How to Start - Ways to Advance Rapidly
1. Condition Your Abdominal Region - This is number one for a very important reason. If you want to improve rapidly you will need to avoid injuries that will delay your training. This is best done through stretching and strengthening techniques. The simplest, quickest and most effective excercise I`ve ever found is the abdominal workout. In fact, I build the bulk of my non-disc golf workout around it. Simple because it can be done anywhere, anytime, indoors or outdoors, in any kind of weather. Quick because it takes less than 10 minutes. That`s right - less than 10! And effective because it achieves results immediately. Just one session will have you feeling better, standing taller and performing better. And each session gets easier and more productive. Of course, work at your own pace. I like to do a session every morning and/or before my 1st throws of the day. In order to condense my improvement to advance quicker, I will do an extra session in the evening. To get on the ultra-fast track, you can do this excercise three times a day if you`re ambitious. You`ll improve that much quicker. Once established, once a day will work just fine.
The primary benefit of this workout routine is the strengthening of the stomach and oblique muscles, which in turn takes a load off of the back when you`re launching a disc. Your back is most likely to be injured when it is strained because it is carrying ALL of the load. Strengthen the other muscles in your midsection and you will take a load off your back and save yourself from back injuries. This works like a charm - I`ve used it for years and have only had injuries the few times I got lazy and didn`t do my crunches.
The other benefits include a better posture, more energy and a better looking physique. In fact you`ll notice yourself standing taller and feeling trimmer after just one session. It also serves to loosen up your muscles before the round. No more waiting until hole 12 for your game to kick in. You`ll throw hard and straight right out of the box. In addition, you will notice that it increases your ability to throw longer, more controlled drives by phasing out your slouchy form and replacing it with that of an athlete. From the sportsmedicine page at about.com it is known that "...Poor core strength results in unnecessary torso movement and swaying during all other athletic movements. This results in wasted energy and poor biomechanics. Good core strength indicates that the athlete can move with high efficiency." Think of the energy you will save from reducing the wear and tear on your body associated with poor biomechanics. All in less than 10 minutes a day.
By the way, this is the easiest workout routine I`ve ever tried. It`s only 5 excercises. Anyone can do it and it`s not very strenuous.
Abdominal Routine for Disc Golf
111 Crunches -
30-120 second break
22 Knee-to-head Cross Crunch - 11 to each side - Lie on back and bend your knees. Rest your left foot on your right knee and clasp your hands behind your head. Now bring your right elbow to your left knee 11 times. Repeat with the left elbow to right knee.
30-120 second break
30-120 second break
28 Leg-overs - 14 to each side - Lie on back and raise one leg straight into the air. Lower it straight down across the other side of your body and raise it again without resting your foot on the ground. Repeat with other leg.
30-120 second break
27 Vertical Leg Crunches (inverted sit-ups)
Remember, this workout is designed to be done in flowing perpetual motion - no holding required - which makes it considerably less strenuous and less painful. But the biggest benefit is achieved by being fluid and structured, not herky-jerky and sloppy. Everyone starts out a little akward but soon it will seem smooth and natural. The best work out comes from slower, deliberate motions.
Next up...the rest of the workout routine and how to get your blood going...