Lure Linksters
Golf Fitness Program featuring MedX

Reporting in the December 1997 industry journal Fitness Management, researchers WayneWestcott, Ph.D., and John R. Parziale, MD, demonstrated the improvement recreational golfers could expect from both MedX Stretch-type flexibility exercises and MedX-style circuit strength training.
 
Three 8-week studies were conducted, involving: 1) Flexibility and Strengthening 2) Strengthening only 3) Flexibility only. In all three studies, mean age of the golfers was 50-something. An added health dividend was that blood pressure and body fat percentages were reduced among those who worked out three times per week on MedX-like equipment.
 
Even chronic lower back pain couldn't dampen acceleration of swing speed, as the stretching-only group was comprised of golfer's suffering this condition malady.
Assessment of hip and shoulder flexibility showed no increased damage from spinal torque, despite a bigger swing and faster club.
 
Golfers in all three studies improved flexibility and club head speed. But those who stretched and strengthened improved the most - shoulder and hip joint flexibility increasing by 24 percent!
 
The researchers indicate that a 5 mph increase in club head speed equates to approximately 10 yards per drive. Their article explained: "Clearly, the stretching exercises enhanced joint flexibility (study 1), and may have contributed to the larger increase in swinging speed. However, strength training by itself (study 2) maintained joint flexibility and increased swinging speed significantly."