Archive for September, 2008

Sep 30

Golf Fitness Stretching Exercises-Your Golf Fitness Secret Weapon

The singlemost important golf fitness factor for your golf performance is flexibility. The less golf fitness stretching exercises you do, the less flexibility you have, the worse your game. It’s that simple. Ignorance of the proper golf stretches and lack of flexibility are responsible for keeping the games of many players from ever reaching their full potential – on all levels.

No equipment breakthroughs, no magical flying golf balls, no $300 lessons and no ‘electrically charged’ bracelets will ever take the place of what a proper golf fitness stretching exercise program can do for your game.

With the right golf stretching exercises, the easier and further your body can turn, the better, more powerful, your swing is. Period.

Moving the club head over a greater distance allows for the generation of more club head speed, hence more distance on the ball – WITH LESS EFFORT.

So, What Does The Ideal Golf Stretching Exercise Program Consist Of?

1) It must include several key compound stretches – stretches that elongate several joint areas at the same time – mimicking natural movement patterns. Allowing the golfer to be more accurate through enhanced fitness flexibility, body awareness & control.

2) It must include a series of single or double joint golf stretching exercises. The effects of these stretches increase exponentially when the specific body movement requires several of these joints to move in coordination with each other (ie – the golf swing).

3) It must follow a symetrical protocol – the true key to maintaining optimal muscle/tendon/joint balance on both sides of the body. This allows for enhanced golf swing power without a large increase in swing effort. And this is also very important to chronic and acute injury prevention – and hence fitness and playing longevity.

4) It must offer several golf fitness program variations. A long version for regular training days and a short version for Pre-Round Stretching. A few variations with the large exercise ball should also be included (extremely important for the golfer) along with a couple of club stretches to do just before tee-off & between holes if necessary.

5) It must be realistic & easy to do for golfers at any fitness level with no equipment except for a stretching floor mat (and an exercise ball for certain stretches).

6) It should be thorough – addressing the head and neck all, the way down to the feet. Remember, the golf swing is a full body movement.

7) It should feel good – especially afterward. This type of stretch routine should make you feel as if your posture is immediately better & you should feel stronger – just because your body moves so much easier & more fluidly. You should almost feel like you could rip the cover off a ball if you were to hit one right after your golf fitness stretch routine.

8) It should cause some of your golf buddies to become ‘hateful enemies’. Once you start bombing your drives & ripping your iron shots ‘the boys’ are not going to be very happy with your new-found golf fitness abilities – they will be ‘green’ with envy.

9) Multi-plane, rotational floor stretches are a must. Glute, piriformis & IT band stretches are a must. Heel (Achilles) and calve stretches are a must. Hip flexor, quad, and groin (adductor) stretches are a must and have to be included in any golf fitness flexibility program.

10) Neck, trapezius & shoulder girdle stretches must be included. Chest, arm, abdominal and oblique stretching exercises must be included. Upper, middle & lower back stretches must be included.

11) A complete golf flexibility exercise session should take you no longer than 45 minutes on a long program and no longer than 14 minutes on a ‘quick golf stretch’.

The starting point of your optimum golf fitness exercise program should place priority on the flexibility component. A carefully crafted stretching program, consisting of the right golf exercises, should be the foundation for which the rest of your golf performance conditioning program is built upon.

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Posted in Health And Fitness

Sep 29

The Right Diet Program For You



Searching for the best diet program can be time consuming in itself. There are diet programs that are set out for you, with books and prepackaged meals, and diet programs that you customize to your own individual needs. Here you will find short descriptions of some of the most popular diet programs to help you begin your search.

Weight Watchers – This program is for those concerned with their weight. The basic concept of this diet program is that food is ranked by a point value system and you may eat so many points per day or week. Recently, Weight Watchers has come up with variations of the way one counts his or her points to give the dieter more options and keep them feeling less restricted while on the diet program. You may find many frozen foods at your local grocer that will tell you how many points it contains based on the Weight Watchers system.

South Beach – This is a diet program with a healthy twist. The program is designed to help you lose weight by restricting “bad” carbs. The main staples of this diet program are going to be the same that you will find with any “heart healthy” diet. It has its own line of frozen foods to help you make the right choices when in a hurry.

Atkins – This diet program helps you to lose weight by restricting all carbs. Many of its opponents, some being health professionals, claim that it is unhealthy. However, this diet has a lot of loyal followers since it helps you shed pounds quickly while eating steak, bacon, eggs, and other high protein options.

Your own customizable diet program – most diet programs are geared towards losing weight. However, there are some that have no weight to lose, yet have other reasons they need to come up with a diet program for themselves. For example, someone with high blood pressure may need a sodium restricted diet. This kind of diet program is a little harder for some because you constantly have to read labels, but the effort is usually worth it.

You may need to try several diet programs before you find out which one is easiest for you to enjoy and reach your goals with. Remember, if you try a diet program and constantly find yourself eating things you are not supposed to, your best bet would be to move on to the next one rather than sticking with one that is hard for you to follow.

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Posted in Health And Fitness

Sep 25

Foods That Increase Metabolism – Diet Foods Dieters Aren’t Eating



Many diet foods are obvious. Lettuce, celery, and other low calorie green vegetables are a staple in most diets. Fish, chicken, and lean meats are another category often found in any dieter’s handbook. But, if you truly want to use food to supercharge your body and keep it functioning at top quality while dieting, check out these ten foods that many people overlook.

Asparagus A low-carb, low-calorie food that adds a flair to meals. It is also high in vitamins, like folate and vitamin A. It is great as a side dish, mixed with a main dish, or as a low calorie snack. It has less than 4 calories per spear.

Goji Berries

These raisin-like berries have been used in Tibetan medicine for thousands of years. They have a sweet taste which helps cut the sweet tooth cravings. The sugars that make this berry sweet help reduce insulin resistance and may be beneficial to diabetics and pre-diabetics.

Purslane This can be a great substitute in your salads for lettuce, or an additional green. This herb has the highest level of omega-3 fatty acids of any plant. Studies have found that adequate amounts of essential fatty acids are vital to a good diet plan, to ensure healthy weight loss. It also supplies a good deal of the antioxidant, melatonin.

Cinnamon

This spice is a great choice when looking for a sweetener to replace sugar. Not only is it a treat but it can help lower blood sugar levels, as well. You get a double whammy with this one, a sweet treat and better blood sugar control.

Guava Everyone knows the importance of fiber in their diet. Guava is a sweet way to get it. This powerhouse packs 9 grams of fiber per cup. It is also a good source of lycopene, for fighting prostate cancer, and potassium, for electrolyte balancing.

Cabbage This is another great lettuce substitute. It has only 22 calories per cup. It is packed with lots of vitamins and minerals. It has strong antioxidant properties. Mixed in a slaw or cooked as a side this cruciferous vegetable can be a great addition to any diet.

Beets Beets, when cooked, look like candy but they can be a major boost to cardiovascular health. They supply folate and betaine, which lower homocysteine levels, decreasing heart disease risks. They have also been reported to reduce cancer risks, as well.

Zucchini This is a squash, but it does not have the usual carbohydrates and calories of other squash varieties. It adds variety, and fiber, to the diet plan.

Berries These are a great way to fight off sugar cravings. Throw a few berries in your yogurt, or on your cereal and you will be enjoying antioxidant protection and a sweet treat.

Olive Oil Yes, olive oil is an oil, and calorie dense, but it is a heart healthy choice. Its strong flavor makes it a good choice as well, because a little goes a long way. Use it, with a little vinegar or red wine, in place of creamier salad dressings.

Add some or all of these to your diet and you will not only find your weight loss improving, but your overall health will be better, as well.

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Posted in Dietary

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