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Special Report - Top 5 Junior Golf Training Myths

GolfTrainingforJuniors.com ©2011



All rights reserved. No portion of this manual may be used, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including fax, photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system by anyone but the purchaser for their own personal use. This manual may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine or newspaper and has written approval prior to publishing.

Disclaimer This book is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor as a substitute for medical treatment. Programs mentioned herein should not be adopted by any purchaser without review and consent with your health professional. The authors are neither responsible, nor liable for any harm or injury resulting from these programs or the use of the exercises described herein.

Contact: Coach Stephen Ladd Renegade Golf HQ 1197 Chesapeake Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43212 614.487.1440 [email protected]



INTRODUCTION

It wasn’t long ago that golfers weren’t considered athletes. When I started working in the strength and conditioning field 20 years ago, there wasn’t a single coach in the US recommending that golfers actually train, eat and live like serious athletes. Boy, how times have changed! I must admit that I stumbled upon training golfers as athletes by accident in 1993... long before it was a mainstream concept. At the time I was training athletes from over 13 different sports - but not golf (it was hardly even considered a sport back then). As the fates would have it, I was approached by a couple of collegiate golfers in the off-season, who both suffered from “tennis elbow” (odd, but in fact “tennis elbow” is more common in golfers than “golfers elbow”). But I digress... These two aspiring golfers had been through traditional rehab several times with short term results, but the issue would always return. I was a bit stumped. This was long before I took all my classes and internships with the top sports rehabilitation specialists in the world. So I put these guys through the strength assessment that I was using for all my other athletes. The results? Both of these Division 1 scholarships athletes were pitifully weak. Now, I didn’t expect them to as strong as my hockey players (although many of my golfers these days are), but I was shocked to find out that they were weaker than my 47-year-old mom! Not sure what else to do, I decided to train these guys for balanced strength (not big bulky muscles) throughout their torsos, shoulder and elbow flexors/extensors. After six weeks of conditioning, the symptoms disappeared and never returned for their remaining two years of collegiate golf. So I figured I was onto something, and that there must be more experienced strength and conditioning coaches out there who have studied the demands of golf and the best way to train golfers. I was sadly disappointed to find very little information on training specifically for golf. Many of the colleges were simply using the exact same program for their golfers as they did for the football team. I spent the next several years putting together what I named The Renegade Golf System (“Renegade” because nobody else was addressing the issue). Fortunately, over the past decade, the recognition of golf as a sport and golfers as athletes has become mainstream (Thank you, Mr. Woods). This has led to some of the leading organizations in the world doing research and developmental programs for golf fitness. The top two organizations are The Titleist Performance



Institute and The C.H.E.K Institute. I have been involved with the programs for many years and will continue to further my education and remain on the cutting-edge of golf specific fitness conditioning, nutrition and psychology. I know that finding credible information for junior golfers is difficult. I also know how important fitness is to juniors (and parents) as they seek answers to making sure they are getting the help they need to protect from injury while maximizing their performance and abilities at all ages of development. This Special Report was written specifically for you. To all the junior golfers who want to play their best - to all the parents who support their children’s dreams and just want accurate information – and to anyone else who feels this information can be of benefit to training or working with junior golfers. These top five myths can make or break the future success of our junior golfers. Please use this up-to-date scientific information to make the best choices for you and our future champions. Please email me directly with specific questions on how to best utilize the information in this Special Report - Coach Stephen (AT) GolfTrainingForJuniors.com Best regards, Coach Stephen



MYTH NUMBER ONE

Juniors are Just Miniature Adults.

Train Them Using the Same Principles.

Juniors should not necessarily be using the same workout routines as their older siblings or parents

for golf fitness. We now understand that a juniors program must be monitored carefully and adjusted

based on what's important and effective for their particular age (both biological and developmental),

personality and goals.

Here are a few tips that will keep you leagues ahead of the competition while keeping your junior

training age appropriate.

1. All physical training should begin with a detailed assessment of your movement patterns, and

should be re-assessed frequently. Developing an understanding of how your body is built, physical

strengths and weaknesses and postural considerations are key to developing a solid golf program.

2. Body weight exercises should be mastered prior to using additional weight.

3. Training is a process. Young golfers and those who train them should place emphasis on all

stages of development including biological and psychological. Golfers are all developing at individual

rates and should accept and enjoy the process without forcing a specific weight lifting agenda.

4. Focus on the larger trunk muscles as a priority for postural development. Build a strong base

of support and you'll see great results for a lifetime.

5. Always make time for proper rest and recovery. The body needs to go through rest, recovery

and regeneration in order to grow and develop properly.



6. Alternate exercises for different parts of the body. Change exercises frequently to avoid

accumulated fatigue on any specific area. You can alternate a lunge (lower body) with a push (upper

body) with a balance exercise (whole body).

7. Technique and form are never compromised. Your performance will suffer if you choose an

exercise load that cannot be managed properly. Part of strength training is learning how to load and

unload your body. Proper distribution in the kinetic chain is what helps deliver raw power.

There is a temptation with junior golfers to begin lifting heavy weights to secure immediate placement

at the top of the leader board. Try and resist the urge to “jump” into a program that gives you an

immediate boost in performance, but jeopardizes your long-term progress and increases your injury

rate. Follow the steps above and you’ll see the positive impact on your game and your overall health

and fitness.



MYTH NUMBER TWO

Junior Golfers Do Not Need Flexibility Training

This is one of the most popular myths out there in junior golf. Flexibility can be quite deceiving in

junior golfers. It’s typical to find many junior male golfers with overly flexible spines and shoulders

resulting in ‘over-swinging’ and instability at the top of the backswing. However, in this same golfer,

we might find the ‘over-swinging’ can occur as a result of very tight hips. So, where one area may be

very flexible, another area is in dire need of flexibility training.

Let’s look at some important developmental issues that affect their flexibility.

1) From the ages of 6 to 10, shoulder mobility and hip range of motion is reduced. Spinal flexibility

(which allows for a full shoulder turn) reaches its natural maximum at ages 8 or 9.

2) Ages 10 to 13 are when flexibility is most important to train because children begin gaining lean

mass faster than weight and are becoming stronger.

3) During the growth spurt years of 13 to 15, height is increasing more rapidly and injuries can be

more prevalent.

4) Growth spurt changes can also contribute to upper bodies increasing in unequal proportions

relative to lower bodies. The result is increased range of motion in the shoulders and spine with

excessive tightness in the hips.

As a junior golfer, if you are aware of a particularly tight area affecting your golf swing, then make

sure you use a dynamic stretch sequence to unlock the area. Try a method of dynamic stretching

which takes the stretched muscle to a point of slight tension and holding for no more than 2 seconds

before releasing. Repeat 10 to 12 times per side.



MYTH NUMBER THREE

Juniors Must Specialize in Golf at a Very Young

Age in Order to be Successful

This particular myth is probably founded in our memory of seeing Tiger Woods as a toddler on T.V. when he was still in diapers. Unfortunately, it seems that for every one junior who specializes that early and is successful, there are countless others that drop out from golf or struggle endlessly to be successful. The reasons for this are many, but the main issues are burnout, overuse injuries and lack of overall athletic development. The bottom line… is that better athletes make better golfers! If you were to poll the top 20 golfers in the world, you would likely find that most started to specialize in golf “late”, and that most were involved in a variety of sports throughout different seasons into their middle to late teenage years. This is important because is allowed them to develop a full array of athletic skills. It also, hopefully, allowed them to have some “FUN”, and to choose golf as a focus after trying out many different sports. On a related note, there is always the question of when to start teaching young kids the technical aspects of the golf swing. Just to be clear, I am no swing instructor; but there is plenty of scientific evidence and tremendous amounts of antidotal input from golf professionals to suggest that the ideal age for most kids to begin learning technical swing mechanics is between 9-10. For most kids, they will have a better attention span and understanding of the process at this age. That in turn leads to a better overall experience (once again the importance of fun). Speaking of fun, kids and golf clubs… have you noticed how most young kids seem to want to swing the club as hard and fast as possible? Well, the data we now have would indicate that before the age of 9 or so, it is best to let them do just that – swing as wildly as their hearts desire. Let them get a running start if they want to! There are actually two reasons for this. The first is the importance of allowing young kids to associate the golf course and driving range with good feelings. There will be plenty of time for the technical stuff, let them get hooked on the game first ;) The second reason for the wild swing suggestion has to do with optimal “Training Windows of Opportunity” for speed. But that is the topic for another Special Report…



MYTH NUMBER FOUR

Golf Talent is Genetic – Without the Right Parents, a Juniors

Golf Career is Limited Although superior genetics are nice, they are by no means a pre-requisite of high-level success in golf. The overall athletic abilities and sport specific skills involved in golf are very similar to those in most other sports. And they can be developed and improved upon. In the junior athletic development circles, there are two major classifications - Foundational Movement Skills (FMS) and Fundamental Sports Skills (FSS). These are utilized at different stages in a young athlete’s development. Scientific research indicates that the FMS and FSS improvements happen primarily between the ages of 5-10. When the top professional golfers in the world are polled, we find that the vast majority of them were involved in a variety of athletic and “play” activities during this age range. So they were, in effect, trained in both the FMS and FSS parameters at optimal times. This means that any child, regardless of “golf lineage” (or lack thereof), can make great strides as an athlete in general, and a golfer specifically, by addressing the general movement and skill factors within the right time frames.



MYTH NUMBER FIVE

Picky Eaters – It’s Not Important to Monitor Nutrition to

Maximize Performance in Junior Golfers

This is a mistake that far too many juniors make. In fact, I would say this is one of the leading issues

facing most collegiate players today because they didn’t learn good sports nutrition when they were

juniors.

The main objective with golf nutrition is to feel a balanced and consistent level of energy while

maximizing mental acuity. Unfortunately, poor food choices are at the heart of both of these issues.

There are some foods which energy, leaving a player with a general feeling of lethargy. There are

other foods which create highs and lows during tournament play which leave a player questioning

judgment on ball placement, club selection or numerous other on course decisions.

Here are some general golf nutrition rules you can follow to enhance your playing ability.

1) Eat five or six small meals a day. Whether you refer to it as a meal or a snack, nutrient timing is

important and you need to offer your body good balanced nutrition at regular intervals throughout the

day. You may even find that eating more often has the added benefit of accelerating your metabolism

as well as acts to maintain steady energy levels throughout the day.

2) Combine carbohydrates and protein at every meal. Our bodies tend to operate better with a

balance of carbohydrates and protein. It is the combination of these nutrients that helps to stabilize

blood sugar levels and provide a steady release of energy throughout the day.

3) Plan meals/snacks ahead of time. This is more challenging for juniors who find they are either

playing or practicing several times weekly. However, it also makes the process more important. Being

organized takes some time and attention, but pays off in the end. Experiment with different meal

plans to see what works for you. Then, take the time to prepare those meals or snacks in advance so

it becomes a natural and easy process for you. All of my competitive juniors take small meals or

snacks with them to the course.



4) Drink lots of water. We recommend drinking 50% of your bodyweight in ounces of pure water per

day, more if the weather is hot and humid. Staying hydrated can serve you well in the heat of a long

tournament, through training, or simple recreational rounds when you could just use a little more

energy. It only takes a small amount of dehydration to have a dramatic effect on your golf

performance. Drink one glass of water with each of your six meals, and a few more throughout the

day. Avoid soda, coffee, teas, and caffeinated “energy drinks” as these have a diuretic effect these

have on your body.

5) Avoid large amounts of food in the two hours leading up to tee time. Food in your digestive

system diverts blood away from your brain and muscles, affecting concentration and physical

performance. A meal two to three hours before play works well for most golfers.



CONCLUSION

We trust that you have found the information in this Special Report useful in making important decisions in regards to your junior golf cross-training program development. Our Renegade Golf Team is passionate about Junior Golf, and we are here to help. Email us with specific questions: [email protected]

ADDITIONAL RESOURSES

Golf Training For Juniors System

A Comprehensive Guide to Junior Golf Cross-Training for 8-18 Year Olds, including Golf

Fitness, Nutrition and Mental Game Strategies

http://GolfTrainingForJuniors.com

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