Pelvic Powerhouse

Pelvic Powerhouse

The term, dubbed by Jason Glass of the Titleist Performance Institute, refers to your hips and their essential role in generating power in your golf swing. This is why an effortless looking swing from a professional golfer can produce club head speeds up to 120+ mph, while the average golfer’s speed is less than 90 mph. The key to turning your hips into a pelvic powerhouse is loading and exploding.

Most golfers do not load properly onto their trail side when they take the club back. The action of loading is similar to winding a spring or stretching a rubber band; it gets the golfer ready to explode into impact. It’s the whole reason why we take the club back in the first place and don't just start at the top of the swing. Once you are able to create a proper load through your hips you then need to start your downswing uncoiling that load and exploding to the golf ball. If this is done correctly, your hips will fire through first, followed by your torso, arms, and finally the golf club to create the highest club head speed as possible. If you do not uncoil your hips first, you will have an upper body dominant down swing that will be very poorly timed and often results in miss hits.

The best way to work on this is by practicing dry swings at home or the range with and without a golf club. Practice loading, or transferring your weight onto your trail side (right side for a right handed golfer), by rotating your hips as you take the club back. Once you get to the top act as you have a super band attached to your right side that wants to pull your hips down and though your swing. Your hips need to initiate your downswing.

If you have any trouble with any of these exercises, or if you would like to know more ways to build your pelvic powerhouse feel free to ask me at any time. Kevin

Why Weight?

All too often I hear men and women saying females shouldn’t be lifting weights. Why not!? Nothing upsets me more than hearing those uneducated on the matter chime in with their misguided opinions. Not only should women be lifting weights, but they should be in the weight room more often than their male counterparts.

Here’s why:

Testosterone vs. Estrogen:

Many women that I have trained in the past are very apprehensive about picking up a dumbbell because they don’t want to become “muscle-y.” With the proper program and guidance, there is no way this would happen. In laymen’s terms, testosterone is far more superior to burning fat AND building muscle in comparison to estrogen. That is why men “bulk up”. Why is this important? Purely based on hormone composition between the genders, it is much harder for women to build muscle and therefore burn fat. Females simply don’t have the testosterone for that to happen. So in short, these effects won’t happen overnight! Relax, don’t listen to infomercials from SALES PEOPLE, and start incorporating some weight into your regimen.

Burning Calories:

It is fair to say, that a main reason a majority of people want to work out is calorie control. Most people want to feel great, be lean, and achieve overall health. Allow me to blow your mind with these next few sentences. At rest your body is burning calories. Muscle requires more calories to sustain itself than fat does – a lot more. A cheap and easy way to burn off those unwanted love handles: PUT ON SOME MUSCLE! 

Muscle? But I like cardio. Then get your ass in gear and stop moving at the same miserable pace as Betty White on the treadmill next to you. Higher intensity burns more calories. Higher intensity what you ask? ANYTHING! Speed, hills, resistance, intervals - the list goes on and on.

The evidence is all there. This isn’t abstract thinking, this is a professional relaying facts. The easiest way to feel better and move better is by working hard. Don’t hold yourself back, get yourself into the game and see what an amazing machine your body can be and will become. Get into a boot camp, or under a bar, and start sweating.  

Want to Be Better?

Lately, I've seen a few subscribers weight lifting early on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which is something that I like to see. However, I can't help but notice how the group is made up of mostly the strongest CPC subscribers that we have. Coincidence? No. 

Our Tuesday/Thursday morning crew has 2 to 3 non-coach members, but the more endurance based RBC's are loaded with everyone else. Why!? Because you're not pushing yourself. Want to get faster during your runs? Want to burst off the line? Want to shave time off of your PR? Want to be the first to the goal? You have to weight train. 

Guess what? True strength and power will get you there faster than being able to bang out 200 mid rows. Trust me. So, take off the "running" shoes and pick up some substantial weight! There is always a coach to help you. Barbells don't bite. 

CW 

Cold? That's Not An Excuse.

It's winter and that means it’s cold out. That doesn't mean you get a free pass to hibernate for 5 to 6 months! It's easy to fall into the trap, myself included, of not wanting to go outside and train in the freezing cold. Guess what people? It's time to suck it up and get out there! You can still train outside in the winter with the correct planning and preparation. I’ve included a few tips below that I use when my least favorite season of the year arrives and I still need to get out there.

1. Get a training partner:

It's SO easy to hit the snooze button when its still dark out and the only person counting on me to get up is me. When I know I have a friend, or a class full of CPC subscribers, waiting for me, waking up is just a little bit easier. Accountability is HUGE. Not only to yourself but to others. Don't leave your partner standing out in the cold waiting on someone that isn't going to show. Not cool!

2. Layer up:

When heading out for a long training run, Jay's 6am ROTC class, or to walk the dog, the key to enduring the freezing temps is LAYERS! The number of layers you want will depend on several things: how intense will your workout be? what is the air temperature and wind chill? how does your body respond to cold? There are no hard and fast rules here because everyone is different, but be sure to put on a light-weight wicking layer first, a moderate to heavy weight layer second, and depending on conditions a third layer. You can always shed if necessary. Last but most important: put a hat on! You lose the majority of your body heat through your HEAD and that’s the last thing you want when you’ll be outside for an extended period of time.  

3. Leave the ‘Rocky’ sweats at home:

It's 2014 and we live in a world of Dri-Fit, Cold Gear, Smartwool, etc. How many of you still rock a cotton t-shirt or sweatshirt to go outside and train in cold or warm temps? If you do, DON’T! Cotton holds onto all of the moisture your body is trying to get rid of. It's just sits there, against your skin, in the cold and wind, doing nothing but making you COLDER. Do yourself a favor invest in some quality cold weather gear. And while you're at it pick up a CPC wicking beanie. Once you've done that consult tip #2 and get outside!

4. Be Smart:

You and your training partner are all geared up, CPC beanies are on, and you’re ready to go. Now, look out the window and and consult the weather app on your phone. What are the road conditions like? What's the "feels like" temperature? Is it supposed to snow/rain? Just because you're all geared up and ready doesn't mean that you should. I've given you every possible way to be a badass and train outside in the cold, but the reality is you need to be smart. Be sure to have good footing underneath you. If you don't, and the idiot driver who hates seeing runners on the the side of the road doesn't either… well, we know how that ends. If the air temperature is hovering in the single (or negative!) digits and there is a wind chill factor don't be a hero. Move your training inside. Take an additional Rouge Boot Camp or TRX class. A slight adjustment to your training schedule isn't going to kill you.

They may seem like “no brainers”, but believe it or not these are the most frequently used excuses I hear during the winter months. So Layer up and get some badass cold weather training going! Spring is right around the corner.

SK