condtioning

What do you do to condition your body to play? What kind of excercises if any do you do to prepare yourself for your game. Resistance training,weight training, stretching, etc...

[Sheila Calhoun]

As in any sport, it's important to work on your: cardiovascular conditioning (it's a long day playing a tournament and you don't want to fatigue half-way into your second round); strength conditioning (for power and, in some cases, hauling heavy golf bags); and flexibility conditioning (so you can execute full range of motion on drives, follow throughs and reach down to grab your mini without straining your back). Choose any activity you enjoy for cardiovascular trainining that elevates your heart rate (walk, jog, bike, etc) and do this most days of the week for at least 30 minutes. You may have to gradually build up to this. I recommend seeing your doctor if you are not physically active now to make sure everything is in working order before you start. Before or after a round of disc golf, go out for a power walk. For strength, you want to work all the main muscle groups--back, chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, core, upper and lower legs and perhaps even forearms for grip strength. You don't necessarily have to belong to a fitness club. You can use dumbbells at home or resistance tubing for many of these exercises or even your own body weight. Just remember to rest your muscles for at least 24-48 hours in between workouts. I make sure to include internal and external rotation exercises with exercise tubing because I get a sore shoulder from throwing my forehand. Stretching is best done after your muscles are warmed up. So spend a few minutes after throwing some warm ups to stretch prior to a game and stretch in between rounds and again after a tournament. Concentrate on the upper body but stretch the legs and back as well. Hold a stretch for at least 30 seconds and don't bounce. Consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions to get more specifics on which strength and stretching exercises are best for you.

[Burton Evans]

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. I am a 50+ year old male that has really gotten out of shape over the years, and I want this sport to be productive and fun. So, again thank you for the advice and information.....

[get your discs and godiscn]

has anyone found success in using the Dyna Flex gyro hand exercise device. It takes a little getting used to but the motion created allows the user to further develop strength and flexibility in the wrists and lower arm muscles.
see them at www.dynaflex-intl.com
Two very good friends first gave me a bag with three discs, then the dyna-flex and this Christmas past, a practice basket.
Along with this great and informative website, what more could I need to train for a win at the World's ? whatever it is, post it and I'll read it and son thereafter, I'll try it.

[j-roc]

I noticed an ad in the last issue of Disc Golf World that I had not seen before. It is for a website called throwlonger.com. It is for a product called the THe Throw Longer System. When you go there it just basically gives a good bit of hype with no explanation of the product. The only thing you can do from that one page is purchase it. Does anyone know anything about this????

[J. C. Cannon]

Sheila,
this is the most educated and sound advice that needs to be brought up from time to time to help all players and possibly prevent injuries while at play.

thank you

[Lyle O. Ross]

I've been thinking a lot about this topic over the past three years. Indeed, I work out for disc golf with a conditioning coach who structures and updates a regimen for me. I started a write up about the goals and structure a year or so ago and even have some video of my routine at that time.

If there is interest I can bring that information to this site. The exercises are low impact and meant to condition as well as build strength and agility.

I will upload one file on one exercise for your daily humor quotient. If you want more let me know.

[Burton Evans]

Hey Lyle, I can't get the movie to load, can you send it to my [e-mail]-I would like to see it....Burton

[Lyle O. Ross]

I'll get it to you (just not now :)). It's a quicktime movie so if you're using microsoft it'd have to be converted. BTW - I'm finishing out the write up that goes with it and I'll post that.

Lyle

BTW - I'm 47 have had tendinitis in my shoulder (which rarely bothers me due to proper stretching and lifting).

[Applied_Science]

Core Secrets, Gunnar Peterson. He hits every muscle with all excersizes involving the ball, which in turn utilizes all kinds of core muscles. I like to jog or bike to keep the leg stamina up as well.

[Nibs Carter]

As everyone can tell by my bio, I am 41 years old. Before I started playing disc golf (regularly) I had let myself go a bit and was quite out of shape. I purchased a bowflex home gym late last winter and have been working on it very consistently ever since. I have also added a stationary stand for my bike to add more cardio and I bought a power band and attached it to the pole in the center of my garage. I use this to add resistance through the entire motion of my golf swing. It works the upper body as well as the midsection. I am very happy so far with the results. Before I learned the x step for my back hand I could barely get a driver to 200 feet. now I can hit 400 ft on a good day and throw a mid over 200 easily from a flat stand with no run up. I know theres alot of young guns out there that are thinking "big deal" but its good for me! can't wait till leagues start up this spring, bring it on boys!

Nibs

[Travis Flett]

I strength train 3-4X/week with about the same repeitition on cardio work. I finish each and every workout with a good 20 minutes of slow sustained hamstring stretches. I usually use a towel to pull my toes to me because until limbered up, I cannot get close to my toes.

READ THIS: If you have back problems or other "stiffness" do Yoga!!! It has inspired unlike any other exercise I have ever done. If you play competitive disc golf you should do Yoga PERIOD!!

My 2 cents...........

[Sarah DeMar]

I think the big questions you should ask yourself are the following for disc golf training:

1. What kind of shape is your lower torso in? This encompases low back for bending over and picking up discs and abdominal muscles for the rotation of the throw. If your low back is tight or you have trouble getting good rotation, then you have less power and could injur yourself easier.

2. What kind of shape is your rotator cuff and pecs in? Pecs tend to overpower the cuff and pull the shoulders forward, creating weakness both sets of muscles. Stretch your pecs all the time and try to strengthen your rotator cuff, also making sure that you don't have major trigger points in either (if you do, you'll need to address them and get them to calm down before you play else they can "freeze" or go into lockdown and you won't be able to play with that shoulder at all).

3. What kind of shape is your neck in? DG is pretty hard on the neck with the jerking and carrying and bending over and all the rest. Chiropractic care and massage therapy are best for making sure your neck muscles stay soft and the nerve passageways remain unhindered. If either are blocking the nerve energy supply to the throwing arm, you lose power and coordination.