Assess first, then perform The Three R’s
Step 1: Assess
If you have ever in the past or are currently doing a physical program of any sort that wasn’t done after assessing your specific body OBJECTIVELY, you are just guessing/assuming you are like everyone else with the same common issues.
Maybe you are, but most likely you’re not.
OBJECTIVE means you are measured – click the link below to complete your home mobility assessment https://www.robertspt.co/home-assessment-form
Step 2: Reset
‘Mobility before stability/strength’ is a principle I’ve been mentored in and have now seen success with a lot of my golfers.
Resets are techniques that help your muscles and joints move better and include methodologies such as a mobilization, manipulation, myofascial release, soft tissue work, trigger point therapy etc…
These techniques are specific interventions and require a good deal of competency to perform correctly and effectively (most people don’t do these at all or don’t do these correctly and therefore don’t get the results they want spending hours stretching and/or using the massage gun with minimal gains in their mobility)
Step 3: Reinforce
Now that you’re moving better (a.k.a. refer back to your home assessment and retest yourself to see if you actually made an objective improvement from the reset) you need to reinforce or activate that muscle or joint to help this new range of motion stick. I call this hitting the save button.
There’s nothing worse than spending a half hour getting your mobility where it needs to be only to lose your gains by the time you wake up the next day. You will continue to tighten right back up and chase your tail if you don’t perform some activation work right after your reset.
Reinforcement or activation is also waking up the muscles to prepare the body for the final phase, the reload phase.
Step 4: Reload
This is your actual strength component workout routine that is hopefully done a couple of times a week. Your body is in the best and SAFEST position to perform strength training when you’re moving well (reset) and you’re activated (reinforcement). Workout routines, whether for golf or not, should be balanced, through a full range of motion, and with proper technique to not create muscle imbalances and/or asymmetries in your body. If the reload or strength phase is poorly designed, this leads to the tightening up of the muscles and joints that you just spent all that time working on and may be the culprit as to why you’re stiff in the first place or simply missing out on your potential for maximal power.
Mobility is one key to power. Muscles are like rubber bands. You need to be able to lengthen a muscle to create elastic energy to hit the ball a long way. Make sure your 2023 Golf Workout Plan is designed to promote mobility, not hinder it, through a good reset, reinforcement, and reload this year.
If you have any questions about your plan, RobertsPT helps educate, equip, and train golfers to play for years to come with less pain and more distance. If you don’t have a trusted Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in golf supervising your plan, let’s jump on a call (https://www.robertspt.co/schedule-a-strategy-call) or email wade@robertspt.co to discuss where you’re at.
Hit em’ straight,
Dr. Roberts
Dr. Wade Roberts is a contributing writer for Central Links Golf. Dr. Roberts is the owner of Roberts PT, a golf PT and Performance Center in Kansas City. He graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology. He then earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy from Lynchburg College. Dr. Roberts is able to provide specialized therapies for a variety of patients but has a special interest in decreasing pain, increasing speed, and achieving longevity in the game of golf.