40 shots...Are you ready?

The holidays are in full swing! Presents under the tree, mistletoe is hung, and parties are happening! And of course this means the New Year is quickly approaching! 2015! Wow! ….I know my family is very excited for the New Year, mostly for the weather to turn warmer and golf play time to start up again.

Already on our 2015 calendar is our very busy golf season, for spring, summer, and even next fall, however we DO NOT want to leave our winter training out. It takes much determination and motivation to train for golf in the off season!

I ask the question,

Are you ready for a minimum of 40 shots and 5 miles a day?

Golf is an Endurance sport and working on endurance over the winter is key to a better golf season, and it will support prevention of potential injury, but also it improves your physical health and overall wellness at the same time, it’s a win-win!

The program I follow during performance training is simply 3 days a week low intensity, and 2 days a week high intensity focusing on strength, speed, power, agility, flexibility and balance.  Sounds like a lot, but it focuses on the core fundamentals to the sport.

It is possible to gain 40% more in strength in just 10 weeks with the right amount of training, why not use the winter to get you there.

PGA of America Vice president Ted Bishop recommends at least 45 min of aerobic exercise 4-5days a week, following a fitness program designed by a personal trainer.

In my experience most people get discouraged simply because they don’t know where to begin, and need some accountability especially with golf when living in an area like the Midwest (cold winters=no golf).

“You can have RESULTS, or EXCUSES, but you cannot have BOTH”

Most importantly is to just get started don’t wait for the New Year Resolution, JUST START!

Work with a trainer! A good trainer can help you know where to start, give you accountability, and can help you get specific on your goals.

“Knowledge is power”

Don’t let the cold months slow you down, the sun will be shining before you know it!

Work on your fitness at least 5days a week, but make sure you start off strengthening your stability.

Stretch and improve flexibility, with golf, flexibility is key to full range of motion in your swing.

Follow a good nutrition program, and with any setbacks forgive, and with your success reward.

Keep things interesting! Changing up your routine is important to avoid boredom, and helps train different planes of movement. Most important keep it fun!

Happy Holidays,

PARFit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PAR-Fit

 

As a personal trainer I have inspired and trained many people and I have been passionate in developing my relationship in the fitness world. Plan or no plan, my training career recently took a turn. I have spent the last three years educating, and exploring my place in fitness, and one day without even seeking, everything felt more right in what I was doing than ever before, my niche found me.

Golf Fitness became my passion. And though I was still working with clients customizing programs to meet specific goals other than golf, I began exploring the ideas of NOT just creating customized programs for just anyone and everyone, but instead making myself an expert on one program for one group, that being golfers. What started as a side thought, almost a hobby, I began to create what I called PAR-Fit.

I must admit the idea came from living with a family who eats, sleeps, and breathes golf. My husband has golfed his entire life, and I really mean entire life, he started at around 4years old playing with his dad and granddad and went on to play varsity golf winning numerous metals and trophy’s and most of all maturing and learning things about life that can only be taught out on the green. Golf played and integral role in my husband’s life, and sports and fitness played a huge role in mine. All three of our children have a natural love for the game of golf. And now that they are older and playing more competitively, I wanted to help them with a way to stay strong, healthy, and improve their game, without losing focus of what is most important, having fun! I was finding myself more and more passionate about this one sport and fitness. I wasn’t sure where it was going but I decided to get certified in Youth Fitness as well as Nutritional fitness, and took a course in speed, agility, and quickness, not only to continue my education, but to support my passion for my PAR-fit idea.

I remember sometime during this my husband had decided to enter the Remax long drive competition, he was hitting the ball close to 310 yards, we only had about 10 weeks of training before the event (he decided to do this last minute) his goal was to hit 330yards which is a huge gain in golf in a short amount of time, my goal was to get him there, using an Isometric-stability training method, as well as incorporating a Plyometric routine on the range. I tracked his progress each day, knowing this method would increase his fast twitching muscles, increasing his club head speed in a short amount of time. At that event he more then met his goal, he hit the ball a long 340 yards, he didn’t move on to regionals that year, but we both left the event feeling pretty good about ourselves. After that day my niche had chosen me without me even really knowing it.  

I began to design exercise programs, and nutritional plans that were customized for a golfer. I began teaching my kids about smart goal setting, planning, and motivating them to understand their own journeys. I have seen a drastic change in their energy, positivity, accountability, and most of all they stayed inspired, improved their game, and was continuing to have fun at their beloved sport.

We spend most of our summers at the golf course and during off season living in the Midwest it takes bounds of determination to run drills and stay golf fit. I love finding new ways to hold us accountable, and making it fun .Today I have notebooks full of research, proven methods, and a whole new outlook on my personal training career, and I have learned more about golf then I ever thought I would want to know. I might be taking a risk and even may lose opportunities honing in on a specified training program, but rather than cater to everyone, I want to apply an expertise as a professional certified trainer to my PAR-Fit training program for professional, amateur, adult, or junior golfers.

What I love about golf in relation to fitness, and life, is it is not about being the best, it is about being better then you were yesterday.

Amy Jene Clark

PAR 3