One of the benefits I often hear from my clients is that they lose weight while working to improve their golf game. While not a priority for many entering the golf fitness program, it is a welcome benefit.

The key to a successful golf fitness program is isolating anatomical weaknesses identified through physical evaluation. This often involves a combination of specific stretching and strengthening exercises, performed regularly, to help restore balance to the golfer’s body. This is essential as research is now crystal clear that muscle imbalance is the root cause of most swing failures, inefficient golf swings, poor performance, and acute and chronic injuries.

One of the benefits of this search for a better golf game is the loss of body fat. As with any exercise program that incorporates a strength component, muscle tissue is improved. Not only does this improve strength, balance, and power, it makes you a better calorie-burning machine.

It takes 2 to 4 calories a day to keep a pound of fat on your body. It takes between 50 and 70 calories a day to maintain a pound of muscle. That’s a pretty significant difference! Muscle is what drives our metabolism and when you increase muscle, you increase the number of calories you will burn throughout the day.

Most of us had more muscles as kids running around the neighborhood and walking to school, uphill, 6 miles each way. Then, for one reason or another, we slow down and sit more. This wears down our muscle and as a result, lowers our metabolism. We usually don’t alter our eating patterns to compensate for slower metabolism; in most cases, eating patterns worsen, so we gain weight/fat.

When a golfer begins an exercise program to improve the efficiency of his swing, he will inevitably need to include strengthening exercises to correct his weaknesses (and we all have some). This progressive strength component, usually of moderate intensity, has a positive impact on body composition. As he tones muscles, and it’s worth repeating, he increases metabolism and burns more calories. Increase the number of calories expended during the day and you will lose weight.

Now be warned, muscle is also denser than fat and will weigh more on the bathroom scale. So don’t be alarmed if the scale doesn’t change much, but you can still throw on those jeans you haven’t worn since high school.

A word about cardiovascular exercise. Keeping your heart and lungs fit is a must and will help you on the back nine when fatigue can lead to poor shots and increased potential for injury. Cardiovascular exercise is important and should be included. You’ll burn calories while you exercise and for an hour or two afterward as your body returns to a resting state. However, cardio will do nothing for strength development or increase resting metabolism. That has to come from strength training.

Whether you want to or not, exercising to improve your golf swing will have additional health benefits. One of them, if you are consistent with your workouts, is a slimmer body. Ultimately, this will improve your ability to burn calories and lose weight/body fat. Therefore, it will not only improve your satisfaction with the game, but also your sense of well-being.

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