Golf Swing Conditioning and Habit Building - Backswing

Explosive Golf, Using the Science of Kinesiology to Improve Your Swing is a book by Dr. Michael Yessis that demonstrates ways to enhance your physical approach and understanding of swing mechanics though golf focused training movement.  Try incorporating these routines with your functional fitness work as prescribed by ep golf and build your golf foundation for performance improvement.

Changing or creating habits is not simple or easy.  Forget the 21 day myth.  Scientific research indicates an average of closer to 65 days, more or less depending on the person, the activity, and the frequency of engaging in the behavior.  Off course in the morning or evening, is a great opportunity for building or maintaining habits for a strong foundation of golf fundamentals which will lead to lower scores and fewer golf related injuries.

Backswing – an effective backswing plays an important role in delivering explosive power in the downswing.  When a muscle is actively stretched, it will in turn contract with greater force.  In golf, the muscles involved in the downswing are placed in a stretched position during the backswing.  Increasing flexibility and strength of the muscles involved in the backswing will enable greater trunk and arm movement and increase the distance over which you can generate power during the downswing.

Increasing flexibility and strengthening the muscles involved in the backswing will improve your ability to achieve a full wind up of the trunk and full range shoulder turn.  The greater the coil effect of the backswing, the greater distance over which you can generate power during the downswing.  Shoulder rotation, wrist flexion, arm coiling (across chest), and hip turn all contribute to an effective back swing that prepares the golfer to release the energy required for a powerful shot.

Shoulder or trunk rotation to the rear is an important action in the backswing.  The movement involves low back muscles whose strength, along with midsection flexibility, determines the amount of shoulder rotation you can attain.

• Shoulder Twist (see video below) A simple movement to strengthen the lower back and develop midsection flexibility is the shoulder twist which can be accomplished with a pole or bar across the shoulders or simply with outstretched arms.  Note: using only outstretched arms will not produce the same level of stretch to the midsection.

• Back Raise with a Twist (see video below) An extremely effective exercise which adds the resistance of gravity.  Use a balance ball to adjust angles for difficulty and add the element of balance and stability to the movement.

• Wrist Cock (see video below) Increases the rearward distance that the club head travels during the backswing.  Use a weighted handle or simply grip a club for the movement, the closer you grip to the end of the club will increase resistance.

• Left Shoulder Joint Active Stretch (see video below) The left arm should be close to the chest for maximum coiling and compactness of the backswing.   A tight coiling action prepares the muscles to pull the left arm down and across explosively in the downswing.

• Static Right Hip Builder (see video below) The right leg must remain stable during the backswing to prevent lateral weight shift to the rear and to ensure tight coiling of the trunk around the right leg.

Make this backswing series one of your weekly routines.  Do multiple sets if you have the time and capacity.  If you have adequate space in your workout area, take some slow backswings with a club after your strengthening drills as you cool down.  Visualize a full turn and tight coil that is preparing you to launch a powerful stroke toward your target.

Golf Swing Conditioning and Habit Building - Stance

Explosive Golf, Using the Science of Kinesiology to Improve Your Swing is a book by Dr. Michael Yessis that demonstrates ways to enhance your physical approach and understanding of swing mechanics though golf focused training movement. Try incorporating these routines with your functional fitness work as prescribed by ep golf and build your golf foundation for performance improvement.

Changing or creating habits is not simple or easy. Off course in the morning or evening, is a great opportunity for building or maintaining habits for a strong foundation of golf fundamentals which will lead to lower scores and fewer golf related injuries. A combination of general activities for overall body conditioning which strengthen basic muscle groups to increase functional potential and specialized activities that mimic swing movements and actions are keys to improving the golf swing.

Most days, when you arrive home from work (or before you leave if that works better for you), engage in movement activities that will improve your conditioning and improve your game. Activities that will improve the proficiency of your stance, backswing, downswing, and follow through can be mixed or you can focus on one aspect of the swing during each session. Each element is important and each builds upon its predecessor to create a great swing.

Stance – The golf stance refers to the both the body position at address and body position during the swing. When hitting the ball on non-level surfaces, different types of terrain, under tree branches and in heavy rough, you must usually make modifications to the swing. Maintaining a stable position during execution of the swing is a key element to smooth, well-coordinated body actions. Achieving a stable body position with normal spinal curvature when you rotate the hips and shoulders during the golf swing is one of the keys to hitting more accurate and powerful shots in addition to prevention of back injuries.

Relatively strong quadriceps muscles (front of the thigh) and hamstrings (back of the thigh) help maintain a stable lower body during all phases of the golf swing. They also help maintain level hips during weight shift and hip rotation. The knees, hips, and ankles are all involved in maintaining a balanced position with body weight slightly lowered and centered over the feet. The back squat and delay squat are great movements for enabling us to assume and maintain an effective golf stance.

• Basic Squat: (see video below) Start without any external resistance until you have mastered the movement and can perform at least 25 consecutive repetitions without weight or resistance.
  
• Delay Squat: (see video below) During the golf swing, the leg muscles must remain under static contraction to hold a steady position. The delay squat helps develop the muscles involved in maintaining the static posture required.

• Good Morning: (see video below) Strong hip extensors and lower back muscles are required to maintain the proper trunk position and spinal curvature, both at address and during the swing. The good morning helps develop the muscles responsible for achieving proper and safe curvature of the spine during the swing.

Do these simple movements several times per week. Don’t just go through the movements like a chore. Visualize yourself at address and making a balanced swing from different lies. Play the game in your mind while building a solid stance. Establish a habit of regular golf development and watch your scores come down.

Golf Swing Conditioning and Habit Building - Introduction

Changing or creating habits is not simple or easy. If it were, we would never shank an iron or “peek” at the line before completing our putting stroke, we wouldn’t overeat and would all be thin, and we would all be up early enough to eat a healthy breakfast before work.

The commonly recited 21 day rule for forming or breaking habits is a myth. For most people, breaking and refraining from a bad habit is a lifetime effort, compounded by the fact that our brains form strong associations between activities and their context which never go away. No apparent scientific reason has been established which indicates it should take three weeks to break an old habit or make a new one. Depending on your unique goals, physical, and psychological profile and the activity/habit you which to establish or break, it could take three weeks, it could take five days, or it could take nine months.

Research shows that habits are formed through a process called ‘context-dependent repetition’. For example, imagine that, when you get home each evening, you do a simple exercise. When you first exercise upon getting home, a mental link is formed between the context (getting home) and your response to that context (exercise). Each time you subsequently exercise in response to getting home, this link strengthens, to the point that getting home comes to prompt you to exercise automatically, without giving it much prior thought; a habit has formed.

Habits are mentally efficient: the automation of frequent behaviors allows us to conserve the mental resources that we would otherwise use to monitor and control these behaviors, and deploy them on more difficult or novel tasks. Habits are likely to persist over time; because they are automatic and so do not rely on conscious thought, memory or willpower. We ultimately want to capitalize on this phenomenon of the mental links associated with ‘habits’ in establishing and sustaining our desired behaviors.

If one of your golf game goals is to increase your driving and iron shot distance and accuracy, start with these steps to increase your chances of success:

• Take small steps and build up gradually. Instead of “I’m going to exercise every single day,” start with “I’m going to do some type of simple exercise at least twice a week right when I get home.”
  

• Only try to change one habit at a time. (Instead of “I’m going to quit eating all junk food, start exercising, and go to sleep at 10 p.m. instead of 2 a.m.,” start with “I’m going to walk (weather permitting or do a golf exercise when I get home from work.”)
  

• Write down the habit you want to change, and write down specific plans for achieving that goal. Rather than writing “I will exercise,” write, “I will start walking or doing a simple golf exercise 30 minutes twice a week when I arrive home from work.”
  

• Repeat the behavior you’re aiming for as often as you can. The more a behavior is repeated, the more likely it is that it will become “instinctive.”
  

In the coming weeks, we will outline groups of both general and golf specific movements that you can do to improve your overall golf game and conditioning.

Lisa "Longball" Vlooswyk talks long drive, training, mental prep, and backflips!

Lisa "Longball" Vlooswyk

EP Golf: Tell us a little about yourself, and your background?

Lisa Longball:  I am currently ranked 4th in the World in ladies long drive and am the 7-time Canadian Long Drive Champion for women, a Golf Entertainer at corporate and charity golf outings, Keynote Peak Performance Speaker and Golf Journalist.  Many people do not know I used to be a 30+ handicap just over 10 years ago and an elementary school teacher.

EP: Why did you become interested in long driving?

LL:  I played in my first amateur golf tournament and I was 80-100 yards longer than most of the other girls.  I saw an advertisement for a long drive competition and won with a 313 yard drive with a driver I bought at Costco.  I won my first National title the next year and came 6th in the world.  I was hooked!


EP: What is your longest drive?

LL: My longest drive in completion was briefly a world record at 350 yards 2 feet 2 inches.  351 is the new record.  I was the first woman to hit it over 350 yards in competition.

EP: How important is strength & conditioning and fitness to the long driver?

LL: I think it is a key and integral component especially as you continue you in the sport.  Being both strong and flexible helps to not only hit it farther but prevent injuries.

EP: What do you do to make sure you have the strength to hit as far as you do?

LL: People always grab my bicep when they hear I am a long driver.  They think it is arm strength that makes me hit it so far.  That couldn’t be further from the truth.  It is in fact strong and explosive legs and core that helps players hit it deep.  I do a lot of plyometrics and core stability exercises.

EP: How much time do you spend per week conditioning your fitness and how much time per week practicing your swing?

LL: I work out 6 days a week especially in my off season.  This is the time to get strong.  I start hitting balls again In January after a 6-8 week break.  The break helps me rejuvenate, recharge and get hungry for hitting again.  I will start out 2-3 times a week then ramp up to practicing 4-5 times per week.

EP: Do you vary your routine as you approach a competition date?

LL: I have had some discussions with my trainer Dr. Ryan Emmons (http://www.cadencesportstherapy.com/) about this.  He has found that I have made too many changes going into competition season.  This year I plan to not make significant changes a few weeks out from big events and instead maintain my routine and coast into the competitions instead of changing things last minute.

EP: How important is nutrition to the long driver?

LL: I think it is a key to sustaining energy for long periods of time.  On the completion days it is a double elimination format and you often have to stay fresh for 2-3 of potential hitting.

EP: How do you handle the pressure of a big competition?

LL: Being prepared.  If you do the work before hand you should feel excited to compete not scared.  I also love music and it motivates me.  My song this year on the way to the grid was Avicci’s Wake me Up!

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“I was the first woman to hit it over 350 yards in competition.”

“It is in fact strong and explosive legs and core that helps players hit it deep.”

EP: How did you learn your technique for hitting long drives?  Is it transferable to a normal round of golf?

LL: I have just always naturally hit it far.  Most women do not hit it over 200 yards.  The reason being is most women are arm lifters versus making a  good turn and most women don’t take a good rip at the ball!  In terms of it being a transferable skill absolutely.  People think I just hit my driver far but when I am at 155 yards I use an 8 iron.  The difference is I only get one ball off the tee versus 6 in long drive so I just don’t swing at 110%.  I swing at  75% to keep it on the short grass.

EP: How do you mentally prepare for competition?  How do you mentally prepare for practice?

LL: I do a lot of visualization and simulation.  I often pretend I am at World Championships  and I put stop watch out timing 2 minutes and 45 seconds and I picture the Remax Balloon at the end of the grid, the yardage markers, the lights  and the announcer’s voice over the crackling speakers.  I pretend I am there and on the actual day of the event I feel like I have been there a 1,000 times before.

EP: What is your golf handicap?

LL: I play to a 6.

EP: What is different between long drivers and your typical LPGA member?

LL: We only have to be good at one small aspect of the game.  When I was preparing to compete in a LPGA Monday qualifier I was overwhelmed at having to practice chipping, putting, irons, fairway woods, hybrids and on course practice.  It was a full time job!  The short games of LPGA Players is what separates us.  They get up and down from EVERY WHERE and don’t miss fairways!

EP: What was your best experience as a competitive long driver?

LL: Winning my first National Title at Glen Abbey in Ontario which has hosted several Canadian Opens.

EP: Your post victory celebration is unique, surprising, and very impressive! Tell us about your post-win gymnastic celebration.

LL: Ha ha!  I credit my ability to hit the ball so far to my background as a gymnast.  Strength, speed, flexibility and balance are all key transferable skills.  When I win a completion I celebrate by doing a back flip.  My son thinks it is pretty cool mom can still do that!

EP: What do you like to do when not out on the golf course?

LL: I LOVE wake surfing!  The sun on your face and music pumping with friends and family in the boat!  I would do that professionally if I could!

EP: What equipment do you use?

LL: I am a proud Nike sponsored athlete and have been for 9 years.  I have had 2 runner up finishes at World Championships both with Nike Drivers.  I will put the brand new 2014 Nike Covert 2.0 in my bag.  I hit it at the PGA Show and fell in love!  (http://www.nike.com/ca/en_ca/c/golf/clubs) I adore that it has a red coating!  Very cool club!

EP: Who are your sponsors?

LL: Nike is a head to toe sponsor which means you will not find a Nike athlete with another logo on their person.  I am thrilled with them as a sponsor because they have incredible R&D in  athletic wear so not only is my golf apparel state of the art but I also am outfitted in athletic wear, running shoes, eye wear and casual wear.  I am a Swoosh girl through and through!

EP: What advice do you have for a newbie interested in starting long drive competition?

LL: For a woman to be seriously competitive at World Championships she has to be hitting 3 bills (300 yards).  For a guy, you need to be hitting it at least 380 yards.  There are guys who it 350 and they are 50 yards longer than most of the “long” guys at their home course so think they can be long drivers.  You won’t make it out of the first round at 350 yards.

EP: Do you hold any current records?

LL: I hold the Canadian Record at 350 yards 2 feet and 2 inches.

EP: What titles have you won?

LL: I have one 7 Canadian Long Drive titles, The LDA Tour Championships and the North American Cup in which I captained a Canadian team to a win over the USA.

EP: Do you have any web-pages, blogs, or social media pages our readers can follow you at?

LL: I have recently redesigned my website with Oliver & Spence Creative Agency  http://www.oliverspencecreativeagency.com/and just LOVE it.  It is http://www.lisalongball.ca/.

I am also very active on Twitter and honored to have Annika Sorrenstam, Gary Player and Steve Elkington as followers.  My handle is @lisalongball.

I am also on Facebook.  I decided not to have a page and have kept it personal with a Friend Page.  Please friend request me at Lisa Longball Vlooswyk.

EP: Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

LL: I am extremely excited to recently have signed with the speaking bureau Speakers’ Spotlight.  I am passionate about sharing my story and helping companies, organizations and associations with actionable strategies for Peak Performance.  The title of my main keynote speech is “Drive Determines Distance” .  Here is a link to my profile and speaking videoshttp://www.speakers.ca/speakers/lisa-longball-vlooswyk/

EP: Lisa, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us at EP Golf!

Lisa's signature celebration!

Lisa doing what she does best!

Lisa “Longball” Vlooswyk

Lisa is currently ranked top 4 in the World in Ladies Long Drive. She has won 7 consecutive National Long Drive Championship titles, is an LDA Tour Champion and a Nike sponsored athlete.  Lisa currently holds the Canadian Women’s Long Drive record at 350 yards 2 feet 2 inches. Also having a passion for the game, Lisa competes on the Canadian Women’s Tour when possible.  In addition to her competitive career, Lisa is a golf journalist for several publications including Inside Golf Magazine and has had her own column in Golf Digest Canada and Back 9 Network.  Lisa is a successful motivational keynote speaker and golf entertainer for many corporate/charity golf tournaments across North America.  Lisa can be reached through her website at www.lisalongball.com.

EP Golf's 2014 PGA Show Recap!

We are wrapping up the week in Orlando, FL after having come down for the 2014 PGA Show and wanted to share the highlights of a great show!

2014 PGA Show

The show highlighted companies from every corner of the industry including apparel, equipment, teaching and training aids, and golf fitness and performance. In addition to seeing the great products and services, the networking with other industry professionals was excellent as well. A big highlight for us was meeting up with women’s long-drive champion, Lisa “Longball” Vlooswyk, who we’ve followed for quite sometime. If you want to understand why the development of strength, speed, and fitness is important check out some of Lisa’s videos at her website, www.lisalongball.com.

Scott with Lisa "Longball" Vlooswyk

Hugh with Lisa "Longball" Vlooswyk

We also ran into EP Golf’s resident professional, Shane Warawa, and one of my friends from when I was the fitness center director at the Dunwoody Country Club, their golf department head Mike Dausch. By far a massive highlight was getting to attend some of the presentations at the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) booth. One of our favorites was a presentation by Dr. Greg Rose and 5-time long drive champion, Jason Zubak on why power (strength + speed) is of the utmost importance to the golfer, something we’ve been saying for a long time now. It’s great to see TPI recommending, intelligent, effective, and scientifically sound training protocols for the golfer – and it’s important to note this stuff benefits golfers of all levels.

TPI presentation with Dr. Greg Rose & Jason Zubak.

Hugh trying out The Pill.

There was an entire section of the show floor dedicated to fitness and performance which was very cool. One of the things we noticed was that quite a few companies had “resistance-based swing trainers”. While on the surface this may seem like a good idea, we would suggest considering the following points:

• the golf swing already promotes asymmetries as it is only performed to one side during play and practice
• training on a resistance-based golf swing “simulator” only continues to promote an asymmetry
• it is very possible to train the muscles and similar recruitment patterns utilized in the golf swing through a general training means
• loading a golf swing will most likely have a negative effect on the biomechanics of the swing
• due to the potential asymmetry, training time should be spent developing strength and power in the opposite direction
  

Due to these points, which were confirmed by Dr. Greg Rose’s presentation at the TPI booth, we feel that there are far better ways to spend off-course training time, and money, than on a “resistance-based swing training” device. Save the sport-specific work for your one-on-one time with your golf pro. In addition to the fitness and performance section of the show, we noticed many performance training aids, particularly for the short game. Some of these, such as The Pill, we will be using and reviewing on the site, so check back for those articles and reviews!

We noticed a big trend in movement-correction devices. These seem like a very good idea, we are interested to see if there is carry-over once the corrective device is removed from the golfer. This will definitely be a topic of future articles and blogs. All in all the trip down to the PGA Show was a great experience and served as the perfect week for us to officially launch EP Golf. We secured many potential partners to help us execute our mission, and that is to be the premeire golf fitness and performance resource on the web!

We’ll see you out on the greens!

-EP Golf

The Will to Prepare to Win - Do You Have It?

Our philosophy of golf performance improvement is based on the fundamental concept of preparation for the game.  “The key is not the “will to win” – everybody has that.  It is the will to prepare to win that is important” – Bobby Knight

Golf is a challenging game for all of us.  We spend hours researching the latest equipment, watching the best players in the world, planning the next trip or vacation.  The game is challenging mentally, physically, and emotionally.  The enjoyment comes from spending time with nature, friends, and our own drive to improve and succeed.  What are we really willing to do to improve our games?  How do you prepare your mind, body, and spirit to excel in your recreational sport of choice?

If golf is your passion, you’ve come to the right place.  EP Golf will help you improve your game by providing education, advice, equipment, gear and instruction.  We will show you ways to prepare your body, mind, and skills to play better and increase your enjoyment of the game.  Preparing your body is a primary focus.  Improving athleticism is the primary cause of the greatly increased length that today’s tour pros are hitting much longer shots.  Equipment has advanced to be sure but attention to health and fitness has had a significant impact on today’s game.

Embrace the “will to prepare to win”.  Commit to increasing your athleticism and watch your drives fly further, feel stronger and more on the tee at 16, and increase your confidence over the last putt on 18.  A little time spent off the course in preparation will go a long way toward increasing your enjoyment on the course.

-EP Golf
info@ep-golf.com
www.ep-golf.com