You've probably seen the notion of "Maintenance" floating around on social media in relation to In-Season Golf. But let's debunk that idea and explore how you can continue to progress during the season, all while playing the best golf of your life.
Why settle for progress only during the Off-Season? Count me out!
Consider this: how long is your golf season? Whether it's lengthy or short, one thing's for certain—I don't want to spend any part of it without making progress. And guess what? You don't have to either.
Another way to think about maintenance is - as simply trying not to get worse. But that's not how my brain operates. I strive to improve, every single day!
So, how can we elevate our game during the season?
Firstly, let's examine the various physical attributes required of a golf athlete:
- Mobility
- Strength
- Speed
- Power
- Conditioning
- Flexibility
- Coordination
- Balance
Yes, we can certainly maintain some of these attributes while enhancing others. For instance, we needn't focus on getting stronger during the In-Season, as that often leads to soreness. Instead, our attention can shift to areas like speed and mobility. The key is to do so without compromising our ability to practice and play.
What kind of training facilitates this?
In my programming for Lift Heavy, Swing Fast athletes during the In-Season, we employ a range of techniques to make gains while still achieving low scores.
One effective method is contrast training, where we pair a heavy strength exercise with an explosive one. It's worth noting that during the In-Season, we don't opt for light weights and high reps. On the contrary, we lift HEAVY while keeping reps and sets low to avoid excessive fatigue.
Moreover, we steer clear of pushing reps too close to failure during this type of training, as it can leave us too sore to perform on the course.
Another approach, which I'll delve into later this summer, is focusing solely on the concentric portion of the lift. This phase—like driving up from the bottom of a squat or pressing the bar off your chest in a bench press—helps us avoid the soreness associated with the eccentric portion while building speed, a primary goal of In-Season training, and maintaining strength.
Don’t skip training during the season.
Golf demands a diverse range of skills and physical attributes to excel. By tailoring our training throughout the year to meet our specific needs at any given time, we set ourselves up for success.
Depending on your exercise history, you may start to lose gains rather quickly. While seasoned trainers might retain strength and speed for several weeks, others may not be as fortunate.
Regardless of your background, neglecting training during the season will likely lead to a decline in performance. I've heard too many stories of players achieving personal bests early in the season, only to see their performance fade in subsequent months. Let's break that cycle this season by training smart and maintaining peak performance until the Off-Season rolls around again.