The big golf trip to Myrtle Beach was in full swing. Four days and six courses. Some people I knew, but the majority were strangers.
It was hot. Really hot… and humid.
Late June in South Carolina brings temperatures to a boiling point. This particular week, we experienced a heat wave even by South Carolina standards.
In the weeks leading up to the trip, Rich had kept telling me that I was going to be hurting. We would be driving between courses, playing 36 holes, and staying out into the late evenings.
Rich didn’t know my secret…
I was more than ready. Simply because each training session I perform, and every workout program I design, prepares myself and my golfers for endurance.
At that point last year, Rich was still a bit overweight and had not participated in any of our test groups. However, this past January Rich joined the Flatbelly Challenge and has lost a total of 35 pounds. He can not play 54 holes in one day and feel great at the end of each round. Better yet, there’s no hangover the next day.
Now, Rich understands more than ever that the style of programming I build into the workouts pays dividends in many different area’s… most often forgotten is endurance.
So how did I do on the hot golf trip? I did great. The last day I put it all together and even made some money. Better yet, I never struggled at all with the long days on the course. Starting with the 6AM wake-up and returning back to the condo at 8PM.
The golfers around me though were complaining that this was too much golf in such a short span of time. They were complaining about their backs… and it showed on their scorecards and in their bad moods.
During those days, I had prepared my body in advance by focusing on three keys of the four keys of golf endurance… and the fourth key is to simply stay hydrated all day by drinking enough water and staying away from alcohol.
The Four Keys of Golf Endurance
1. HIIT Interval Training
2. Resistance Training
3. Hydration
4. Walk More
HIIT Training
High Intensity Interval Training is designed into most of our golf fitness programs like Shed Pounds to Shave Strokes and Core to Score. Perform a short 20-minute HIIT session at the end of your resistance training session. Doing so can improve endurance and spike your body’s fat burning furnace long after your stop exercising (this is not a benefit you will get with long and slow cardio).
Resistance Training
Resistance training is often overlooked when it comes to building endurance. Endurance requires strong muscles. Endurance also builds more lean muscle which burns more calories over the course of a day, making you even leaner. In addition, the stronger you are into old age, the more likely you will be able to play golf well into your golden years.
Again, I built Shed Pounds to Shave Strokes and Core to Score with resistance training built into them for this very reason.
Hydration
Being dehydrated can cause many issues. In this podcast, Rich even mentions that when he doesn’t drink enough water that he gets migraine headaches near the end of his round of golf. This makes sense because your brain tissue is 85% water.
Dehydration causes your brain to become taxed and you lose focus. Quite simply, golf is a sport of focus.
Stay hydrated by drinking at least two bottles of water per 9 holes. Spike that water with a hydration supplement such as Golf Fuel’s Hydration Pro for even better results.
Walk More
Walking in general has been shown to increase your life span. In addition, walking the course is just enjoyable and provides many benefits… including faster play.
Check out a push or pull cart for your rounds and convert to walking. If you don’t want to walk every round, why not do it at least 9 holes per week? Give it a shot and I know you’ll feel better.
I would avoid carrying your bag. There’s no need to put the strain on your spine by lifting and setting down your bag every time you hit a shot.
Links Mentioned in This Week’s Podcast
Shed Pounds to Shave Strokes: http://golfthin.com
Core to Score: http://coretoscore.com
Golf Fuel Hydration Pro: http://gf-track.com/click.track?CID=286381&AFID=313587&ADID=1312078&SID=CH042015
