By Ron Kaspriske

Golfers often ask about the benefits of taking supplements in terms of improving their health and their golf games. Would talking an energy drink during a round help back-nine stamina? Do protein supplements help improve driving distances? Do anti-oxidant supplements speed recovery from injuries and soreness? Can beverages infused with electrolytes quickly hydrate the body?

My answer to these types of questions is always the same: If you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and drink enough water, you're just wasting your money buying supplements. Sure, someone who lives in Alaska in the winter could develop a severe deficiency in vitamin D, and that person could take a pill to help offset the effects of 20-plus hours of darkness. But that is an extreme case. And besides, that person also could recover some of that vitamin D by eating omelets with mushrooms. Yum.

The point is that many nutrition stores and websites have made a killing selling everything from fish-oil capsules to vitamin-C boosters by telling the average person that supplements will make them healthier and perform better. But research often doesn't support those conclusions.
 
An example of how supplements are a waste of time will be published in December's International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. Whey protein supplements had no impact on untrained young adults who consumed it in a test conducted by University of Regina in Canada.

I'll spare you the details of the study, but suffice it to say that a group of young adults consumed a whey protein powder mixed with water before and after each set of nine different strength exercises. Another group of untrained young adults consumed a placebo. They did this four days a week for eight weeks. At the end of the study, both groups were considerably stronger. There was no difference between those who drank the whey protein powder--which can cost roughly $30-60 for a month's supply--and those who took the placebo.

By Ron Kaspriske

If you believe in the 80-20 rule -- that you should eat good foods 80 percent of the time and whatever you want the other 20 -- then I'm guessing yesterday fell into the "whatever you want" category.

If you want to make sure you didn't make a long-term impact to your waistline, here are some tips for this weekend to help you recover quicker from that third helping of mashed potatoes:

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  1. Drink water all weekend long. A good rule of thumb is half your body weight (in ounces) in water per day. And that means water, not liquid, says nutrition expert Robert Yang of the Titleist Performance Institute.
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  2. Eat high-fiber food. Not only will items such as leafy vegetables, beans, corn and berries help improve the digestion process, but they also help you feel full for longer periods so you will resist the urge to overeat, says nutrition expert Amanda Carlson of Athletes' Performance.
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  3. Do a run/walk. If weather permits, go outside and alternate between cycles of running hard for short distances and then walking until you catch your breath. This type of exercise, known as interval training, is great for calorie burning and also prepares you for the type of action required in a four-hour round of golf, says PGA Tour trainer Randy Myers.
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  4. Do push-ups, planks and glute bridges. You'll certainly be glued to the TV for longer durations than normal this weekend. Drop down to the carpet for a solid 15-30 minutes and alternate between sets of these exercises. Strength training has been proven as an effective way to burn calories and continue burning them long after you've stopped exercising, says fitness expert Alwyn Cosgrove.
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  5. If you can play golf, walk and carry your bag instead of riding. You can drop approximately 1,500 calories in one four-hour round. Read more: What's Your Golf Mileage?
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  6. Use the stairs -- everywhere. Not only for the extra calorie-burn, but also because it helps improve hip strength and mobility.
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  7. Take advantage of the time off to catch up on sleep. At least eight hours of sack time is crucial. If you're up at midnight instead of in bed, you're going to be looking for that turkey/mayo sandwich, trust me.
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  8. Go with wine over beer. Alcohol in moderation is fine, but you'll be better off with drinks you sip vs. ones you chug. Try to make one drink last one or two hours. If you prefer scotch, include ice or some water to dilute the alcohol.
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  9. Clean your house, attic, garage, something. Scrubbing, vacuuming, dusting. It all adds up. Two hours of solid cleaning translates into about 1,000 calories burned.
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  10. Practice putting. You can do this indoors or out. It's not a big calorie-burning endeavor but it does get you off your feet and doing something other than eating more. And you get to improve your short game as an added bonus.

By Ron Kaspriske

That line drive shank into the side of a house on No. 12 might make you want to hunch over and hide, but that is about the only time you should ever round your back on a golf course. Good posture is crucial not only to hitting solid shots, but also in avoiding spinal injuries, says PGA Tour trainer Ben Shear (@ben_shear).

"If you have a job where you sit at a desk a lot, or you're in the car for hours at a time, you're probably going to have postural issues when you play," says Shear, who trains Jason Day, Webb Simpson and Luke Donald on tour. "Riding in a golf cart doesn't help either."

The telltale sign your posture needs some correction is if your back appears rounded when you address the ball. This is commonly known as C-posture since the spine is bent in a way resembling the letter (see below). This compression of the vertebrae makes it difficult to consistently hit solid shots, because you have to compensate for this poor position during the swing. It also makes it difficult to rotate the body, which is crucial to power.


Keeping your back straight promotes consistent contact.
Photos by Stephen Szurlej


Shear says your first priority should be to elongate the vertebrae of the thoracic spine (mid back) that were likely compressed from all that sitting. He recommends some of the "ELDOA" movements developed by osteopath Guy Voyer. Click on the video to see one exercise that will help your golf posture.

Ron Kaspriske is Golf Digest's Fitness Editor.
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By Ron Kaspriske

The problem with learning to play golf is that there are so many nuances, and the rules are so in depth, it's impossible to show up at a golf course for the first time and not feel like you're about to do EVERYTHING wrong and embarrass yourself. It's paralyzing and it often makes newbies tread very lightly when they tee off. For some reason, the gym doesn't evoke that same kind of intimidation. Newcomers seem to have no concern about improperly using equipment or performing movements that can lead to injury.

With that in mind, if you're about to start working out, or if you have been in the gym for a while but never really had any instruction about what to do, here are some common mistakes the top people in fitness see every day:

1. STAYING IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE: Whether it's two people walking and talking on a treadmill, or a woman spending the majority of her workout in yoga poses, or a 250-pound man finishing his sixth set of decline bench presses, the mistake is the same: They are staying with exercises they are comfortable doing, says Randy Myers, PGA Tour fitness trainer. It's like going to the range and hitting wedge shots all day because you're good at it. But when it comes time to hit a 5-iron, you're lost. If you're inherently flexible, work on strength training. And if you're inherently strong, work on mobility. If you're not sure how to perform an exercise that you know you need, ask a certified trainer. But don't shy away from exercises or gym equipment simply because you're not used to doing it.

AP Photo

2. WARMING UP IMPROPERLY OR NOT AT ALL: Ever hear something alarming, suddenly turn your head and hurt your neck? Chances are it's because you called upon a muscle to do something it wasn't primed to do. World-class trainer Mark Verstegen says you have to prepare your muscles for the strenuous activity associated with working out. He calls it "movement prep," and that doesn't mean long-hold stretching. It's basically a series of movements and exercises where resistance is limited to body weight or, at the most, some elastic bands or tubing. An example would be doing an inverted hamstring stretch before deadlifting.

3. CAMPING OUT ON CARDIO EQUIPMENT: Extended cardio sessions fall into the law-of-diminishing-returns category. The more you do it, the more your body adapts and the less it benefits. If you like to use cardio machines, then use them to warm up your body for a strength-training circuit, or use them as part of an interval-training routine. Simply put, interval training are sets of exercises that combine alternating periods of intense activity and rest.

4. DOING A MACHINE CIRCUIT: Ben Shear, one of the most respected trainers in golf, is a proponent of improving the body's ability to stabilize itself in order to improve range of motion. If the body isn't stable, then it can't be mobile. When you focus your workout on cable/pulley or plate-loaded machines you see all over a commercial gym, you're not training your body to stabilize itself. The machine does that for you. An example would be one of the most popular machines in the gym -- the Smith machine. This allows users to perform barbell squats on a track. The body doesn't have to work nearly as hard to stabilize itself when compared to squatting with free weights. This lack of stability training can come back to haunt you when it's time to squat down and pick up something heavy. There are some exceptions when it comes to gym machines. A cable machine that simulates assisted pull-ups and chin-ups (a "lat" machine) is OK, but it's still no substitute for actual pull-ups and chin-ups.

5. POOR TECHNIQUE: There are dozens of examples of ways gym-goers get hurt by simply doing an exercise incorrectly, or worse, trying to copy an exercise they've seen on TV or in another gym. One of the all-time worst is any abdomen exercise that requires the top of your spinal cord (cervical spine) to compress beyond its limits. Crunches are a great example of this type of dangerous exercise. Another example is any exercise that involves ballistic or bouncy movements, says PGA Tour trainer Dave Herman. Try not to rock your body to gain momentum in order to lift a heavy weight.

Ron Kaspriske is the fitness editor for Golf Digest

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By Ron Kaspriske

There are times when the weather is so bad, getting to the gym is not possible or practical. Yet, sitting at home with nothing to do can drive you crazy. With that in mind, here are seven great exercises golfers can do at home that require no equipment:

1. Walking stairs: Got stairs? Then you've got the basics for a good cardio workout that also will improve lower-body strength. It's also the perfect warm-up for the rest of your workout. If you can safely do it, take two stairs at a time on the way up to increase the difficulty. Use the time walking back down the stairs to regain your breath. See how many trips you can make before you are really winded.

2. Planks: Many variations of this core-strengthening exercise are possible including side planks and single-leg planks. All you need is a carpeted floor or mattress to brace yourself against. Turn it into a game by trying to increase the duration you can hold the position by 10 seconds with each rep.

3. Seated-torso rotations: Improving the rotational mobility of your mid back is important to avoiding lower-back pain. Good thoracic spine rotation will also improve your swing. Sit on a bench or the edge of a chair. Cross your arms over each other so your palms are touching your chest and rotate slowly in each direction. A good goal is to try and get your elbow over the opposite thigh.

4. Inverted-hamstring stretches: Good hamstring strength and flexibility is often neglected as we get older. But it's important if you want to play golf effectively and injury free. Balance on one leg that is slightly bent and lean forward with your upper torso. Let your free leg extend up and behind you to counter balance your weight. Return to the standing position and then repeat. Don't forget to do an equal number of repetitions with each leg.

5. Lunges: Hip mobility and strength is important in any change-of-direction sport such as golf. A basic backward lunge is a good way to help improve hip function. Let one knee kiss the ground behind your standing position. Once you can do these with ease, move on to a lateral squat where one leg straightens out to your side as you drop down being supported by one leg only.

6. Ankle rolls: Protecting your knees starts by having good ankle mobility. Without it, the energy required to stop your momentum at the end of a golf swing will be absorbed more by the lead knee and that can eventually cause strains and tears of ligaments. Let the ankle absorb more of that stress. All you have to do is sit down and lift your feet up so only your heels are touching the ground. Then make circular motions and back-and-forth motions with your feet until you start to feel a burn in your calf muscles such as the soleus.

7. Wall slides: Scapular stability and shoulder mobility are also important to swinging a club in control and injury free. Stand with your heels, butt and back against a wall and hold your arms up like someone is robbing you at gunpoint. Your shoulders, arms and hands should also be touching the wall at the same time and remain touching it throughout the exercise. Now slide your arms up and down the wall.

Ron Kaspriske is the fitness editor for Golf Digest

Follow @Ron Kaspriske