This research overview focuses on strength and conditioning for golfers. Golf is a very technical sport, with athletes devoting vast amounts of time to swing mechanics through drills on the driving range and time on the course. In my experience, their physical preparation is often overlooked. This paper by Lephart et al (2007) looks at the effects of an 8 week training program on golf performance for recreational golfers.

The study had 15 participants with mean ± standard deviation age, height, weight and US golf association handicap of 47.2 ± 11.4 years, 178.8 ± 5.8cm, 86.7 ± 9.0kg and 12.1 ± 6.4 respectively. All participants were regular golfers playing 2-3 times per week and practicing at the range 2-3 times per week. They refrained from golf practice and play and any other conditioning activity during the intervention. Each participant took part in an 8 week strength and conditioning program aimed at improving strength, flexibility, balance and, more specifically, targeting stability of the lower body and mobility of the upper body.

Golf swing kinematic data was collected with an 8 camera 3D motion capture system, golf ball launch data was collected with the Vector Launch system, strength was tested using isokinetic dynamometry , balance was tested using a Kistler force plate and range of motion tested using a goniometer. For a full methodology please check the original paper.

Participants performed a program of exercises including static stretching exercises, high repetition band resisted golf swing exercises including resisted backswings and downswings and resisted hip adductions and abductions and balancing exercises. They were instructed to perform this session of exercises 3-4 times per week for the 8 weeks and to increase the load on the strengthening exercises once they became comfortable.

The results show significant improvements at the end of the 8 weeks in the majority of strength tests, in all of the flexibility values and a number of the golf launch data including club and ball velocities, total distance and carry distance. It was concluded that recreational golfers who partake in a targeted golf strength and conditioning program can develop a more stable base with greater functional flexibility allowing for greater rotational forces to be generated and resulting in greater club head velocity.

For golfers reading this overview looking to implement strength and conditioning into their training, it is worth remembering that everybody has their own baseline from which to start. An individualised training program based on your own individual needs, goals and training history from an accredited strength and conditioning coach rather than a generalised program is the best way to maximise improvement in your game.

Lephart, S.M., Smoliga, J.M., Myers, J.B., Sell, T.C. & Tsai, Y.S. (2007). A eight-week golf specific exercise program improves physical characteristics, swing mechanics and golf performance in recreational golfers. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21(3) pp. 860-869.

This post will continue the fight sport theme so far this week by giving an overview of a piece from this month’s Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research that covers the use of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) as an ergogenic aid during boxing performance (full reference below). As an introduction, the reasoning for using NaHCO₃ is to improve blood buffering capacity through an increase in the electrochemical intra/extra cellular gradient facilitating the removal of protons that are thought to inhibit the mechanisms of muscle contraction. In essence, it is thought that supplementing NaHCO₃ will allow performance of high intensity exercise for longer.

In this reviewed piece by Siegler & Hirscher, participants consisted of 10 national standard boxers that were all in pre-competition training for upcoming bouts.  They were randomly paired and sparred twice separated by the space of a week and completed their usual pre-fight routines. Participants arrived in their pairs 1.5 hours prior to their bouts and were tested for pre-exercise blood acid-base balance and ingested either 0.3g.kg^-3 bodyweight of NaHCO₃ or 0.045g.kg^-3 bodyweight of a sodium chloride placebo. Sparring consisted of 4 3minute rounds each separated by 1 minute seated recovery.

As expected, an elevated blood buffering capacity was seen prior to the bout as a result of NaHCO₃ ingestion and this was maintained throughout the four rounds of boxing. The main point of interest flagged was the significantly greater punch efficacy seen in the NaHCO₃ group. The conclusion is made that the use of NaHCO₃ as an ergogenic aid may improve boxing performance over 4 rounds and that future research into use over longer bouts may have wider implications on boxing perfomance.

Siegler, J.C. & Hirscher, K. (2010). Sodium bicarbonate ingestion and boxing performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 24(1) pp. 103-108.

This overview covers a piece out of Greece from November’s Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research that gives an evaluation of different training methods used by 400m runners and their coaches. It compares the physiological effects of longer runs of 300m-500m and shorter intermittent runs of between 80m-200m.

The participant group consisted of 12 males aged 18.9 ± 0.7 yrs, each was physically active involved in recreational fitness activity or team sports. In preparation for the tests, each participant took part in 2 sessions per week for the 4 preceding weeks. These served to familiarise participants with pacing strategies, improve conditioning and to record times for 100m and 200m.

Testing took place over 4 sessions and consisted of a 40 minute warm up including a slow run, stretching, coordination drills and some 80m accelerations followed by the test. The 4 test sessions were a) 300m, b) 3x100m with 1min rests, c) 400m and d) 2x200m with 1 min rest. Blood was drawn pre and post exercise and analysed for measurements of glucose, lactate, creatinine and creatine kinase (CK) and velocity was measured every 100m and was averaged for each of the 4 tests.

The main finding was that the intermittent runs resulted in greater stimulation of the lactate system indicated by the higher levels of blood lactate post exercise. Further, average velocity during the intermittent runs was higher than that achieved during the continuous runs. They conclude that both the longer and shorter runs taxed the lactate system but the longer runs had more aerobic system contribution and that both have a role to play in periodised plan for 400m athletes. The final point was that CK concentrations were similar for each test and so no advantage in terms of reduced muscle damage exists for any of the methodologies.

Saraslanidis, P.J., Manetzis, C.G., Tsalis, G.A. & Zafeiridis, A.S. (2009). Biochemical evaluation of running workouts used in training for the 400m sprint. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(8) pp. 2266-2271