GOLF FITNESS: How can you separate the GOOD from the BAD on Social Media?
Hello, hello!
Guess I woke in a fighting mood today...
It's not even 7 am. I've had three cups of coffee, and I am ready to go off on some bosu ball garbage I saw online by someone the golf industry considers to be an "expert trainer."
Love it when you find the perfect GIF.
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Context Matters
I acknowledge the fact that context matters, and often times social media lacks this context.
It's not fair to judge a coach off of one post or one exercise.
Every athlete is different.
But it is fair to judge coaches when they repeatedly post horrible strength training exercises and promote them as "ALL GOLFERS NEED THIS!"
Or, when they promote something as "power training" and then the athlete completes 12+ reps of an exercise... that's not power, that's called cardio.
Which is fine if that's your goal... but don't lie to the golfers that are following you.
Navigating Social Media
The purpose of this post is more broader than just hating on bosu balls and cardio, it's trying to answer the question:
How should you navigate the golf fitness social media world and sniff out the trash and the good?
Because it's hard.
Some coaches have tons of followers and train elite PGA/LPGA pros, so they must be excellent at their craft!
That is beyond false.
Be Skeptical While Scrolling...
As you are scrolling social media, I want you to be skeptical about exercises and training you are being shown.
We are going to go through 5 BAD SIGNS of a social media post, and then 5 GOOD SIGNS!
Then I'll summarize it all into 2 specific questions you should be asking yourself... Let's do this!
BAD SIGNS:
[1.] The exercise being shown is super complex or uses 3+ pieces of equipment.
[2.] The coach tries really hard to link the exercise to a golf swing flaw. For example, "this exercise will help you compress the golf ball"... or "this exercise will fix your slice"... not it won't.
[3.] The exercise incorporates an unnecessary rotational component.
Wait, what? I thought rotation was good?
Let me explain...
I personally post rotational exercises all the time and believe everybody should be rotating in training. Many rotational exercises are awesome, and you 100% SHOULD be completing them in training!
BUT the majority of our training SHOULD NOT BE ROTATIONAL. I know that seems counterintuitive as a rotational athlete, but the goal of training is to apply stress and promote adaptation, which is slightly tougher to do within rotational motor patterns.
Yes, we should be rotating in training.
No, rotation should not be a part of every single exercise.
To summarize, be skeptical if rotation seems to have been thrown into a strength exercise where it doesn't belong.
[4.] There is an instability device present (bosu ball, blue pad thing, air disc things).
[5.] There is a golf club involved. 99% of the time, golf clubs used in exercises could be replaced with an external loading tool of some kind (barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, band).
Golf clubs should be left out of the weight room and in your bag.
*** Speed training being an exception. ***
GOOD SIGNS:
Of course, there are coaches out there posting excellent, high-quality content that I recommend you absorb!
Here are some signs you have come across a quality social media post:
[1.] It's a simple exercise. Squat. Split squat. Lunge. RDL. Push Up. Row.
[2.] There's a true loading stimulus involved (barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, band).
[3.] The loading is great enough to the point it is slowing down the athlete's movement OR the intent of the athlete is clearly maxed out and the speed of movement is high.
[4.] It is improving the athlete's overall athleticism outside of golf. Could you picture other athletes outside of golfers doing the exercise? If yes, probably a good one!
[5.] The exercise is challenging end ranges of motion and forcing the athlete to explore novel positions.
IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO TWO QUESTIONS...
To summarize all of those positives and negatives, I think there are two questions you should be asking yourself when you come across a social media post by a "golf fitness expert"...
1.) How much stress is being placed on the athlete with this exercise?
For example, if there is an elite PGA Tour player doing a lunge with a light band around their knee... your answer would be "almost none."
On the flip side, if you see a PGA Tour player completing strength movements like squats, rows, deadlifts... your answer would be "a good amount!"
It's important to remember that context matters and a bodyweight exercise for one athlete may be a demanding, impactful movement while for another it's simple and not creating adaptations.
That's where subjectivity enters this question.
If there is a video of an older athlete completing a bodyweight split squat, and they are clearly working hard to accomplish the exercise... your answer is "a good amount!"
If you see Colin Morikawa, Nelly Korda, or other elite athletes completing a bodyweight split squat... not good.
Overall, if your answer to this first question is, NOT MUCH, then it is not a beneficial exercise!
If your answer is, a "good amount"... then move on the next question.
2.) Would any athlete other than a golfer benefit from this exercise? Should a football player be doing this exercise? Or a basketball player? Or a baseball player?
If your answer is NO, then keep scrolling because it more than likely is not a beneficial exercise for you to be doing.
If your answer is YES, then tune in because it more than likely is an exercise that promotes adaptation and is improving the athleticism of the golfer completing it!
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WRAP IT UP
Hopefully that helps you navigate all the information that's out there!
Remember, number of followers, tour pros, and complexity does not determine quality.
I think I have cooled down a bit since starting this article.
Feeling better.
Feeling ready for the day.
Let's make it a great one!
Let's go low.
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Carter Schmitz
Founder: SCRATCHGolfTraining.com
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