Happy Day #2 of the best week in golf! Who does this Tiger Woods think he is? Unbelievable.
So, I just got back from my bi-annual cleaning at the dentist. And as I was laying under the lamp, wearing sunglasses inside, something dawned on me…
Twice per day, we brush our teeth. We don’t think about it. We don’t question it. We just do it.
We do it to prevent cavities, gum issues, tooth decay. And so we don’t knock people over with our dragon breath.
Here’s the thing: you can’t brush away cavities. Or those other ailments.
We do it as a 100% preventative measure.
Similarly, we change the oil in our cars to avoid breakdowns.
We stain our decks every year to prevent rot.
We clean the gutters to prevent water damage.
We do all these things in our lives to prevent bad things from happening.
BUT, what about us?
What are we doing to prevent bad things from happening to us? How are we preventing injuries?
The truth is that most golfers aren’t doing much. Or anything.
So, when it comes to injuries, the vast majority we see from golfers happen at your joints. When I was on the physical therapy side, I saw:
Rotator cuff injuries
Golfer’s elbow
Wrist injuries/tendonitis
Lots of knee, foot and ankle stuff
Hip injuries
…and don’t get me started on the back stuff I see.
And I can say with 100% certainty, most of those injuries could have been avoided. Or, at least significantly minimized. But they all were lacking one thing:
STRENGTH
All those muscles in your body are a safety net for your joints.
Our bodies are so damn smart. On a primal level, our bodies know that for survival, we’ll choose a muscle strain over structural damage to our joints.
Would you rather have a torn ACL or a strained quad? I’ll take quad 100% of the time.
So, as we get stronger, we’re continually boosting our safety net because our muscles are able to withstand greater and greater forces.
Instead of a safety net made of cheap rope, you’re upgrading to whatever that indestructible Spiderman web material is.
Today, when you’re watching a slo-mo replay of a 46-yr-old Tiger Woods crushing a 340 yard drive…think about the incredible forces he’s inflicting on his body. And the work he has done to protect himself.
You’ve got this.
Your #1 Fan,
Jeff Pelizzaro
PS – In the 18STRONG App, you have access to ALL of the training programs we use with our CREW (you’re one of them, by the way:) to build your shield against injuries.
Now, go give ESPN an extra $6.99 this month so you don’t miss a minute at Augusta today.