True Personal Training - Golf Conditioning

     The "good walk spoiled" can be taken very seriously by those with a competitive spirit, and having grown up a golf orphan, I've seen the affliction first hand. The Strand has always been considered the Golf Capital of the Entire World, attracting retirees to settle here for a lifestyle centered around "the club," whichever of the many one chooses. We have numerous golf equipment stores; restaurants have their golfers' menus; vacation and entertainment packages revolve around golf; yoga studios feature Yoga for Golfers classes; hypnotherapists have programs for a "winning- with-the-mind" game; and fitness centers have their golf training and conditioning programs to boost flexibility, strength and power. True Personal Training in Little River has developed such a program, using fitness as the path toward a more enjoyable game and better score. Standing in his customized studio, adjacent to the LifeQuest Swim and Fitness center, owner Jesse Yodice takes me and his staff through some of the exercises to demonstrate how his system is ideal for taking one's game to the next level. "For this movement, keep your hips fixed, eyes down and bring your arms back in full rotation, as far as you can," Jesse instructs . While consciously going through the movements, I can feel every muscle, especially the places where muscles and joints feel tight and sore. "Stretching is a key component of the program," Jesse advises.
True Personal Training uses the TRX system of bodyweight exercises that utilizes specialized web straps attached to the ceiling that have hand grips and adjustments for length. There are no barbells, dumbbells or cable weights in the TRX approach. Instead of striving for powerful biceps, the goal is to achieve a powerful core, free movement, control and range of motion, which is perfect for golfers, as these are all essential components of playing a good game. "Core work" and "functional fitness" are the hot buzz words in the industry now, replacing "muscle isolation" and "focus." The Nautilus equipment mindset is gone, and the functional training program is where fitness science is today. Interestingly, the functional TRX system works just as well for men as women, and for those of any strength or ability, because one works against one's own limitations, not the weight of the iron plates and bars.
"The Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) is really behind us with this," according to Jesse. "They call out the TRX system as essential for golf conditioning." The training studio has a flat-screen monitor at the reception desk running TPI demonstrations of several movements from the TRX system that are most valuable for improving your swing while you improve your strength and health. While many of his golf conditioning clients are in their 60s, and most are men, there is a group of women golfers in fitness training programs who will begin adding the golf conditioning program to their regimen. And not all golfers are retirees. Patrick Lundy from Little River, 19 and already a professional golfer, is a True Personal Training client during the off season when he isn't on tour. "Have I gotten improvement? Big time," says Patrick. "Distance gained was the biggest thing; gained a lot of distance. I work with a golf coach through the season, but I'll continue the conditioning work with Jesse next off season." Most professional golfers adhere to a conditioning program, important for preventing injuries that would bring and early end to a good golf season. Jesse has been taking his program on the road, making appearances at Martin's golf shops, and is slated to appear at a number of local golf courses, including River Hills, in Little River, on March 25, and The Pearl, in Calabash, on May 5. "I have openings for April, and I'm talking to several private courses, but haven't committed yet. We'd like to add more" says Jesse. The 30-session program runs for 15 weeks, with segments that focus on flexibility, first; strength, second; and then strength and flexibility combined for segment three. While the program is established with a fixed plan, each individual client is trained for his or her own goals. While pro golfers may only train in the off season, local amateur golfers can benefit all year from the ongoing sessions. New classes are being scheduled for March and April that will help golfers be in peak performance by the end of May.