Off Season Golf Fitness

Off Season Golf Fitness - up here in the Ohio Valley area (Western Pennsylvania) the weather has changed over to fall time.  Although yesterday the temperature was in the mid-70's the golf season has pretty much wound down to the few die hards that will play in just about any weather.

The golf clubs usually go into the storage shed, garage or basement at this time of year and the season is over for most recreational golfers.  Most golfers will not touch a golf club until early spring.

As a golfer you are missing out on a 3-4 month period where you can improve your golf performance tremendously.  Invest the time each week you would have played or practiced golf and devote it to a simple but effective golf fitness plan.  If you played one round of golf per week that would be 4 hours of time, invest half that to a golf fitness routine and your game performance will improve once next golf season comes back around.

So what do you concentrate on in a golf fitness routine?  The full golf swing is one of the most explosive movements in all of sports.  You are moving a very light object (the golf club) very quickly from, 0 miles per hour to 80+ miles per hour back to 0 miles per hour, in one fourth of a second. This take a very coordinated effort that puts the body under a tremendous amount of stress.  The golf swing is a very complex full body motion that demands all elements of fitness be present.

The Five Elements of Golf Fitness are: Mobility, Stability, Balance/Body Awareness, Strength and Power.  The elements are sequential and go in the order from M-S-B-St-P.  We must work train in the proper sequence.  It does a golfer no good if we get stronger in our upper body but lack the mobility to make a proper shoulder turn.  Like wise, we can be as flexible as Gumby, but lack the stability to transfer forces efficiently from our lower body through our torso to generate club head speed and power.  Until we can control our balance our strength does us little good in the golf swing. A graceful yet powerful golf swing is the blending of all five of the elements of golf fitness.

We work mobility first, then stability, then balance, then strength and then power......

Before we even start a golf fitness routine it makes sense to set a base line.  We use a functional movement system (FMS) to screen movement patterns then prescribe the proper corrective exercise movements to build a very functional golfer.  The FMS will give us a starting point, it is a simple 7 step movement screen that assess the golfers ability to move in fundamental patterns.  We can determine if any dysfunction or asymmetries exist in the golfer from this screen.  Then we can prescribe the proper correctives.  The beauty is we can re-screen to see if the correctives are accomplishing the goal of removing the dysfunction or asymmetry.  This is not unlike taking golf lessons, the teacher first assesses  your swing and then suggests drills, you work on the drills and re-assess the results, changing where necessary to accomplish the goal.

A lot of times golf instructors tell me they can't fix a persons golf swing because the golfer lacks the physical attributes, such as mobility, to perform the movements necessary.  This were a proper movement screen and a proper golf fitness plan will pay huge dividends for a golfer.

Why You Should Walk

Get rid of the golf cart!  I'm a firm believer that the riding golf cart is the death of golf for me at my age. Golf Cart

I walked a 9 hole round yesterday.  It was the most enjoyable day of golf I have played in years.  The last time I walked was in July of 2011 on the Ocean Course, with a caddie.  Even in the rain it was fun, very wet but fun and on one of the worlds finest golf courses.

Yesterday I carried my own bag, a Sunday golf bag (a Sunday bag is a very light golf bag that is easy to carry).  I took a 3-wood, and 5 irons, and my putter.  I ran off 3 straight pars.....on tough holes, and I finished with a 41 score.  I was in focus.  I was looking around at the beauty of the course.  I took my time and enjoyed the experience. And I hit the golf ball way better.

Golf is a walking sport.  It took me 90 minutes to walk 9 holes, I was walking at a leisurely pace, a stroll. That was the same time it would take to ride in a golf cart.  My tempo in my golf swing matched my walking tempo.  My swing was more relaxed and I felt great.

Riding in a Golf Cart: The Bad and the Ugly

• cost more money to play
• does not reflect your swing tempo
• if you are not driving you could be with a hacker, and that sux
• promotes tight hip flexors and lower back, which put the brakes on golf swing speed
• is just plain lazy

Walking: The Good

• less expensive, the majority of the greens fee is the riding cart
• better pace of play, you set the tempo
• it's healthy, walking is good for you (you know that)
• you will enjoy the course more, see the sights, smell the roses
• it is faster, test it versus riding
• you will play better golf because you are relaxed and loose
• The Pro's walk, that should tell you something right there

Ok, there are some courses where walking is just prohibited or stupid because of the lay out.  I refuse to play those courses. 

I am starting a movement, WALK WHEN YOU PLAY GOLF!

Golf Fitness. (People are Laughing)

I recently asked a professional golf instructor what he was doing for golf fitness at his teaching facility. He started to laugh.  Seriously he laughed at me.  The conversation ended right there.

Here was a professional teaching instructor that was charging his clients high rate lesson fees and he was laughing about golf fitness.  I was shocked and I was turned off.  No matter what type of golf instructor he was, as a student of the game of golf, I could never take him seriously or recommend any recreational or up and coming amateur golfer to receive golf instruction from him.

The number one frustration for golf instructors is their students can not physically perform the swing changes they are trying to accomplish, do to poor or lacking golf fitness. 

"But I workout at the gym" is heard many times when I ask golfers if they are doing anything for the physical side of their golf game.  That's admirable but golf fitness is a very complex niche.

I'll call it a "niche", even though there are over 28 million golfers in North America.  I can think of no other recreational demographic that has that kind of participation that does not take physical training seriously.  There are very young golfers (some say too young) and there are very old golfers, and a bunch in between.  They come in all sizes and shapes and all with different degrees of athletic backgrounds, yet very few of them can tell you that they practice golf fitness that is specific to helping them enjoy and perform better.

One of the most amazing contrasts in sport is witnessing a golfer that is 5'10" tall and weighs less than 160lbs, hit a golf ball off the tee with a driver over 300 yards in distance with accuracy. Then you take a ex-strength sport athlete, like a football player, that is 6'4" tall and weighs 240lbs and he struggles to generate enough clubhead speed to hit the ball 225 yards in distance and lacks any consistency, but can bench press over 300lbs.   What makes the small statured golfer more explosive than the large ex-football player?  Strength? Skill?

Golf fitness is unique, hitting a golf ball is a highly coordinated skill that blends mobility, stability, balance/body awareness, strength and power. We call those the five absolutes of golf fitness.  Sure it is a skill, and it requires hand eye coordination, but hitting a golf ball is a skill.  The act itself is no more difficult than ping-pong when it comes to hand eye coordination.  The blending of the five absolutes of golf fitness is the key for a powerful yet graceful golfer and this is where golf fitness get's chaotic. 

How do you practice golf fitness, and still maintain the high level skill.  Traditional golf fitness includes strength training, flexibility training, and some conditioning training.  This is your basic strength and conditioning approach.   As golf equipment has went through modern technology changes, golf fitness has remained stagnant.  Better athletes are playing golf, even recreational golf.  Your body is the most expensive and the most tunable piece of golf equipment you will ever possess, yet golfers will neglect their fitness in lieu of purchasing the latest and greatest technology in the search for more distance or a better game.  The golf game improvement equipment market is huge.  The golf fitness market is almost non existent.  Why?

One of my favorite quotes in all of sports was made by Ted Williams,  "It's the Indian, not the Arrow" was his reply when asked about the size of the bat he used.  What Ted was eluding too was the bat size really didn't matter if you didn't have the physical attributes to handle it, nor the skill to use it effectively.

With Platinum Golf Fitness we have reverse engineered what is needed to build a better golf machine.  The system is a blend of mobility, stability, balance/body awareness, strength and power practice using body weight and light to moderate kettlebell movements, that can be practiced daily by any level of golfer.  The results are tremendous, we have seen increase in shot distance by 15-20% in a very short time.  Golfers now can get into the the correct swing positions easily and generate more clubhead speed.  Golfers are playing pain free for the first time in years and enjoying and loving their game again.

So what are you doing for golf fitness?  Don't laugh.  You could build yourself into a better golf machine.

Stability - What does it mean for a Golfer?

Stability - the body's capability to transfer generated force from one body segment to the next efficiently.


Force in the golf swing is generated from the ground up.  The force is transferred from the powerful lower body muscles, which are the largest muscles and prime movers in the body, through the hip joints, into the midsection up through the spinal region, through the shoulder joints, down through the arms, which is the only connection to the golf club.  Stability in the golf swing is the body's capability to transfer this tremendous force through the entire kinetic chain efficiently to generate maximum club head speed at the moment of impact.


Most golfers think of stability as holding positions while introducing an unbalanced condition, like a stability ball.  While this is one type of stability it is not the type of stability we are talking about practicing in the full golf swing.  Holding positions is more of an isometric stability, or static tension, an example would be a holding a side plank, or balancing on a unstable surface while holding a push up position to strengthen the core.  While these might be beneficial for producing strength through isometric tension, they do not train your neural-muscular system to properly transfer generated force efficiently from one body segment to another.


In Platinum Golf Fitness we train your body to "fire" the appropriate stabilization sequence in a full body, multi joint, highly coordinated movement.  We use body weight and kettlebell loaded movement patterns where your joint mobility/stability impacts the body's ability to perform the movement pattern efficiently.  It is the joints capability to fire in the correct sequence as the force is generated from the prime movers that constitutes the stability we are training for the full golf swing. 

In a powerful golf swing the large muscles of the lower body generate the ground force.  This force moves up through the lower leg joints, through hip joint and pelvic girdle, through spinal joint regions, through the shoulder joints, through arm joints, into the only connection we have to the golf club, our hands.  Lack of joint mobility/stability in this sequence will result in a inefficient transfer of force, leading to a loss of power and club head speed.  Think of your golf stability as the links of a kinetic chain, as the force moves from one end of the chain to the other, we want the joints to to fire in correct sequence in order to get the maximum transfer of energy.  If one link of the connecting chain fires out of sequence there is a power leak, if two links fire out of sequence we have a compounded effect and a tremendous loss of power that was generated intitally.


There is a reason in Platinum Golf Fitness that mobility is trained before stability.  In the efficient golf swing as the force is transferred from the ground up, joints are either mobile or stable, it is the sequencing or the timing that produce a very powerful yet graceful looking full golf swing.




Most golf stability programs focus on stability in isolation to enhance performance and decrease the incidence of injury.  While this may enhance the golfers performance, they are all done essentially in singular plane aspect, but golf requires the golfer during practice/competition to utilize their body in all three planes of motion at the same time. This means the golfer needs to have the motor units of the rotary and angular/diagonal muscles ready to assist the prime movers as they function in a near-maximal or maximal state and are ready to function when called upon.  An example of this is as follows:  a golfer can power lift 100 lbs for 5 reps.  A very good weight for anyone.  However, when it comes time to hit the ball as hard and with as much finesse as he can, he is not able to transfer all that added strength to hitting the golf ball.  Why?  In this example, his prime mover muscles are strong, but his rotary and angular/diagonal muscles are not as functional.  When it came time to utilize his new strength, there was a loss of power transfer to the ball since his trunk stabilizers and movers were not as strong, thereby not allowing the prime movers of his body to put forth all of their power.  If these trunk stabilizers and movers were stronger and more functional, there would be less power loss during transfer of the energy created by the prime movers to the rotary and angular/diagonal muscles, thereby creating a more powerful golf shot! 

We start our stability training using kettlebell carries, where we simple carry a kettlebell in one of three positions, suitcase, rack, overhead, either by marching in place or by walking a prescribed distance.  We can make this as challenging as you can imagine, but the goal is to train stabilization sequencing with dynamic movement, in this case walking.  Next we move to lightly loaded ground based movements, and a full body movement where we sequence and pattern mobility/stability using the seven steps of the Get Up.  Finally we train high speed stabilization sequencing using rotary and angular/diagonal trunk strengthening patterns with hand to hand kettlebell practice.

In a very short time PGF stability practice can have a very dramatic effect on your golf performance, the effectiveness of the system is we train mobility first, then the mobility/stability sequencing.  Nothing is done in isolation, so the carry over effect is rapid. Once we are mobile and stabile, we are ready for balance and strength practice.

Platinum Golf Fitness: Build a Better Golf Machine! Stability

Mobility, What does it mean for a Golfer?

Mobility – the body’s ability to create specific angles and movement patterns, range of motion.

Creating the proper angles and movement patterns that optimize the biomechanics of the two-pendulum motion that make up the full golf swing is the mobility that we are trying to achieve with the Platinum Golf Fitness system.  The majority of recreational golfers lack the required range of motion to complete a full golf swing, and this can be addressed and resolved fairly quickly. Increased club head speed can be achieved after a few sessions of proper mobility practice.

One of the biggest frustrations for a recreational golfer is not being physically able to obtain the correct angle and positions needed to perform a powerful and graceful golf swing.  The golf swing should "flow" and seem effortless even though it is one of the most explosive movements in all of sports.

Mobility is the base of the PGF system pyramid.  Mobility is quite simply your ability to move through a desired range of motion.  As simple as that sounds most golfers do not "move" very well.  Mobility is different than flexibility, and here is the "why" behind the difference.  Flexibility is your ability to stretch or lengthen a muscle in a static position.  Mobility is dynamic movement.  While it may seem like working on flexibility is the correct path to take in order to build a better golf swing, we find that by performing the correct mobility practice, your flexibility will also increase. 

At PGF we have found increasing the range of motion in the hips, thoracic spine and the shoulders to be the best starting point.  We use simple but effective body weight and some lightly loaded movement patterns to increase our mobility.  Some of these patterns could be considered "stretching" exercise but we prefer to call them mobility patterns when it relates to the golf swing.  We work from the ground up and increase hip mobility first.  Then thoracic spine and shoulder mobility.  Most lower back injuries and pain with recreational golfers can be attributed to lack of proper hip mobility.  The lower back compensates for the golfers lack of hip mobility, and this is not a desirable state. Increasing mobility through out the core area leads to the desired ability to disassociate the lower and upper body in the golf swing motion to create the best possible angles in which to bring the club head to the golf ball.

First we start off by opening up the hips, we use a "frog" stretch, that includes dynamic rocking.  This movement is quite effective and should be practiced on a daily basis.  Next we take the brakes off the swing by gently and effectively stretching out the hip flexors by using a "cobra" movement position while also adding in some thoracic spine extension as we "pry" through the movement.

Next we lay flat on our stomachs, arms stretched out overhead, keeping the right arm and right leg in a straight line, we bring our left knee above the waist line and turn your upper torso counter clockwise while extending the left arm skyward.  This is the "arm bar" position.  With the left arm extended we reach back mobilizing the shoulder and thoracic spine areas.  Slide your left knee down and try to "pry" your left hip towards the ground while maintaining an extended left arm bar position.  Repeat on the left side.  From here we go into the classic child's pose to mobilize our spine with some flexion.  

This is a mobility "flow" warm up that should be practiced daily.  You should easily be able to move through this flow in less than 2-3 minutes.  Spend about 10-15 seconds on each movement pattern for mobility.  Work through your range of motion with proper breathing, we do not hold our breathe in any of these positions.

Mobility is the foundation for platinum golf fitness, once we work through this mobility flow as a warm up we go into some more hip, thoracic spine, and shoulder mobility patterning that fortifies the movement needed for a powerful golf swing and prepares us for stability, balance and strength practice.

Our sedentary lifestyles (sitting or laying down most of our time) and the use of a riding golf cart while playing demand that we practice mobility every single day.  Our golf performance will increase with better range of motion. 

Platinum Golf Fitness: Build a Better Golf Machine!  Mobility

Golf Fitness Revolution

Golfers are athletes. The young players on the PGA Tour are athletes.  Tiger Woods started the golf fitness craze when he was dominating the tour in his 20's.  The young players today are all way better athletes than the older generation golfers.  Golf fitness has exploded.  Almost every young tour player and some of your older tour players will state that they are training to augment or help them be a better performing golfer.

Titleist even has a Performance Institute that is built around physical conditioning for the golfer.  I firmly believe all golfers should practice a fitness routine to compliment their golf skills practice.  

I would not be playing golf today if I didn't luckily discover a golf fitness routine myself.  I was injured and playing in pain sapped all the enjoyment and love I had for the game of golf.  I was faced with a decision to quit playing the game for a long period of time and quite possibly forever.  It is said that golf is a game you can play well into your senior years. I believe that is true as long as you are physically able to play and to play without pain.  The full golf swing is a very explosive movement, and it is a full body movement that is very taxing if you are not physically prepared to play the game.  A lot of shoulder and low back injuries occur in recreational golfers. These injuries are difficult to play around.

Unless you are enjoying the game it becomes way too frustrating to invest the resources, financially and emotionally, and the time into playing even on a weekly basis.  Even though golf equipment technology has improved dramatically over the past decade, the handicap index for all golfers has actually not improved at all.  So what is the problem.  Golfers do not practice their golf skills as much, and golfers today live more of a sedentary lifestyle than in the past.  The majority of golf is played using a riding golf cart.  Very few golfers walk when they play golf today. Physically golfers are not at a optimal level.

The need for a golf fitness routine is at an all time high based upon the modern golfers lifestyle and the use of a riding golf cart when playing.  So what do you look for in a golf fitness routine?

The five Absolute Elements that are needed to increase your level of golf fitness and golf performance:  Mobility, Stability, Balance, Strength, Power.

But more importantly we need a routine that we can practice that does not take a long time investment.

When I ask golfers about golf fitness or fitness in general, they all believe that if they were in better condition and stronger that they would improve their game, but the number one factor on why they do not practice a golf fitness routine is - time.

When asked what an "ideal" golf fitness practice would be, here is the consensus:

• No gym or fitness facility needed, home based
• Less than 20 minutes a practice session
• Very little equipment needed, something that is portable and travels easily
• A practice routine that covers all five of the absolute golf performance elements

Platinum Golf Fitness was designed to achieve all of the above. With one simple tool, a kettlebell, and the correct practice sessions performed in less than 20 minutes a session 3 to 4 times a weeks, you can build your self into a better golfing machine.

Your body is the most tunable piece of golf equipment you will ever own, you have these five tunable aspects Mobility, Stability, Balance, Strength, Power.  PGF starts with mobility, then moves you through stability and balance, then you get stronger, and then add in the dynamic aspect to help you build golfing power.  In a very short time you will "feel" the difference in your golf performance and in your every day activities. 

This is a revolutionary approach to the game of golf using a very old school method. PGF is not a conventional fitness system of cardio, strength, flexibility worked in isolation.   We use practice movements that work the entire body in all five elements simultaneously and the carry over effect to golf performance is unprecedented.

The program is in it's final stages and will shorty be released to the golfing public.  If you have an interest please contact me at al@ironsolid.com and I will put you on the list to be notified for the initial offering at a special discounted purchase price, along with some bonus gifts for being part of the new golf fitness revolution.

Hit it Solid!  Platinum Golf Fitness. Build a Better Golf Machine!

Foundation Kettlebell Movements for the Platinum Golf Fitness System

The Kettlebell swing is the center of the universe, it is a full body ballistic movement that will train mobility, stability, balance, strength and power, click here to see a demonstration Kettlebell Swing


The Turkish Get Up is another full body movement, this movement trains, mobility, stability, balance and strength, click here to see a demonstration Turkish Get Up


The upper body windmill is a great movement for training mobility, stability, balance and strength, click here to see a demonstration Windmill


There are progressions for each movement that you will practice before attempting the final skill.

The FMS is a requirement for Platinum Golf Fitness

Mobility, Stability, Balance, Strength and Power are the five elements that make up the golf performance pyramid.  Mobility and Stability are the bottom two layers of the base of that pyramid.  Build those solid and maintain those and Balance, Strength and Power will be optimized.  Before we start working with the Platinum Golf Fitness system we need a baseline, we use the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) as the way to establish that baseline.  Read on to better understand the FMS.

The FMS is designed for all healthy, active people and for healthy, inactive people who want to increase physical activity. It is designed for those that do not have pain or injury. 

The FMS itself is a series of seven different movement patterns and three clearing tests that are combined into a movement screen. By screen, this does not mean it’s a diagnostic tool. The FMS is not diagnostic at all. It is a proven tool that looks objectively at quality of movement patterns. It is extremely objective, reliable, and reproducible. It used by a wide range of fitness and health care professionals.

The seven movement patterns require a balance of mobility and stability. Mobility and stability are the essential elements of the movement patterns in the FMS. If there are limitations in either, the FMS will reveal them.

The purpose of this information is not to go into the details of each of the seven movement patterns, but to explain the practical application and utility in the athletic and recreational exercise population. With the increased desire to be fitter, stronger, and more athletic, people need to realize the importance of having fundamental movements before advancing into higher-level activities. What often happens is people are putting exercise and performance on top of dysfunctional movement patterns, which can impair performance and cause injuries.  

There is a saying that “something is only as strong as its weakest link.” The FMS strives to identify the weak links and then correct them if present. The FMS looks at fundamental movement patterns, which are the foundation for fitness and performance.  Once the FMS has revealed a dysfunction, if there is one, an appropriate exercise strategy can be implemented to correct the problem. This is part of the magic of the FMS and corrective exercise system.  

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO NEXT? HOW TO GET A SCREEN

I highly recommend getting an FMS for the reasons I mention. The screen may score completely “normal” and that’s a great thing if it does. If it does not, that’s not bad either, as the next step is in building an appropriate corrective exercise strategy, which is easily built into your program to correct the underlying dysfunction.

If you’d like to get a movement screen, the next step would be to search the FMS website to see where the closest local certified expert is to you to perform the FMS. There are many functional movement certified experts that can perform the complete screen, which will only take about ten to fifteen minutes.

I strongly believe in the effectiveness and value of the FMS. The last thing any of us wants is to sustain an injury while exercising. While the FMS does not guarantee that won’t happen, it does significantly cut that risk. The FMS is a great evaluation tool to reveal a movement dysfunction or asymmetry that could be the crack in your exercise foundation.

In summary, the FMS is simple, but highly reliable and effective.

The main benefits for getting a screen include:

·      Identifying individuals at risk for injury.

·      Implementing a corrective exercise strategy to improve or normalize functional movement patterns.

·      Providing a tool to monitor progress in dynamic or changing fitness programs.

·      Establishing a functional movement baseline for appropriate exercise programming.

The important consideration to remember is that proper functional movement precedes performance and may ultimately lead to an injury reduction. If you haven’t had a screen and you are a beginner or experienced exerciser, this is something you should give strong consideration.

Remember, you can’t put fitness on dysfunction. Unfortunately, this happens much too often in today’s golf fitness climate.

Practicing RKC Movements as a Stand Alone Golf Fitness System

Few will argue that the majority of a competitive or recreational golfers’ time should be invested in practicing golf skills.  Yet, golfers can improve these skills remarkably, simply by improving their overall fitness level.  At the same time, golfers have very limited time to deal with high volume, complicated programs or those that require a lot of specialized equipment.   So, what is the best fitness training system to better one’s golf game? A program which provides the most return on time investment.  A program which addresses strength, endurance, power, flexibility, coordination, and body awareness.  A program which builds resilience.  This program is the RKC system.

In my 42 years of training, research and coaching, I find that the RKC system stands out as the most complete method for gaining extreme overall fitness for a golfer in the absolute shortest possible time.  The system, which relies on kettlebell and bodyweight exercises, works as an addition to any strength or conditioning program a golfer may already be using, but also excels as a stand-alone training method. Ballistic kettlebell movements so closely mimic the effect of a graceful, efficient, powerful golf swing, that the carry over is immediate: practicing kettlebell movements builds a more powerful golfer.  And a more powerful golfer hits the ball farther and more accurately, achieving golf’s coveted Holy Grail.

The Elements

The primary, core elements of the RKC system are a combination of ballistic and grind movements.  These go hand-in-hand with high-tension, breathing techniques that are critical to building super strength and conditioning safely. Last, the RKC system stresses stretching techniques which increase mobility and flexibility, which combat creaky, achy, immobile joints.  Equally critical to the system are the corrective drills used to analyze and fix technique, a feature to which most golfers can relate.  Overall, the RKC system simultaneously builds strength, power, endurance, while relaxing muscles and joints for increased elasticity and mobility.

The Principles

The key principle of the RKC system is that the body is a linked, interconnected unit and should be trained as such, rather than other training methods which use techniques that isolate joints, muscles, and limbs. Training the body as a unit is a skill that must be practiced much as one would practice their golf skills. A golfer wouldn’t continue making sloppy golf swings and repeatedly beat the ball on the practice range just to swing the club a certain number of times, nor should one do so with kettlebell movements.  Form and technique precede all else.  Movements should be considered as practice and not working out.  Quality, as in golf, surpasses quantity.

Another key principle of the RKC system is mastery.  Mastery results from an internal focus, another component of the system.  Skill is never sacrificed for numerical gains, which resonates very well with golfers because we all have practiced for very long periods and actually came away with less golf skill than when we started.  Like in practicing golf skills, internal focus is critical when practicing with kettlebells: both demand internal focus for developing mastery. 

While the system is simple and extremely effective, it is not easy.  This sums up the “hard style” approach to kettlebell exercise, which defines the RKC system. When swinging the kettlebell, for example, one does not let gravity take over, but continues to apply force to the ground as hard as possible throughout the entire rep, which magnifies the training effect greatly. Working hard to get as much as possible out of every movement is a key concept.

Force Magnifier

One of the key tenets of the system is the kettlebell swing, which is the center of the RKC universe.  For golfer’s, the same applies, the swing is the most important component of the game. 

The perfect kettlebell swing is better than 99 percent of all other strength and conditioning methods for golfers.  Even more, is that the kettlebell swing is safe, effective, and available to basically ALL golfers as a conditioning tool.  The same cannot be said for most training methods.

The ballistic loading of the kettlebell swing also creates an alternating cycle of muscular tension and relaxation, very similar to the golf swing.  When one swings a golf club powerfully, there are periods of muscular tension and relaxation, this type of swing looks graceful, yet produces powerful results and tremendous club head speed.  The inability to relax the muscles creates too much tension to achieve a high-speed golf swing.  Kettlebell ballistic movements trains this cycle of tension and relaxation into muscles in a way no other weight tool can.  The kettlebell swing teaches a golfer to create an impressively mighty force and then relax immediately after, which mirrors the logistics of a graceful high-speed golf swing. The higher the rate of swing speed, the more force that is imparted on the golf ball at impact, producing a greater shot distance, the common goal of every golfer. 

Astoundingly, the kettlebell swing is a non-impact movement, which means impact stress and injuries are virtually eliminated. There is also very little soreness in the muscles, even from very high workloads due to the cyclic tension-relaxation nature of the movements.  This is a tremendous benefit for every golfer using a training system to improve his or her game.

Kettlebell ballistics also impart a very therapeutic muscle stretch with no loss of strength, in fact, one becomes stronger as range of motion increases and also as one gains the ability to contract muscles quickly after they are stretched.  Stretching with a tension component is exactly what helps a golfer achieve higher swing speeds, which closely mirrors what happens in a smooth, but powerful, golf swing.

What makes the RKC such a great stand-alone system is that in applying these “hard style” techniques, one greatly enhances the loads that one puts on the body, and increases these loads safely.  A golfer wants to golf, not recover from the training that is supposed to be helping his or her golf performance.  To that end, the RKC method utilizes light weights, but to the effect of much greater loads. This compensatory acceleration approach allows the average recreational golfer to approach the workloads of a super athlete.

Compensatory acceleration is a technique that asks the athlete to continue to impart force to the resistance even after the “sticking point” is overcome. This technique is what one wants to do when starting the downswing portion of the golf swing: accelerate the club to generate as much club head speed as possible.  Training one’s body with kettlebells to use compensatory acceleration has such a beautiful carryover effect on the golf swing, because one wants to avoid de-accelerating the club head in the forward part of golf swing.

With a kettlebell one continues to “root” one’s self into the ground (applying maximum force through the legs) throughout the entire kettlebell swing, or kettlebell snatch, while the bell continues to accelerate after body movement is halted.  Because gravity is always trying to push the bell back to earth, the resistance actually increases, as one’s leverage gets better.  This is the same as the concept of staying rooted in the golf swing to achieve maximal power.  Again, the carryover effect is optimal.

Even with a 16kg (~35lbs) kettlebell, the average golfer can easily do a 7000 pound work session in just 200 hard style kettlebell swings, the same golfer would have to squat 300 pounds 23 times to approach that workload using the same muscles.  Most golfers cannot, or should not, attempt to squat that heavy, but almost all average golfers can do 200 kettlebell swings with a 16kg bell in very short period of time.

Swinging the kettlebell creates a “virtual force” that allows a light bell to impart much higher loads, and thereby create more intense training effects.  Force equals mass multiplied by acceleration (F=ma), and the forces created by accelerating a kettlebell are much higher than just the weight of the bell.  The same when occurs when a golfer swings a golf club to apply maximum force: the faster one accelerates the club towards the ball, the more force transmitted to the golf ball.  Final result: more acceleration = more distance.

Our bodies register force in the same manner regardless of the source.  It is much easier for most golfers to move a lighter kettlebell faster than to use a heavier bell.  In fact, using too heavy of a bell will actually result in lower force than accelerating an appropriate-sized bell properly, which is the same as having properly fitted clubs with a correct swing weight.  For instance, air has almost no mass but anyone who has stood in front of a hurricane force wind has no doubt that speed of movement, of even a small load, can create huge forces.  This ‘virtual force’ has tremendous effects on one’s musculature, connective tissue, and cardiovascular system with much less risk of injury.

In some part, this ‘virtual force’ is what is responsible for the well known “what the heck” effect the kettlebell has on so many practitioners.  The “what the heck” effect translates to the golf swing beautifully when one understands the angular acceleration that moves a very light golf club very fast imparts tremendous force on the golf ball at impact.

Increase Your Work Capacity

Work capacity is an excellent barometer for real life fitness and nothing will increase work capacity more, especially for a golfer, than practicing using the RKC system.  Most golfers will be able to do a tremendous amount of work very easily in a very short amount of time.  And for those who want to push the limits on fitness, the sky is the limit.  For the golfer who is looking to maximize power in his golf swing and prime themselves physically, no other stand-alone systems comes close.  Plus, a golfer will never have to go to a traditional fitness gym again, which means more time out on the greens.

Foundational System

The RKC system is an excellent method for building a solid foundation of mobility, strength, strength endurance, coordinated power, and body awareness that is available to most golfers, regardless of their athletic ability.  Golfers will love it because it is not limiting.  Less athletic golfers will love the system too, because it allows them to increase their athleticism just by performing the basic movements.  Age is also not a limiting factor.  Young and old golfers alike can utilize and benefit from practicing kettlebell training, because the movements and intensity are very scalable.

The ease of learning and the safety of the system enhance its role as a foundational system as well as an advanced method of training for people that participate in golf.  Linkage, rooting, total body connection, generation of total body tension and relaxation, power, and building internal focus all transfer extremely well over to the sport of golf. 

The variety of kettlebell swings also have a great tonic effect on the muscles and the body as a whole.  The basic kettlebell swing motion, with emphasis on the rhythmic pumping of the pelvis area, strengthens and stabilizes us throughout the core and solidifies our center from the inside out.

The compelling nature of the basic kettlebell movements also makes this an excellent method for the golfer that gets bored easily with conventional fitness routines.  The kettlebell does not ask, but demands one’s full attention. Throwing around a heavy iron ball with a handle on it is a far cry from the mind numbing treadmill, exercise bikes, fitness machines, and high repetition exercises that most golf fitness systems tend to use.

The RKC system clarifies the current chaotic and disordered world of golf fitness into basic concepts that almost every golfer can follow and add to their current training regime. Fifteen minutes to learn and a lifetime to master is a perfect training system for a golfer.  Practicing with a kettlebell will build one’s body and character, and build you into a more powerful golfing machine.  Learn to start swinging kettlebells. Click here to get the DVD.

Why Use Kettlebells for Golf Fitness?

What makes the kettlebell unique and very effective for golf fitness is the offset center of mass that extends beyond your hand as you hold the ‘bell, and the various ballistic, swinging, rotational and tension movements you can practice that are not very well accommodated with a traditional fitness routines and fitness equipment.

The movements combine mobility, stability, balance, body awareness, strength and power training all in one. When training the full power golf swing similar physical characteristics come into play. Kettlebell movements are also holistic in nature; therefore they work several large muscles groups simultaneously.  Like the golf swing there are no isolation movements performed with a kettlebell, every movement requires a practice of linked coordination with tension and relaxation simultaneously. The carry over effect to the golf swing is tremendous. Because the golf swing is a ground up coordinated whole body movement that produces a ballistic force, the kettlebell becomes the perfect tool for training golf fitness.

Kettlebell movements also have very little if any impact on your joints, most movements have a rehabilitative effect on shoulders, hips and lower back areas when performed properly.  These aspects make kettlebell practice ideal for golfers of any fitness level.  Kettlebell practice will make you strong, supple, resilient and lean. Ideal for building a better golf machine.

Practice sessions with kettlebells are typically less than 20 minutes in length with a warmup. The movements provide twice the results in half the time of a traditional golf fitness exercise sessions.  A typical golf fitness regimen might include, 20 minutes of cardio work, 20 minutes of isolated strength exercises and 20 minutes of mobility/flexibility work.  This type of golf fitness regimen is outdated in nature since the kettlebell provides the opportunity to better train your body to perform in a very forceful coordinated movement that transfers over to the golf swing more effectively in a much shorter time period. Leaving you more time to practice your golf skills.

The fundamental RKC Hardstyle Swing so closely mirrors the muscular activation patterns of the golf swing it is almost scary. Both are full body mulit-joint movements that move a relatively light object to a pre stretch loaded position, then the object is smoothly accelerated using a very powerful hip drive, creating tremendous ballistic force, the object reaches an impact point where all the forces are concentrated, then the object is eccentrically brought back to rest.  The kettlebell swing and the golf swing are two of the most explosive movements in all of sport. Both movements use the tension/relaxation performance cycle to create maximal power. Strength and speed make up a powerful kettlebell swing as well as a powerful golf swing.

The hand-to-hand rotational movements practiced with the kettlebell will build outstanding rotational power from the ground up, training the body to take the power generated from the legs, through the core of the body, into the shoulders, down through the arms and into the golf club. There are no better movements that can be done that will carry over to the full golf swing.

In summary the kettlebell, introduce back into the United States only 11 years ago has been overlooked as the optimal training tool for building a better golfer, but the benefits are far out weighing the resistance to change.  Golf equipment has gone through some really radical changes over the past five years, golf fitness is experiencing a very similar revolution with the introduction of kettlebell movements to the golf community.

Science says kettlebells work.  You can burn all the calories in half the time, fix chronic aches and pains in your body, and get stronger!  This odd looking implement has completely transformed this 53 year old golfer.  My low back and my shoulders do not cause me pain anymore when I practice or play golf, I am as strong as I was at 25 years old, but I’m in much better condition. My golf scores are at an all time low with the only swing change made is I am now swinging a kettlebell for golf fitness.

Keep in mind that Kettlebells are just a tool, if used incorrectly they can cause some serious injury, if used correctly they can change your golf performance dramatically in a very short time, and maybe transform your life. Are you willing to give them a try?  If so go see your local RKC and get proper instruction.  Find a RKC Instructor near you.

It would be hard pressed to find anything similar in the fitness world at the investment cost, with the portability, and the tremendous benefits that are derived from practicing simple but effective kettlebell movements when it comes to golf fitness. 

Hit Solid Iron Shots Like the Touring Professionals

Buy the IronSolid Here

Practicing your iron shots with the IronSolid will promote a descending angle of attack and the consistency needed to hit quality shots every time.  The only true measurable in golf is can you hit the ball and then the ground on the target side of the golf ball when hitting an iron or hybrid shot consistently.

IronSolid Product Demo Clip

This is a short demonstration clip of using the IronSolid, the golfer is working on hitting down and through the ball at the correct angle of attack, you can see he barely clips the device before hitting the  golf ball.  Using the IronSolid in practice sessions will fine tune your iron play.

BUY THE IRONSOLID HERE

The Golf Fitness Chaos

With one simple tool, a 16kg (~35lbs) russian kettlebell you can turn your body into a better golf machine.  No more mind numbing cardio, flex tubes, isolation exercises, golf specific training methods that take up your time and produce no results. In less than 15 minutes a day practicing a few simple movements utilizing the unique loading effect of this iron ball with a handle on it (russian kettlebell), you can increase your driving distance, hit more powerful iron shots, improve your focus and accuracy, build a heart of elastic steel, improve your balance and body awareness, plug all power leaks in your swing, eliminate shoulder and back pain and become a better golfing machine.

I'm not going to promises you lower golf scores, that will depend upon your golf skills, what I am going to promise you is pain free golf and the confidence in knowing that you are at your physical best when playing or practicing golf.  My program starts small and simple and builds into a comprehensive golf fitness regimen that you can do for the rest of your life.

I will not bombard you with a ton of exercises, you will learn only one new "habit" every two weeks, and I am going to ask you to comply 100%.  I will be with you the entire time, mentoring you along to becoming the best you can be physically so you to can enjoy the great game of golf for the rest of your life and play your best pain free.

I live and breathe golf fitness, that is my passion, my story is sad but true.  I played golf with pain for way too long and through a stroke of luck I discovered a golf fitness regimen that I could "practice" everyday that had such a carry over effect to my golf performance it was almost scary. This happened by accident as my initial discovery had absolutely no intention to help my golf performance.

In less than 4 weeks of practicing a few simple kettlebell movements I was golfing "pain free" for the first time in over 15 years! Without changing golf equipment I increased the distance of all my shots by 8-10 yards.  My internal focus increased tremendously, this alone led to lower scores for me.  My endurance and golf stamina went to top levels, after a round of golf I felt energized.  I started walking 9 holes again.  All of this happened in a very short time for me.  There is no secret, no magic pill or magic golf fitness exercise, what it took was using a simple tool and simple movements that were not golf related. In developing one fitness habit every two weeks and being consistent my golf performance skyrocketed.

If you are ready to commit 100% to doing something so simple, 3-4 times a week, that will take you less than 15 minutes in order to improve your golf performance then you should email me at al@ironsolid.com and we can get started.

The Stack and Tilt Golf Swing and the IronSolid

Since there is 3 inches of snow on the ground and the tempature is hovering around 20 degrees, being locked up in the house since I am completely tired of cold weather at my age, the only thoughts running through my head are what do I do in this situation to improve my golf game.  More research, more validation.  I started researching the Stack and Tilt golf swing method.  Wow!  there is something very interesting in the funadmental that they measure for an effective golf swing.


From the book Stack and Tilt by Andy Plummer and Mike Bennett:


This information led to a complete re-evaluation of the golf swing during which Mike and Andy threw out every convention and, essentially, started from scratch. They watched video and examined images of good and bad players. They discarded conventional "fundamentals" like the grip or "alignment" in favor of new fundamentals like "striking the ground after the golf ball," something the average player doesn't do with any consistency at all but which the best players do incredibly well.


Could it be that in designing the IronSolid training device (which has a US Design Patent) that what I was doing was developing a device that promoted the Stack and Tilt golf swing without even knowing it?  After all the research and videos I have watched this week, my answer is YES!  OK, here is what is really amazing, the Stack and Tilt authors, PGA teaching professionals Andy Plumer and Mike Bennett, reference Ben Hogan many times and show an amazing series of photos that back up their golf swing observations and teaching philosophy.


Striking the ground after the ball on a consistent basis is what all the top professionals do incredibly well, this is exactly what the IronSolid promotes.

Make note in the above shot video the consistent divot pattern in front of the golf ball as this player works on his iron game using the IronSolid.


The IronSolid training device will have you making solid consistent contact in a few practice sessions. Hit it Solid! www.ironsolid.com

Easy Golf Strength

One of the easiest ways to start building your golf strength is to do loaded carries.  I like using a kettlebell as the tools of the trade in my strength program. This simple but effective "hand held gym" will allow you to build incredible strength in a very short time. A good weight to start with is 16kg (35lbs).

  

RKC Kettlebell from www.dragondoor.com

Suit Case Carry is the first carry that you will perform.  Hold the KB in your right hand you will carry this like you would a suit case.  Walk smoothly and slowly about 25 yards, stay upright, stand tall, brace you core, you should feel a tightening across your entire midsection, crush grip the KB, this will build grip and forearm strength. Once you go the desired distance, switch hands and walk back using the same technique.

Next you will do a Rack Carry, you will hold the KB in the rack position in your right arm, and walk 25 yards, again staying tight through the mid section and tall as you walk smoothly.  Go the desired distance and switch to a left arm rack position and return.

Finally you will do an Overhead Carry, clean and press the KB overhead with your right arm. You will now walk the 25 yards with the KB locked out overhead in your right arm.  Walk tall and smoothly, this will tax your entire core and your shoulder stabilizers, keep your shoulder "packed" in the socket and your elbow locked out.  Go the desired distance and switch to your left arm and repeat.

These three simple carries will do wonders for your golf strength. They will build tremendous core strength and strengthen all of the small stabilizer muscles through out your hip girdle and lower back.  The suitcase, rack and overhead carry will strengthen your shoulder stabilizers and your upper back muscles.  These area's are very important in the golf swing.

If you do nothing else for your golf strength but Kettlebell carries you will improve your golf strength tremendously.  To increase the intensity, either carry for longer distance, or increase the weight.

I prefer increasing the distance initially this builds strength plus endurance. Keep up these carries through out the golf season and you will be glad that you incorporated them into your golf fitness routine.

Another great variation is to do the carries in a figure eight pattern, this will work you mobility, coordination and stabilization tremendously.

Golf Strength

Strength, what does that have to do with golf?  This isn't a weight lifting contest.  The type of strength needed to perform a very coordinated ballistic movement such as a golf swing is overall body strength.  There can be no power leaks.

What is a power leak in a golfer, a good example is a sore or weak shoulder, another example is a weak lower back.  Golfers have to be strong from the ground up, the connection points for a golfer are his feet and his hands.  Feet are connected to the ground and your hands are connected to the golf club.  The strength needed in the legs to make sure you have a very stable base to work from and the strength needed in your grip to make sure you can transmit the power into the golf ball with the golf club are very important.

The engine of the golf swing motion needs to be strong, the engine is from the top of your knees to your armpits.  This is the functional core of the body.

Building a strong core is very easy to do with a few simple exercises using the Russian Kettlebell and some bodyweight movements.  The standard 2 arm kettlebell swing will build tremendous power and ballistic speed.  The standard RKC plank will also strengthen the entire torso and overall body.  Kettlebell carries are a tremendous exercise for golfers, the unilateral carry builds and strengthens all the small muscles that tie together the lower back and the abdomen.

For the more advanced golfer learning how to do a Turkish Get Up with a Kettlebell is the "king" of all movements.   If there is one movement every golfer should strive for it is the TGU.  Much more on this later but for now, getting strong(er) should be every golfers goal.

Building a Better Golf Weapon

Hitting a golf ball is a ballistic event, you are striking the golf ball with a tool and you launch it into the air with a desired distance and direction in mind. The ball is the projectile, the golf club is the firing pin and you are the weapon. Since the projectile is uniform in size and come in different compressions, and the firing pin is different for each shot the only thing that is consistent is the condition of the weapon.  You are only so mobile, stable, balanced and strong.  You can improve your choices in projectiles (golf balls) and firing pins (clubs) but unless you build a better weapon you will eventually be limited in your capability to hit a golf ball.

So let's look at the four components of the weapon, mobility, stability, balance and strength and how we can improve on them. Start there, you are the most adjustable piece of equipment you will ever own.