The Official GolfGym - Golf Fitness Blog

A Special Offer For Golfers With Pain

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:20:00 +0000

Our GolfGym Blog is all about helping golfers play better golf with golf fitness tips, exercises, information and the occasional product promotion which is always offered as a solution to a golf specific problem.

Many golfers experience back pain, shoulder pain, tendonitis, muscle aches, golfers elbow and joint pain either during or after a round of golf, or after a workout.

There is a NEW product out on the market that many of the touring pros are using. It's called Golf Pain Away. I tell you this because they are giving away Samples of the product. Heck, if you are experiencing pain from any sport, not just golf, why not try some. No Cost!

That's it...just passing along a good offer.

Ken Pierce
President
GolfGym LLC

Two Great Exercsies To Take Your Golf Posture From Caveman To Tour Pro...Maybe!

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:32:00 +0000

When I get in the office at the GolfGym headquarters in Stuart, Florida, I usually start my day by plopping in my chair, firing up the computer and plowing into the digital world to check emails, respond to Twitter followers, make friends on Facebook and generally try to figure out what is happening in the world of golf and, whenever a good subject comes up, write a blog post.

I got the idea for this post when I found myself, once again hunched over the keyboard (I am pretty fast twinkling on the keys, but still have to look at them). Every time I recognize that I am creating a terribly bad posture, I straighten up, tighten my core and get back at the the finger pointing (at the keys). If I lose concentration on my posture I quickly fall back into my impression of the Hunch Back of...you know.

With all the digital and electronic toys we play with every day people are developing very poor posture and don't even recognize it. I see some people walking along with their heads bent nearly 90 degrees checking their smart phones for who knows what. The same is true with many golfers. Poor posture in golf leads to minimized rotation around the spine which leads to lack of extension, lack of power and most likely produces a poor golf shot. Most golfers are not even aware of their golf posture...poor or proper.

Here is David Leadbetter demonstrating proper and poor golf posture. Which of these postures do you think will produce a better golf shot...and not hurt your back?

Here are two great (and simple) exercises featuring Coach Joey D using the GolfGym Club 38 weighted training club to help you with your golf posture and overall golf fitness.

These are great golf specific movement patterns that you can incorporate on the range or at the tee box.
Good Luck!
www.golfgym.com

Two Great Reasons To Like Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:56:00 +0000

Following are Two Great Reasons To Like Facebook.

Reason # 1

When Betty White hosted Saturday Night Live last year, she said that the reason she was asked to host the show was because of a huge Facebook campaign and all the people that voted to have her on the show. Here is her monologue regarding the campaign.

I felt the same as Betty when we first set up our Facebook page...until I started seeing the great stories that Facebook Friends bring to our attention.

That brings me to:

Reason # 2
This one doesn't need an introduction.

The next time you have a golf day that is really frustrating....think of Manuel De Los Santos.

Thank you to Paula Trickey Celebrity-Golf for posting this video and befriending GolfGym on Facebook.

Tight Hamstrings? Not Anymore!

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:35:00 +0000

Tight Hamstrings mean less flexibility and mobility and have a direct correlation to a tight lower back. Tight hamstrings will definitely affect your golf game and could even cause some back "issues".

The following video features Coach Joey D performing a "Seated Stretch" movement pattern that will not only help to get those hamstring muscles stretched, but also help to develop a nice strong flat back which is critical to a good golf posture and free rotation around your spine.

This exercise requires an 8 pound medicine ball or PowerBall and a stability or Balance Ball. The balance ball will also help to strengthen the small stabilizing muscles in your lower body.

Add this exercise to your current routine or use this one to start your golf fitness program. It's easy and very very effective.

Ken Pierce
The GolfGym Guy
www.golfgym.com

**If you are in need of either of these performance tools, GolfGym is offering a Special to our Blog Readers Only. Go to www.golfgym.com and order the PowerBall and Balance Ball, then enter the Code: HAMSTRING in the Coupon Code box and receive a 20% discount. (Regular Price $84.90 - Discounted Price $68. Shipping charges will be added. Instructional DVD's featuring Coach Joey D are included in each product.

Pre-Shot Routine - Borneo

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:52:00 +0000

At GolfGym, we get emails every day indicating new "followers" on Twitter and people who want to "Friend" us on Facebook. It is fascinating to see where these folks come from, what they do, and how they position themselves to the world of Social Media.

One such fascinating person started following us on Twitter this morning. I checked his profile and he stated he was a Golf Professional at The Golf Academy Borneo.....Borneo? Yea...that Borneo. I visited his website and found a gem of an article that he wrote on his idea of a good pre-shot routine. His name is Rory Young and I would like to share the article with you.

Rory Young
The Golf Academy Borneo

IT'S ALL IN THE PRE_SHOT

Quite simply the pre-shot routine is exactly what it states - a routine to perform before executing any stroke around the golf course. In addition and possibly more importantly, it should be performed before each practice shot on the range.

I have heard it suggested that this routine can and ought to take up to two minutes but this is nonsense. A pre-shot routine performed without distractions should take no more than 30 seconds maximum.

Everybody must develop a routine that suits themselves and the following is merely a guide to give an insight into how many of the top players approach their routines. Most top players have a slightly different routine for shots of less than full distance and putting.

Have a look at my below example of a Pre-Shot routine and copy it or change it to suit your game.

1. If playing a shot from the fairway then leave your clubs to the side of the ball but around three to four yards behind the ball. Then go and observe the lie and select a club to execute the shot

2. Now stand four yards behind the ball on an imaginary line drawn through the ball to where you wish to send it (normally the target).

3. Look beyond the ball and pick a spot on the ground some 45-60cms (18-24ins) directly on the imagined line from ball to target. Hopefully, something (a longer blade of grass perhaps) will be visible, if not, just pick a spot. Now

4. Perform one, practice, swing standing at right angles to your chosen target line still four yards behind the ball.

5. Focus again on your chosen spot then without hesitation walk up to the ball and align the leading edge of the club at right angles to the line from ball to target.

6. You may still have your grip in place from the practice swing, if not, take it now.

7. Bend from the hips almost into your final posture. Take up your stance position, parallel to the chosen line, waggle the club, wiggle your body to be limber, get well balanced and ready.

8. Glance up at the target, but then focus your attention on your chosen spot in front of the ball, even though you will be looking at the ball. (This is where it is beneficial to have a spot close enough for it to be in the periphery of your vision.)

9. Your clubface is now pointing at the spot, you are standing parallel to the line through it, now let fly with your full swing trying to hit the ball over your spot. Swing right through to a balanced finish and admire how much better you have struck the ball and how much more accurate your stroke is.

Thank you Rory.

It's a "Process"

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:25:00 +0000

It's hard to believe that it has been 2 years since Tiger Woods changed his swing coach from Hank Haney to Sean Foley. When he started back doing interviews about his swing and his personal issues, he was often heard to say, "I am working on things and...It's a Process".

For a very long time many of his fans thought..."Man, this process doesn't seem to be working very well. Heck he can't even make a cut...etc".

Then he played well at the Australian Open and on the Presidents Cup Team. The Chevron World Challenge comes along, and albeit there were a select number of players, he still went on the win the tournament.

In his own words from his website, "The great thing about the Australian Open and The Presidents Cup was that's basically how I've been hitting the ball at home. It was nice to be able to take what I had been doing into a tournament situation and play well. Although I didn't win the Australian Open, I finished third and hit a lot of quality golf shots".

My point? His "Process" seems to be working for him. Are you working on a process in your golf game? You can call it a goal or set of goals or a process, but playing golf in itself is a process with a very basic goal...Play Better Than You Did Your Last Round.

We at GolfGym focus on the process of getting your Golf Body prepared for the rigors of the game of golf and how you can improve your performance by improving your golf fitness.

Karen Palacios-Jansen (You've seen her on Golf Channel) just posted a blog with her ideas on setting goals. The following is from her blog:

Attached is a portion of my outline to set goals for your game…to see the entire document, email me at KPJ@swingbladegolf.com.

Cardiogolf Goal Setting for 2012

Define Your Values

Powerful goals are built upon core values.

What is important to you in your golf game and do these goals contribute positively to your life? The following are areas that I would like to improve. What areas of your game or life would you like to improve?

Golf Fitness (Improving how my body moves and my endurance)
Golf Swing (Improving and perfecting swing technique and shot-making)
Golf Scores (Learning to manage my game and to score to the best of my ability)

Say Hello to Your Future Self

Create who you are going to be. Exercise for the body you would like to have. Practice as is you were a low handicap golfer. Act like you already have attained your goals. Ask yourself the following questions:

What does my ideal body or swing look and feel like?
What is the quality of my relationships with the team of people who are going to help me with my goals? Are you surrounding yourself with people that will help you reach your goals?
What am I doing to challenge myself athletically and mentally?

Thank you Karen. Set some goals for your golf game in 2012 and you will start your own "Process".

All of us at GolfGym wish all of you a Very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

LPGA Player Natalie Gulbis & "The Plank"

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:14:00 +0000

I just found this short video featuring Natalie Gulbis and some of the exercises she does to stay in great golf shape shape.

Natalie has a always been a model of a very thin person, but I don't think she ever positioned herself as very strong or fit. Her exercises on the Balance Ball show that she has great core strength.

She also emphasizes the importance of the plank as a great exercise to strengthen her core and her golf fitness.

To expand on the Plank exercise, here is Tim Beattie with some variations that will definitely make your core work, work, work.

If you find some other variations on "The Plank", email them to info@golfgym.com.

The GolfGym Guy

Why Golf Specfic Training is So Important!

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:15:00 +0000

As those of use who play the game of golf know...it is complicated. If you are into any type of fitness program to help you play better, it is essential that you are doing exercises that are designed to help your "golf body" perform better while you play. That's why golf specific training is so important if your intent is to be a better golfer.

The following is an excerpt from Coach Joey D's book, Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing entitled: "Golf-Specific Training":

"The golf swing is one of the most complex movements in all of sports. To turn yourself into a living, breathing version of Iron Byron and be able to—time after time—hit the ball perfectly, you need to fix your body so it can do what it has to do with the club. Once that happens, you're free to concentrate on the things that the pro at your club is telling you to do. You no longer have to worry about your body's infrastructure and can concentrate on how to use—and rely on—your body's muscles and joints to let you play the way you want. It's an incredibly liberating feeling that will help you play better and enjoy the game more. Imagine if every morning when you left your house, you not only had to focus on the meetings and presentations that you had that day at the office, but you also had to worry if the wind was going to blow the shutters off your windows while you were gone or if your garage door was going to cave in before you got home. That's the kind of mental confusion that most golfers carry onto the course. They not only have to focus on all of the things that their pro told them, they also have to worry about their bodies being able to follow through on those things. Properly training your body can clear up that mental confusion. You're free to create and control movement, not chaos.

That means training your body specifically to do the things it needs to do. Your lower body has to be able to maintain its balance and stability while your upper body goes through a series of dynamic and extreme rotations. A certain amount of separation is needed between your upper and lower body to allow you to rotate sufficiently in both your backswing and follow-through. The range of motion around your shoulder joints has to be adequate to let you take the club comfortably through the entire swing. But even if all of these body parts are individually prepared to do what they need to do, you still need to have the overall body awareness to make sure that things happen—and muscles come into play—when they're supposed to happen.

Training your body to make it as strong as it can be—from a biomechanical perspective—for golf means working on a lot of muscles and body parts that you probably never thought to work on. Heck, you're going to be working on muscles that you've probably never even heard of. And the muscles that you have heard of need to be strengthened in ways you may not even have considered."

The Book is available at www.golfgym.com or as a Kindle eBook at Amazon.com

GolfGym on YouTube
We have posted many video clips on YouTube from the DVD's and from the Academy.

The NEW GolfGym Website
If you haven't been to the GolfGym Website in a while you will want to visit it soon. It has an all new look! We have posted many videos from the Instructional DVD's featuring Coach Joey D and many that we shot at the Joey D Golf Academy while working with his students. We think the wide variety of exercises and movement patterns can help you structure your own personal training program to fit your individual needs.

We are thankful for your continued support of
GolfGym and our GolfGym Products.
We wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!!

Joey D, Ken & Vicki Pierce

p.s. We are offering 25% Off on our Weighted Clubs and 8 Pound Double Handled PowerBall.
Enter the Promo/Coupon Code: WEIGHT at the Cart/Checkout.
Click Here for the PowerBall
Click Here for the Weighted Clubs.

Congratulations to Rickie Fowler On His First Professional Win!

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:42:00 +0000

Congratulations to Rickie Fowler on his first professional win at the Kolon Korea Open. We feel like it will be the first of many in this young mans career.

We at GolfGym are really proud of his accomplishment because over the past year and a half Rickie has become a regular visitor at our facility. The great thing about being up close and personal with the players is that we get to be up close and personal with them. But seriously, Rickie Fowler is a good young man who works very hard on his golf conditioning. While on the road he works with Coach Chris Noss. When he is home in Jupiter, Florida he works with our very own Coach Joey D.

About 2 weeks ago, Rickie was out riding his sleek, new, lightweight road bike along with PGA Tour pro Cameron Tringale (who is also working with Joey D). We saw them coming, opened the front door and they rode right into the office. It was something to see Rickie and Cam in there bike helmets, gloves, shorts and bike shoes. After a short while they were off to put in some miles in the saddle.

Once again congrats to a good young golfer and good person who is definitely making his mark on the world of golf.

The GolfGym Team

p. s. Cameron Tringale is in second place in the $1,000,000 Kodak Challenge with 2 holes to go. Go Cam!

20 Easy Things You Can Do To Insure A Great Day Of Golf

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:50:00 +0000

The Night Before
1. Prepare your clubs the night before. Clean the grooves in the irons and wash and wipe the heads and the grips on all your clubs.

2. Make sure you have enough balls and tees, and pack a spare glove.

3. Clean your shoes and make sure all the spikes are tight.

4. Lay out the clothes you will wear the next day. Choose clothes that you will feel great in.

5. Put your cleaned clubs, bag and pull cart (if using one) near the door or in the garage next to the car.

6. Don’t have a late night meal of coffee to insure a good nights sleep

Game Day
7. Get up early in plenty of time to get showered, dressed and at the course at least 45 minutes prior to your tee off time.

8. Take a good hot shower to warm up your body, especially your legs.

9. While in the hot shower, stretch your arms to the ceiling, then stretch down and vigorously scrub your legs, while gently stretching your hamstrings.

10. When toweling off, use the towel to act as a stretching strap to move and invigorate your entire body. Stretch down to wipe your feet and legs (again, the hamstrings).

11. Get dressed and feel like a PGA Tour Pro as you prepare to leave.

12. While in the car, play music or a CD that will keep you calm, not charged up talk radio or Heavy Metal music.

13. Grip the steering wheel hard for 5 seconds then relax. Repeat 10 times. You can also use a SqueasyBall or a tennis ball to warm up your grip.

14. Park a little way away from the clubhouse so you can get in a short warm up walk.

15. If possible...avoid too much coffee so you can stay calm and “mello”.

16. If there is a practice range, get a small bucket of balls and head to it at least 30 minutes before your scheduled tee time.

17. Do some stretching exercises (see www.golfgym.com for recommendations). Swing a weighted club if you have one.

18. Start with your wedge. Set up every shot as if you were hitting to a specific target. Use a full follow through on every shot. Move up your irons then hit just a few drivers, swinging easy and smoothly.

19. Take a few deep breaths in...hold...then exhale as you head to the first tee to meet your buddies.

20. Now, tee up that shiny new ball, step back, choose your target, make a firm decision, get in a good golf posture and smoothly rip one right down the middle holding a great finish position.

OK...there’s 21...Have the best time you ever had on a golf course.
Yes, you can do it!!

The GolfGym Team

Balance - How's Yours?

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:51:00 +0000

As golfers, we all know that balance is a major component in performing a good golf swing. It's a given.

Therefore, it is important to recognize your own capabilities as related to balance and whether or not you need to work on yours. If you find it difficult to hold a good follow through posture, then you have a balance issue. It could be as simple as you having too much weight on your toes in your set up position (a common problem). With just a little effort, you will improve your balance which will in turn improve your swing and enhance your enjoyment of the game.

Here is a simple assessment/exercise you can perform that will immediately tell you how your balance stacks up.

Start by standing up straight with your hands at your side and your palms facing forward. Then raise your right leg, balancing on your left leg, so your foot is about 6" - 8" off the floor. For some, this in itself is a difficult position to hold for any length of time. Try to hold this position for 10 - 15 seconds. You may have to make a few attempts at this just to get the "feel" and awareness signalling your brain to help you balance. Don't be discouraged. With just a few attempts, you should be able to hold for 10 seconds or so.

Now, lift your left leg in the same manner and notice the difference...because there will be a difference. All of us have a strong side. You will pick that up right away.

Here is a helpful tip: Before lifting your leg, pick out a spot on the floor about 6 - 8 feet in front of you and focus on that spot while balancing on one leg or the other.

There are two ways to add a degree of difficulty to this exercise:

As you are balancing on either leg, bring your gaze upward towards the ceiling and off that spot on the floor in front of you. Wow! That makes for a different feeling.
Again, as you balance on either leg...close your eyes. For most of you attempting this for the first time, it will be difficult to hold this position for more than a few seconds, if that.

You can perform these balance exercises in bare feet, golf or in athletic shoes. Either way you will feel your body and brain working hard to keep you upright for as long as possible.

Here is Tom Pernice in the PGA Tour Fitness Trailer performing a more advanced version of this exercise.

Good luck with this exercise. Sticking to it will definitely help your balance.

The GolfGym Team

Seven Days In Utopia

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:35:00 +0000

The new golf movie "Seven Days In Utopia" is out in theaters and, in my opinion, is the most realistic golf movie ever made. Robert Duval hits only one shot in the movie, but Lucas Black, from the movie, "Friday Night Lights" is a very good golfer and has a great swing.

The message in the movie is about inspiration and significance in life through golf. There is a religious tone, but not overwhelming.

Description: "Seven Days in Utopia" starring Robert Duvall, Lucas Black, and Melissa Leo. The story revolves around a young pro golfer, Luke Chisolm (Lucas Black) who has a major meltdown in a tour tournament and ends up in Utopia where he meets seasoned pro, Johnny (Robert Duvall) who helps him improve his golf game as well as his life. While the major tour events were filmed at Boot Ranch in Fredericksburg, Utopia and its golf course is where Luke "finds his game."

The story will warm your heart and has an ending like no other movie I have ever seen.

Rickie Fowler, Stewart Cink and K.J. Choi are also in the movie.

The GolfGym Team

Where In The World Is Joey D?

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:30:00 +0000

First, there was "Where's Waldo", then "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego" and now it is "Where in the World is Coach Joey D"?

Yes, it has been a little over two months since we posted anything on the GolfGym/Joey D blog. I, Ken Pierce, take full responsibility for the lack of communication.

We have been concentrating on a new website and a few other exciting opportunities and have completely dropped the ball on bringing you information through this blog on Joey, The GolfGym Academy and all the players with whom Joey worked who have been playing incredibly well this year. We couldn't be happier for them.

Time sort of stops here in South Florida during the summer, because most of the recreational golfers are back in their Northern homes waiting for Thanksgiving so they might return to Florida and the great weather which the fall season brings. Joey and I have played a few rounds in the heat and believe me.....it is hot.

Joey has been busy working with some of the pros who call the Jupiter area home. We have been cheering them on from the sidelines. Since Joey decided to spend more time at home with his family and not on the road, he has been able to help more amateur golfers get to know their golf bodies much, much better.

Joey's book, "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing" is now available as a Kindle eBook and is available at Amazon.com.

The website should be up and running in about 2 weeks and will offer more information, videos and interactive activities. We will let you know when that happens.

Congrats to Chez Reavie for some great play last week. Your time is coming Chez.

All the best.
The GolfGym Team

Freddy Jacobson Captures His First PGA Tour Victory In Hartford!

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:36:00 +0000

Fredrik Jacobson played 71 bogey free holes to clinch his first PGA Tour victory in Hartford at the Travelers Tournament yesterday. His exceptional short game skills proved to be the winning edge he needed to get his first win in a little over 8 years on the PGA Tour.

Freddy is very committed to his physical fitness and developing his golf strength. That's why, when at home, he can be found working with Coach Joey D at the GolfGym Academy in Jupiter, Florida. His workouts are intense and very focused. He really likes to come in and, in his words, "Smash It Up".

This is just the start of many more wins on the PGA Tour.

(See the post from last week containing some of Freddy's workout routine)

Freddy Jacobson Was In The Hunt At The U.S. Open

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:25:00 +0000

Fredrik Jacobson was in the hunt at the U.S. Open this past weekend. He played exceptionally well on Saturday to be tied for 2nd at one point during the round. He suffered three bogeys and one double bogey down the stretch on Sunday and went on to finish T14.

Following are some exercises we posted here about a year ago. Freddy has really improved in his strength and overall conditioning which was demonstrated at Congressional last week.

Freddy visits the GolfGym Academy regularly while he is at his home in Jupiter, Florida. He works very hard at keeping as golf fit as possible.

Coach Joey D puts Freddy through a biomechanically sound set of exercises to get his body in top physical shape. The average person doesn't really understand how dedicated many of the PGA Tour players are to their conditioning and fitness. Most of the players on the PGA Tour have realized that staying fit and doing regular golf specific exercise is the key to injury free longevity on the Tour.

Here is an exercise that is working on rotation using the PowerBandz affixed firmly at a high level on the wall. No, Freddy is not left handed, but Joey always has his athletes perform exercises on both sides of the body. As he always says, "What you to on the left side, you have to do on the right side". The start position is at the midway point of the downswing just before impact.

The movement pattern brings the hands to the impact position under resistance. This helps to strengthen the muscles involved in the rotation of the upper body, but also helps to strengthen the hands and arms to work in unison while rotating.

This next exercise is an extremely difficult one to do correctly and requires strength, balance and most importantly dedication. All of which Freddy possesses. It involves balancing on the ball while pulling yourself up tight against the rings. Joey is always there to help with those incredibly difficult last few reps. This is a full body exercise requiring some serious concentration and grit.

Here Fredrik is working on his legs and arms (biceps) by using dumbbells, the balance ball and a wall. Start by dropping into a deep squat (90 degrees) while pressing the ball into the wall and holding the dumbbells to your side. While coming up out of the squat to a full standing position, you curl the dumbbells to the finished position. One more execution with this exercise is to press the dumbbells straight up above your head. Repeat the process with as many reps as you can perform well without compromising form.

Rotation is a key component in golf. Most people when asked would say that flexibility is the most important part of rotation. The truth is that flexibility is critical to how far you can rotate, but strength is essential in acceleration and deceleration. You have to be able to stop your club after a full swing at between 70 - 100 mph of acceleration or you would spin around right out of your shoes.

In this exercise, Freddy is using a heavy dumbbell to lift and rotate. Starting in a firm bent over posture and stabilized with his left arm, Freddy reaches down with the dumbbell then rotates his upper body as far as possible while lifting the weight to his chest. Again, you must perform this exercise with both arms (on both sides).

Joey is pointing at Freddy's shoulder to help him get to full rotation and lift. Strengthening your back and shoulders and core will give you better overall control and help you stay injury free in the long run.

Finished!!

Here is Freddy with Ken Pierce and Coach Joey D looking very happy that his conditioning session is over for today. We are also laughing because Ken told Freddy that his shirt was too short....and Freddy told Ken that his pants were too high.

Kris Blanks Playing Well at the FedEx St. Jude in Memphis

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:22:00 +0000

It's great to see one of our GolfGym Academy regulars playing well at the FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis this week. PGA Tour Professional Kris Blanks has struggled a bit this year, mostly with putting and had some confidence issues as well. He was on top of the leaderboard for most of the first round and finished T2 after everyone was in the clubhouse. Kris finished T10 at the Crowne Plaza Invitational.

I heard him interviewed on PGA.com and although he talked about some of the issues he was working on, his confidence was high.

This video of Kris demonstrates two great ways to develop core strength and stability while maintaining a neutral spine.

On the first exercise, be sure to start your reach closer in to maintain stability, then reach 3-4" further on each rep. Kris is using a small dumbbell under each hand.

On the second exercise, try to reach as far as possible through and across the body and as far as possible to the ceiling on the chest opener. Maintain stability and engaged your core.

Kris is a big Twitter guy, so you can follow him on twitter @krisblanks

Later.
Coach Joey D
www.golfgym.com/joeyd

Are Golfers Athletes?

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Tue, 17 May 2011 16:47:00 +0000

Well over a month ago, I was on a Linkedin Group discussion with some weightlifting and fitness professionals when I asked the question, "Are Golfers Athletes?". I posted a video of a golfer from New-Caladonia, Pierre-Henri Soero who is playing on the Asian Tour in 2011. He was working with Coach Jeffrey Fronk on developing his "Explosive Power" at the GolfGym Academy Performance Center in Jupiter, Florida.

The comments that came from that question were very interesting and sparked the following insightful responses.

Joey Cline • eh, exceptions don't make a case for a general rule. and as a general rule I still vote no golfers are not athletes per se. they are more skill than athletic prowess. fishing can be exhausting and requires strategy, but its not a sport either. too many hobbies are labeled as sports nowadays in my humble opinion.

Kenneth Kling • The debate continues, but I would tend to agree with Joey. I have always viewed good golfers as having a talent and being skilled at what they do, but not athletes. To compete at golf does not require speed, strength, endurance, conditioning or recovery time between events. While it does require mental focus and practice, so does darts, chess and corn hole. In short, golf is a competition of skilled professionals. A skill I have tried to obtain but have chalked up as not going to happen.

Mark Randle • I would have to say that Golfers are athletes if Baseball players are athletes. I golf and there is a certain amount of training and muscle memory involved. It's not rigorous trianing, and I do admit that It pains me to say it, but look at Baseball. Lets face it, Golfers exercise more in one round of Golf than Baseball players do in a Baseball game.

Stuart Bizzarri • Golf is evolving, more top professionals are realising that if the develop a good strength base they will perform better on the course. There will always be the argument about low intensity sports being ‘’sports’’ but after a colleague of mine became S&C coach for the Scottish curling team and he went over their typical weeks training I have changed my view a bit on this as they train very hard with Olympic lifts included and there are some strong men and women on the team, overhead squats with bodyweight for reps!!!!

Joey Cline • this happens alot where people associate levels of difficulty as justification for calling something a sport or lecturing you why you should find it entertaining. even those two aspects are different, something may indeed be a sport but isn't entertaining etc etc.

- difficult doesn't equal sport, playing piano is hard and a skilled action but not a sport.
- soccer is a sport, but to me is like watching paint dry (oooo here comes the anger lol)

and a person(s) training and conditioning may be top tier, but that doesn't convert something into a sport either. i know accountants that are Ironman competitors but that doens't make creating a cash flow statement an athletic performance either.

and i just feel like stirring the pot a little because i'm shopping for a new set of clubs next month and am a golfer. lol

Ken Pierce • Miriam-Websters Dictionary offers the definition of the word "Athlete" as: "a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina". The question then becomes, "Do Professional Golfers Train Athletically"?
The answer is clearly...YES!!! See the video featuring Pierre-Henri Soero.

Adam Plagens • As a coach who is actually working with golfers, yes, golfers are athletes. there is a need to have and maintain a level of strength. Clubs and custom gear will only get you so far. you have to be able to transfer force and that requires explosive and powerful movements. Granted, most golfers arent walking around half jacked and bench pressing huge amounts of weight, but the ability to hit a ball accurately is a combination of physcial skill and control.

Matthew Poteraj • I participate/play golf, rugby, lift weights, ski, baseball, swim, scuba, cycle and make love to my wife. Sport, activity or hobby is truly based on the eye of the beholder. I see no reason to be so passionate on judging and categorizing. At any level all of these activities are better than being a couch slug and watching. As with ALL of things in life pay attention to what brings you satisfaction and happiness and let others do the same thing. If we, the people, decide golf or poker are sports be critical of the spectators not the participants. Live strong, healthy, happy and compassionate. I'm just sayin........ ps. Golfers can be athletes but can golf be a sport vs. a hobby or activity?

Ken Pierce • Miraim-Webster defines "Sport" as: physical activity engaged in for pleasure. If you asked most golfers...except for the "pleasure" part.....golf is definitely a sport.

Matthew Poteraj • Ken, I think the point of this discussion is on the connotation vs the denotation of the activity.

Joey Cline • best discussion lately. thanks for posting this question.

Adam Plagens • I believe there is a bit of skeptic bias in any persons view regarding wether something is "sportsworthy." Many of you have referred to the amatuer and recreational levels as well, but this only seems to justify the legitimacy of golf as a competitive event. Granted, as I said before, there are not many golfers who will workout or train excessively hard barring stroke and swing corrections. However, this doesn't mean they aren't athletes. This argument plays along other sports/activites as well: racing cars, riding a horse, and cheerleading. Under the context of competition, these are sports. But, are they accepted as such by the general concensus?

Ken Pierce• Adam, Thank you for the thoughtful reply. I may be putting these responses in a blog post soon. Any objections? Thanks again.

Daniel Careless • An athlete is an individual person. Not golfers, footballers, swimmers etc. It is the specific individual. I work with a number of swimmers some of them are exceptional but one or two are what I would class as athletes. Some of them are good swimmers. I do feel with most sports the more athletic someone is overal the high they perform

Ken Pierce • That is an excellent observation Daniel. Maybe I should have postured the question more specifically to professional golfers rather than all golfers. Then the other question becomes...Is Golf A Sport? OR Is Golf at the Highest Level an Athletic Endeavor? Thanks for the stimulating response.

I want to thank everyone who participated in the discussion. Very thoughtful responses.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?????

Ken Pierce and the GolfGym Team.
www.golfgym.com

Stewart Cink Using The GolfGym PowerBandz in the PGA Tour Fitness Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:39:00 +0000

I was perusing the website bunkershot.com and came accross this video of PGA Tour Player Stewart Cink talking about injury prevention. He was performing some exercises in the PGA Tour Fitness Trainer. In two (2) of the exercises he is using the GolfGym Medium Resitance PowerBandz.

There are three (3) sets of each Resistance (Medium and Heavy) attached to wall systems in the all three of the PGA Tour Fitness Trailers.

Many of the PGA Tour players use the PowerBandz as a regular part of their training regime.

Thanks to PGATOUR.COM for use of their video.

Ken Pierce
www.golfgym.com

LPGA Pro Alison Walshe on Rotation & Balance

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:14:00 +0000

LPGA Professional Alison Walshe is a regular at the GolfGym Academy and we captured one of her drills on video last week.

This drill is great for strengthening the legs and developing better balance and rotational stability. Alison is using a 4 pound ball and the Double Handled 8 pound ball in this drill.

Start with a low step and perform as many reps as possible while keeping good form. When 10 - 12 reps on each side becomes easy, either go to a higher step or use a little heavier weight. The key is to perform the reps well.

You can follow Alison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/walsheyyy (@walsheyyy)
or on Facebook: Alison Walshe

Good luck.

The GolfGym Team
www.golfgym.com

Rickie Fowler at the GolfGym Academy & EA Sports

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:28:00 +0000

On Tuesday of this week the Golf Channel Presented the "EA Sports Golf Preview". It highlighted Rickie Fowler at his Jupiter home talking racing, fishing, playing the new EA Sports game from Augusta and the Masters. Check out the Orange garage. Oklahoma colors.

It also showed him at the GolfGym Academy in Jupiter, Florida working with Coach Joey D.

Everyone on the crew from EA Sports was great. They filmed for quite a long time and got some great footage. Thanks to EA Sports.

The GolfGym Team.

EXPLOSIVE POWER with Pierre-Henri Soero at the GolfGym Academy Performan...

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:19:00 +0000

Pierre-Henri Soero is a professional golfers aspiring to be on the PGA Tour. He earned status on the Asian Tour for 2011 and will be leaving for India for two events in the middle of March.

Here is Pierre working with Jeffrey Fronk at the GolfGym Performance Academy in Jupiter, Florida. They are developing his EXPLOSIVE POWER.

Follow Pierre on Twitter @pierresoero

Follow GolfGym on Twitter @golfgym

The GolfGym Team.
www.golfgym.com

Eliminate "Casting" and Get Stronger Doing It!

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:25:00 +0000

Many high handicap golfers have the problem of "casting" the club at or above the waist, or not being able to hold a "lag" position with their hands. This will ultimately cause hitting behind the ball and the dreaded "flip" shot. This type of shot will do nothing to compress the ball resulting in lack of distance.

We all hear that you are supposed to hit "down" on the ball. I hear that over and over again from Gary McCord on the infomercial for the Tour Striker.

I was at the Dye Preserve Golf Course in Jupiter, Florida where one of the pros was trying out the Tour Striker on the range. You really have to lean the club forward to get the ball in the air.

No, this isn't an ad for the Tour Striker (although I do think the concept makes sense). This really is an ad for one of our easy to use products called the GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer. Not only is it extremely portable, lightweight and very effective, but because of its design, it will help you to hold a "lag" position and help you to eliminate "casting". It will also help you to strengthen the muscles used in the golf swing....which are many.

Here is a video that will show you how.

We are recommending this product because it works! That's it. It works!

The GolfGym Team
www.golfgym.com

Dynamic Stretches with Pierre-Henri Soero at the GolfGym Academy

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:44:00 +0000

Among the many professional golfers that frequent our GolfGym Academy in Jupiter, Florida is a very athletic young man who has his sights set on making it to the PGA Tour. His name is Pierre-Henri Soero.

Pierre was born in New-Caladonia, has a French accent and is one of the hardest working golfers to walk into our Academy....and he hits the ball a mile (actually, he averages 312 off the tee). He just recently earned status on the Asian Tour for 2011 and will be playing many events on that Tour.

He works with Elite Tour Coach Joey D on his biomechanics and movement patterns and with Coach Jeffrey Fronk on his exposiveness and overall strength.

We shot some video recently of Pierre going through a dynamic stretch routine with Coach Fronk.

Pierre just signed up on Twitter and can be followed @pierresoero.

We look for great things coming from Pierre-Henri Soero.

The GolfGym Team
www,golfgym.com

Rickie Fowler Playing Moto-Golf

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:19:00 +0000

As many of you know, Rickie Fowler, 2010 Rookie of the Year, was training the GolfGym Academy under the supervision of Coach Joey D and through his Tour Coach Chris Noss.

Rickie is a really great young man...I can say that cause I'm old enough to be his grandfather. I saw the following video on BunkerShot.com and had to share it.

Rickie spent many of his earlier years in the saddle of his dirt bike riding motocross. He may be on to something as far as a new sport goes, but the greenskeepers might object.

Enjoy!

Rickie is really big on Twitter....follow him Twitter.com
The GolfGym Team
www.golfgym.com

Rickie Fowler and Coach Chris Noss at the GolfGym Academy

noreply@blogger.com (GolfGym.com) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:14:00 +0000

Coach Joey D, Rickie Fowler and Rickie's Coach Noss at the GolfGym Academy

Rickie is totally dedicated to his conditioning and is showing up regularly to get in a workout session with Joey D and a stretch with our newest addition to the staff, Barbara Depta.

Two of the best coaches in golf and the 2010 Rookie of the Year, it doesn't get better than that. We are blessed.

We wish you all the best Holiday Season ever, a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

The GolfGym Team
www.golfgym.com