AMA - Mike Carroll - Fit For Golf App

[thechrisgibbs 434]

And Mike's answer's to everyone's fitness questions are here. Of course we knew it would come down to people looking for the best advice for them personally, but I think Mike does an awesome job presenting the information in the most useful for all people format. Hopefully your gyms are dying down right about now for you to get in Golf Season Shape (trademarking that).

 

 

 

Hello MGS Forum,

With the new year comes tons of New Year's resolutions we'll never keep, but I believe the reason we don't keep them isn't because we don't have the will power to do so. I think it's because the fitness goals we set are for fitness' sake. Instead, our AMA guest this week believes we should want to get 'Fit For Golf' so to speak. Mike Carroll is the owner of the Fit For Golf App where he enables you to access golf specific fitness programs which will transform your game, fitness, and health delivered directly to your phone. Here are some of the highlights from Mike as we launch the AMA in tandem with setting our fitness New Year's resolutions:

• Bachelor's of Science, Sport & Exercise Science from University of Limerick in Ireland
• Strength and Conditioning Coach, obsessed with the development of club head speed 
• +1 handicap golfer 
• Owner of the Fit For Golf App, which has over 4,000 subscribers from around the world
• Enthusiastic to help people of all ages improve physical performance

With the release of all the new drivers coming to market, remember, the key to increasing ball speed is not always 'new technology; rather, the bet way to increase ball speed is to stably increase club head speed which often times comes down to fitness! Please give Mike a warm welcome to the MGS Ask Me Anything.

[GolfSpy_BOS 15,192]

Hi Mike,  With all sorts of over speed training equipment available now, how does a program like Fit for Golf differ?  Does your program involve actual golf or golf style (ala superspeed) equipment or is it more traditional workout equipment?  What are the workout sessions like?  And how much time does one need to dedicate towards the program?  As a father of three my gym time is admittedly short, so at-home and quick high intensity workouts would work best for me, but I am curious about a real fitness program that has a golf focus to it.  

Thanks! 

[Bucky CC 3,145]

How important would you rate diet versus exercise?  Is it as simple as limiting junk food and making sure you have enough protein, or is a very detailed nutrition plan required to see the maximum gains?

[greggarner 1,250]

In my prior efforts with speed training, I've never really been able to realize significant gains. Pre-training, I cruised around 105 mph and after 3x/week of speed training over 3 months, I had a single driver swing hit 110 mph. Don't get me wrong, 5 mph is 5 mph and that's still added distance, but I feel like I'm working like crazy for mediocre numbers while other guys with my build are (seemingly) easily cracking 115+. (I'm 6'2", 185 lbs and would pull a 7-iron from 150 yards out.)

Here's my question -- at what point do we need to look at actual swing/mechanics changes to take advantage of increased strength and mobility?

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW 4,441]

Amazing AMA! Thank you Mike for taking time to do this. I love your FFG app and am using it to help my mobility and my strength along with speed training sticks.

Right now, I currently have two mobility issues that hurt me. I have beaks at the front of shins/ankle, which cause me not to get into a deep squat. Second, I have an impinged right hip and overly tight left hip, which if I don't stretch everyday, I can lock up.

With that said, do you plan on rolling out even more mobility work for those of us that really need it? Do you offer one on one consult for personalized programs?

Most of all, thank you for your dedication and helping people not only get into "golf shape" but help them make lifestyle changes that better their lives.

[twyatt700 1,530]

Hey Mike! Love the app and I would say I'm at Eli level consistency with it, although I do go workout 3-5 times a week just not on the protocol due to some time contraints. My main question/issue is I have a right SLAP tear (labrum) and am a right handed golfer.  Right now I've been resting the shoulder from swings during the off season, but still am experiencing some soreness with my work out program (despite restricting a lot of the upper body movements).  What exercises or mobility movements would you recommend to help improve surrounds strength and ROM to allow for reduced stress on the joint itself.  There isn't sufficent evidence of successful SLAP tear repairs with sx so I'm trying the rehab route first. 

Thanks, Taylor

[JFish350 574]

What a great AMA for the start of the new year.  I am 52 style able to move pretty decent. My biggest concern is fueling the body. What is your suggestion or what is the way you fuel your body?  I hate saying diet as you can quit a diet. I am thinking of keto or Mediterranean style seem to a good option for us that have a low metabolism. Hope that sense. 

2nd question: I think someone asked, best mobility stretches for us over 50. I don't feel old, but the injuries are piling up. 

Thanks for any info

 

Jeremy 

[Getoffmylawn 5,186]

Thanks for doing this Mike!

A bit of a different question:  I followed along and was impressed with your significant reduction in your handicap...5 to a +1 in a year is a tremendous accomplishment, congrats!  What's next for you in your own golf pursuits, where do you see the greatest opportunity in your own game for improvement, and how are you getting after that?

[GolfSpy_APH 7,074]

AMA are back! I guess I'll start off... Thanks for taking the time to do this for the MGS community. I'm sure we will have lots of good questions. As I live in Europe and our season is somewhat slow at the moment and I will admit I'm asking this before doing any research into your company. Is the majority of the program able to done at home or without going to a gym? We are likely headed into another lockdown and having some good at home exercises that are golf specific would be greatly beneficial!

[EasyPutter 1,972]

As a senior golfer with reduced range of motion my concern is with retaining what I have and possibly gaining back some of my flexibility as much or more so than strength.  I have given up on achieving greater distance with my shots though good contact usually results in good results, so form over power would be my preference.  Does your program use anything like isometrics or stretchy bands for resistance, range of motion exercises and such things?  Part of my regime is my warm-up for golf at the course that includes stretches with a long shafted golf club in my hands.

[twyatt700 1,530]

22 minutes ago, greggarner said:

In my prior efforts with speed training, I've never really been able to realize significant gains. Pre-training, I cruised around 105 mph and after 3x/week of speed training over 3 months, I had a single driver swing hit 110 mph. Don't get me wrong, 5 mph is 5 mph and that's still added distance, but I feel like I'm working like crazy for mediocre numbers while other guys with my build are (seemingly) easily cracking 115+. (I'm 6'2", 185 lbs and would pull a 7-iron from 150 yards out.)

Here's my question -- at what point do we need to look at actual swing/mechanics changes to take advantage of increased strength and mobility?

Amen, I have had the same exact experience. 

[den748 166]

Love your app Mike, only been a subscriber for a month and enjoy that I can get a full workout in under an hour. 

Question is about in season and off season training.  I find that I'm sore for days after doing a heavy day of squats or DL, and it impacts me on the course. Do you think heavy weights can still be useful in season or should in season be more focused on maintenance with light/moderate weights?

Second question, I really enjoy metcon style workouts, how would you go about adding some of these into the programming you already create?

[sirchunksalot 15,568]

Thanks for taking the time and joining us Mike! As a golfer with limited mobility in their ankles, what would you recommend for strengthening my lower body in an at home workout? I can only squat a quarter way down before my heel starts lifting off the ground. 

[tchat07 1,849]

How would you say you create the transfer of speed training to actual golf swing? Example during SS training I have topped out with my driver in the 130 range however put a ball in front of me and I average around 107.

[Getoffmylawn 5,186]

I may be breaking AMA rules here but…question #2:

I have weight trained (primarily for hypertrophy) for nearly 20 years.  Over the last 6-12 months I have moved towards complex training, pairing 1-3 reps of a heavy compound movement at 85% of my 1RM, with an explosive movement like sprints, box jumps, medicine balls slams, etc.  (With 3 minutes rest between the compound lift and the explosive move.) However, I seem to be getting injured more often doing this…I fought golfers elbow for a large portion of last season, and I am now dealing with rotator cuff tendinitis.  Would you advise a 43 year old like me to go for lighter weights and more reps in those compound lifts to maybe combat this?  Any other thoughts on injury prevention?  
Thank you!

[lefty110golf 12]

With Covid 19 Omicron still around, I am hesitant to go to a gym so I would also like exercises that can be done at home. Like many of us older types (69 now - Yikes!) I am trying to maintain swing speed. How can I work to increase hand speed/release through impact? Like others in this thread I have a hip issues, especially my left hip (and I am left handed).

[Clayton 143]

Hey - thanks for doing this.  I'm turning 50 in October 2023 and looking to not only shape up but also improve my golf game.  I've gone from a solid upper single digit player to a 14 - partly from having kids and not playing for 2 years. I also lost a TON of distance over the last 3 years.

I had a nasty sinus infection for a few weeks in December, then the whole family had Covid first two weeks of January, then the kids got Novovirus at daycare and brought that home.  Today is the first day I have not felt like a zombie in a while.  Still some dizzyness and exhaustion issues so I might have to ramp up slowly in February.

So I guess my question is how many months or years will it take (I have full access to a gym across the street from our house so easy to go there) for me to lose some weight, gain back some speed, and hopefully enjoy working out at the same time? I have a good base and am quite strong... just got a little fat, slow, and lazy.

[EasyPutter 1,972]

Totally awesome AMA and both thankful and appreciative of the candid and complete response!  Looks like my own ideas of what is best are in need of updating and it is time to learn once more!  Strength leads to flexibility 

________________  __

[RegisT 1]

On 12/18/2021 at 5:32 PM, 03trdblack said:

Cheaper than I thought it would be. I was predicting at least $600

 

[RegisT 1]

Stealth Driver was $580 in northern New York 2 hrs ago + Upcharge of $250 for Velocore in stock Fujikura Ventus shaft! That’s $830 plus tax if Velocore included!!  I will say this…. They LOOK & FEEL SWEET!!!  And if you’ve got a 105mph driver swing speed, you’re gonna think you’ve gone to Golf Heaven!! Gonna be big for you young studs.  Not for old guys with 75mph SS like me.

[paulpattaya 0]

On 1/7/2022 at 4:48 AM, greggarner said:

In my prior efforts with speed training, I've never really been able to realize significant gains. Pre-training, I cruised around 105 mph and after 3x/week of speed training over 3 months, I had a single driver swing hit 110 mph. Don't get me wrong, 5 mph is 5 mph and that's still added distance, but I feel like I'm working like crazy for mediocre numbers while other guys with my build are (seemingly) easily cracking 115+. (I'm 6'2", 185 lbs and would pull a 7-iron from 150 yards out.)

Here's my question -- at what point do we need to look at actual swing/mechanics changes to take advantage of increased strength and mobility?