Over the years, golf and fitness have had a rather uneasy relationship. The stars of years gone by have sometimes been, how can I put it… larger athletes? Their ability to play the game was founded in skill and mental aptitude over pure physical prowess. For the non-believers, this meant golf was less sport and more hobby.
Not any more. Just take a minute to cast your eye over the top players in world golf. They would look just as at home on an athletics track as they do on the golf course.
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With Tiger Woods leading the way, professional golfers have largely transformed themselves, buying into and committing themselves to the power of the gym. Whilst the distance they hit the ball is not the only measure, it surely helps illustrate the effect of all this hard work. In today’s professional game, if you aren’t able to carry the ball 300 yards, there are certain golf course that you just won’t be able to compete on.
Of course, the finished product is clear to see but the hard work takes place behind closed doors. This summer, I was given the chance to see, first hand, exactly what that work involves. Nike was launching its’ new training club app and the global sports star they had chosen to demonstrate how it worked was none other than Rory McIlroy But instead of watching from the sidelines, I was asked to take part myself. Under the instruction of one of Nike’s leading fitness gurus, I would line up alongside the Northern Irishman and go through a typical work-out devised by fitness coach, Steve McGregor.
My own fitness status would be more in line with professional golfers of the 80s. The occasional period of trying to be fit – running or attending the gym – is interspersed with phases of utter lethargy, where even a walk up a steep hill brings on a slight sweat. This was going to be embarrassing.
Warm Up
It started with a light jog around the gym to get the heart rate up and the blood pumping. We then went through a series of lunges – extending the front leg until the back knee hits…
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