.

Workout Frequently

In a similar vein to stretching, strengthening your muscles at the gym can help you both avoid injuries and improve your performance on the course. When it comes to strength training, Fahrer recommends that golfers focus on:

Lumbar mobility
Thoracic mobility
Shoulder, hip, knee stability
Back, core, rotational work

Thoracic mobility can be particularly beneficial for golfers because it may decrease shoulder pain^[5]. There are numerous thoracic mobility exercises including deep squats, side lying windmill, and cat-camel drills^[6]. On another note, lumbar mobility may impact your posture, breathing, and the movement of your arms and legs^[7]. Some lumbar mobility exercises include child’s pose, hamstring stretch, and pelvic tilts^[8]. If you want to focus on your core, you should look into crunches, planks, and mountain climbers^[9].

Try Yoga or Pilates

To improve your performance on the course, you should look into yoga and pilates. These two activities can boost your balance, core stability, strength, and flexibility. Not only that, they can also help you feel more relaxed and at ease — a clear mind can take you a long way. Being loose and limber can boost your golf skills. On top of that, having a regular workout routine can ensure that you’re in shape to do your best.

Stay Hydrated And Eat Well

In order to get the most benefits from working out and stretching, you should eat a healthy diet and stay hydrated. Especially in the days leading up to the golf game, you need to make sure you’re drinking enough work and eating right. Here’s how you can get a healthy, balanced diet. For carbs, you should eat oatmeal, rice, or toast. Try focusing on lean proteins such as eggs (or egg whites), turkey, and chicken. Of course, any balanced diet needs some fruits and vegetables. To get that extra boost of energy, eat a nutritious breakfast the morning of your golf tournament. Since you will be active, don’t eat anything that will make you feel too heavy or bloated.

Skincare Is Crucial

Though the pillars don’t tackle skincare, nobody wants to leave the course with a sizzling sunburn. Since you are out beneath the sun all day, it’s important that you take precautionary measures like wearing a hat, drinking plenty of water, and using sunscreen. Even after the sunburn fades, it’s impact on your skin can be long-lasting. To prevent skin cancer, thoroughly apply a sunscreen that is at least SPF 30^[10].

If you’ve already experienced some sun damage and wish you had more sun protection over the years, it’s not too late. Look into a high quality men’s anti aging cream that can help get your skin back to where you want it to be. These days, even prescription-strength treatments like that are available for purchase 100% online and shipped to you, so you don’t need to see a specialist or pick up meds at a pharmacy.

Golfing is a fantastic opportunity to spend some quality time outside with friends and family. If you want to perform your best and avoid unnecessary injuries, make sure you’re in shape and doing the proper exercises and stretches beforehand. As long as you approach it with patience and an open-mind, you will do great and achieve the six pillars of golf training.

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^[1] https://www.precisionnutrition.com/6-pillars-training-golf

^[2] https://www.golfchannel.com/article/golf-fitness-magazine/10-common-golf-injuries

^[3] https://www.progressivekineticwellness.com/about

^[4] https://www.healthline.com/health/9-stretches-to-benefit-your-golf-game

^[5] https://westcoastsci.com/blog/importance-of-thoracic-upper-back-mobility/

^[6] https://www.movementenhanced.com.au/blog/5-exercises-for-thoracic-mobility/

^[7] https://www.mygcphysio.com.au/services/articles-useful-info/thoracic-spine-upper-back-mobility-why-its-so-important-to-everyone/

^[8] https://fitclinic.com.au/2019/04/6-basic-mobility-exercises-for-lower-back-pain/

^[9] https://www.healthline.com/health/best-core-exercises#beginner

^[10] https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/choose-the-right-sunscreen.html

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5 Tips to Prep Your Body for Golfing