Whether you’re a weekend warrior, a committed newcomer or a seasoned veteran, you’re only as good as your recovery. An athlete is NOT created by one workout only but rather by the consistency of multiple golf trainings.
You need to get stronger, you need more muscle, you need to go longer (increase your endurance) and you need to improve your skills (longer drives, more accuracy with your pitching wedge [not your hand wedge] and improved putting). You likely know already that each iron is made or calibrated for a certain distance. Perfect this system. Perfect your distance drives.
You’re going to stress certain tissues – these are the ones that need to recover. These could be in your legs, arms, abdomen or back.
Get the most out of your practice swings – but ensure you’re getting the most out of your game.
Put these methods that I recommend in play and I guarantee that you’ll feel the difference:
• Eat. Have what you want rather than what you think you should have.
• Drink water, tea or coffee unsweetened and un-whitened (NOT ALCOHOL); try to take in 6-8 glasses of water (or equivalent) every day. Remember water makes your body work well, especially your joints.
• Recover. People don’t realise the stress they’re under. Learn to relax, have a massage. Just dare to let go.
• Roll your skin toward your heart. Use sticks, foam rollers or my suggestion – just use your hands.
• Stretch. Each muscle can be stretched but you can also do compound stretches that stretch an entire region. Take your quads (the front muscles of your thigh), for example – here you can stretch one as easily as four.
• Place your legs up a wall. This forces blood to your brain and forces your circulation to clean the blood flowing (or creates your best blood) to your lower limbs.
• Ice, rub or compress your pain. Never do you want to heat, stretch or encourage your pain by elongating it or by inflaming it unless you’re dealing with old or chronic pain.
• Quality foods. You are literally what you eat. Don’t work real hard and then feed yourself junk. Active recovery is so important. Have some fun doing exactly what you want.
• Rest. Many people think they are resting because they’re stationary. Their mind has NOT slowed down however. Slow your mind by meditating or listening to largo baroque music such as Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’ especially before bed.
• Take magnesium (any kind but carbonate is good and reasonably priced) – around 69% of us need it anyway. A good tip-off that you need it is if you’re cramping. Try it every evening. Recovery is not instantaneous, it takes at least five days.
Playing hard and playing to win is important but so is your recovery.
By Dr Glenn Cameron
