So, I just dropped off my car at the mechanic and rode my bike back to the gym – nothing major, I just need new front brakes.
While I was pedaling, something dawned on me…
Every 5,000 miles we get our oil changed.
We don’t think about it.
We don’t question it.
We just do it.
We do it to prevent bad things from going wrong with our vehicles.
Here’s the thing: changing your oil won’t fix anything.
We do it as a 100% preventative measure.
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 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 can 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 Masters, slo-mo replay of Scottie Scheffler’s feet doing everything wrong as he pipes one down the middle…think about the incredible forces he’s inflicting on his body (especially his left ankle).
And the work he has done to protect himself.
STAY STRONG,
Jeff
PS – In the 18STRONG Membership, 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.
Here’s to bulletproofing your golf body!