Jump to content
TESTERS WANTED! ×

Q & A with Bodybuilding Golf Pro Michael Manavian


Recommended Posts

Hello Michael-

 

I've got a bunch of questions haha.

 

Let me start by telling you a little about myself. I'm 6'0" 145 pounds. Yes, I know that is tall & skinny. However, I am very strong & pretty muscular. The problem is I can't gain weight. I'm intrigued about what adding 20-30 pounds of muscle could do for my golf game.

 

On a normal day I eat a lot of snacks: Lance peanut butter crackers, beef jerkey, the ocassional candy bar. I work in a golf shop. I usually eat one big meal per day at night. The rest of the time it is just small snacks & supplements.

 

The supplements I take: One protein shake a day on average ON 100% Whey. About 5gs Creatine Monohydrate. Multivitamin. Fish Oil & Flax Oil. Antioxidants.

 

I just started taking some BCAA's the last couple days after reading through this forum ha.

 

I eat & lift weights & get plenty of sleep but never gain a pound. ????

 

I lift weights about 2 days a week. Usually I do heavy weight & low reps & few sets. Even though I think I am in pretty good shape I tend to tire out quickly. My muscles are literally dying after a couple sets. My energy levels stay very low most of the time. ???

 

So I'm looking to gain weight (muscle) & up my energy level.

 

Help me out.

 

Thanks

 

Gatorheels,

 

welcome aboard you tall skinny one. your obviously a "hard gainer" ectomorph genetically. your rules are quite different than most. i started off like you, now i find it funny when people say "oh its easy for you to gain weight". yeah ok whatever. but i've been in your position (albeit lower to the ground).

 

before i give you a run down, i need a few questions to help me out first-

 

age?

physical exertion level? (working in a golf shop i will assume aside from working out moderate to low)

 

 

thanks

Michael

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 114
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Hello Michael-

 

I've got a bunch of questions haha.

 

Let me start by telling you a little about myself. I'm 6'0" 145 pounds. Yes, I know that is tall & skinny. However, I am very strong & pretty muscular. The problem is I can't gain weight. I'm intrigued about what adding 20-30 pounds of muscle could do for my golf game.

 

On a normal day I eat a lot of snacks: Lance peanut butter crackers, beef jerkey, the ocassional candy bar. I work in a golf shop. I usually eat one big meal per day at night. The rest of the time it is just small snacks & supplements.

 

The supplements I take: One protein shake a day on average ON 100% Whey. About 5gs Creatine Monohydrate. Multivitamin. Fish Oil & Flax Oil. Antioxidants.

 

I just started taking some BCAA's the last couple days after reading through this forum ha.

 

I eat & lift weights & get plenty of sleep but never gain a pound. ????

 

I lift weights about 2 days a week. Usually I do heavy weight & low reps & few sets. Even though I think I am in pretty good shape I tend to tire out quickly. My muscles are literally dying after a couple sets. My energy levels stay very low most of the time. ???

 

So I'm looking to gain weight (muscle) & up my energy level.

 

Help me out.

 

Thanks

 

 

Age- 27

 

Job- Yeah I just work in a golf shop. It isn't physically demanding at all. I do have to stand up all day though ha.

 

Well theres a few simple things i would suggest you do first to gain size.

 

1- get your blood work done. would you actually buy a driver without hitting it on a launch monitor? i dont guess what anyones biochemistry is before i make suggestions. so get to your MD and ask him to get your thyroid panel (tsh,t3,and t4), testosterone (free and total), estrogen (total and frac), chem panel, hgh, igf-1,lipid 1, fsh/lh, psa all tested - and see where the hell your at.

 

most insurances will cover this.

 

i would be interested in specifically where your thyroid numbers are. i would venture a little on the high end. and your test levels prob a little low. but lets look at the numbers to be sure.

 

secondly - your intake of food sucks. your not eating anywhere near the correct amount of food. i understand work and life get in the way of things, but your asking to build something, and hence things of this nature need adequate time and effort put towards them. 6ft 145lbs is way undersized - *if* your goal is to be 200lbs (imo good size for 6ft) nutritionally you gotta look at gradually building up your protein intake 20grams/day each a week until you hit 300g/day. this way we wont overload your GI trac and you can start to absorb more. best sources are eggs, and lean proteins. load up on your energy sources incrementally as well. start at 200g/day of clean carbs a day and work it up to 20g a week till you get to ~ 400-500g/day spread throughout the day. Also continue to take your EFA's omega 3's and omega 6's a day.

 

supplementally your doing well. keep that going.

 

hope this gives you a good starting point, keep us posted on your bloodwork and progress.

 

MM

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Michael,

 

Just wanted to let you know that I took delivery of a jar of BCAA's the other day. The taste is OUTSTANDING mixed with water. I got the berry banana and it tastes like a good sports drink. I also like the small scoop size - I hate having to chug down a liter of water just to get the mix to dissolve. Can't really say anything about results as this is only day 3, but I was hurting after yesterday's workout and woke up with minimal soreness, so that's good. I'll keep you all posted on how things are going.

 

-Matt

Follow me on Twitter: @MattSaternus

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Michael,

 

Just wanted to let you know that I took delivery of a jar of BCAA's the other day. The taste is OUTSTANDING mixed with water. I got the berry banana and it tastes like a good sports drink. I also like the small scoop size - I hate having to chug down a liter of water just to get the mix to dissolve. Can't really say anything about results as this is only day 3, but I was hurting after yesterday's workout and woke up with minimal soreness, so that's good. I'll keep you all posted on how things are going.

 

-Matt

 

 

Fantastic Matt, its great to hear. keep us posted on your progress!

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hey everyone! Hope your all finding time to play with cooperating weather.

 

with travel, clients, work and the launch of 3 new products, i've been non-stop and have played only 1 time all month ugh! - (did play 36 though).

 

A few congratulations are in order to my friend PGA Pro Rob Labritz out of the GlenArbor golf club in Bedford Hills NY. He had shoulder surgery early in the year, and didnt know how long he would have to wait till he was able to swing a club again - never mind play golf again. I started working with him in February after the PGA Show and put him on a good growth diet (at 6'1 170lbs i want to get him to a lean 210 by years end), and supplemented him with BCAA's. Well during the winter he did what I asked, and started to make progress and feel better about his workouts and shoulder and decided to make a few trips to florida and actually hit some balls for the first time post op. Things went well, and he felt that the BCAA's was making a big difference. I was able to do a demo day with him in April at his club, and get him to kick up the training and diet up a level. So I prepped him nutritionally for his first event of the year, the Met Section PGA Match play event. He shot -2 under 70 to qualify 5th in the match play, and went on to beat some pretty heavy hitters in the Met section before getting beat in the finals. (Note he didnt lose, just got beat by someone who played better). The big "win" of the event was that for the first time post surgery, at 38 years old, he is in the best shape of his life, up to 184lbs, and was able to play 6 rounds of golf in 4 days in some hot weather and felt like it was nothing.

 

Its great to have the opportunity to work with players that have such a skill set in place, and just be able to work on their nutrition and get them to peak for 4 days of high level of golf.

 

We employed a few cool techniques using some very advanced nutritional products (rice, pasta, steak, fish, peanut butter and jelly LOL) and fine tuned him along the way. While on the course he was drinking BCAA's which kept the cortisol, and adrenaline hormones at bay.

 

Last year Rob missed getting through sectionals for the USOpen by 1 shot citing fatigue was his major factor. Unfortunately this past week he just missed getting through local qualifying by 1 shot - though fatigue was not an issue.

 

I've got about 5 weeks to work with him for the next event, the National Professional Championship out in French Lick Indiana (Yes, Larry Bird is GOD country). We are adding a few things into his arsenal to keep him in a pro-growth (anabolic) environment, and get him up to around 190lbs for the event and get his arse into the PGA Championships.

 

Best to All -

Michael

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

FYI for anyone interested - I've got a radio interview tonight on Loudmouth Golf Radio - live from 7-9 EST. If your in the Orlando area its on the ESPN Affiliate AM 740 The Game, also live on the internet at www.740thegame.com

 

I'll see if i can sneak in a shout out to MGS =)

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

pretty blown away with an email i got today i wanted to share. once in a while when you think your being humble - something like this takes it to a whoooooole new level - a big Congrats and thank you to the young lady -

 

 

 

Hello Michael-

 

Approximately 1 year ago, I purchased your Atomic Golf book to present to a friend at work,

whose daughter had just won the state girls golf title (large school class) as an 11 th

grader. He soon reported that the book was put to good use by her, it became her study guide

and she became a big believer in it's principles. He reported to me recently that he found her

once again consulting it recently the night before she set out to defend her title. Although she

did not win this year (she took 4th, and led after day 1), she is considered one of the best amateurs in

state history, and has a full scholarship to Colorado State this fall. It is probably safe to say that

her 'golfing bible' will be going to Fort Collins with her.

 

Dave P.

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very happy to report one of my nutrition clients and friends Rob Labritz finished birdie-birdie to jump 21 spots on the day and finish t-15 - securing his spot at the PGA Championship,

 

he's put on 10lbs of lean muscle mass while still managing his job, family and playing, all coming off of off season shoulder surgery. playing better each day with scores of 75-72-72-70=289

 

all you guys heading up to Kohler in August, go follow Rob.biggrin.gif

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

So I've been on the site for a little over a month now and I've finally decided to check out the "fitness and nutrition" section ;).... Honestly my head is spinning with all of the detailed information on here. I can't keep up. One thing that you talked about really hit home though, since it's a product that I've been using.

 

Someone asked about EAS and Muscle Milk, and you mentioned the economy size EAS bag from Costco. Of course, that's been my one supplement for the last year!! I just finished up a bag about a week ago and was going to ask my wife to pick up more until you mentioned that it possibly makes you bloated OR have to run to the bathroom (which I haven't experienced thankfully).

 

I'm 6'5", 250lbs. I'm looking to slim down to around 220 (well I actually don't really care what the number on the scale says, I just want my body composition to change and I don't want to be big/bulky). Basically I just want to become more lean. Anyway, I eat pretty well for the most part, and I've been working out, but I'm looking for a good supplement to help. If you would recommend just one supplement what would it be? I've seen other posts that show several different products that you use thruout the day, but I don't have the budget to purchase all of those.

 

Is it possible to say that just one would be a big helper in me obtaining my goals? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks for your time, and have a great day!

 

Kyle

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I've been on the site for a little over a month now and I've finally decided to check out the "fitness and nutrition" section :).... Honestly my head is spinning with all of the detailed information on here. I can't keep up. One thing that you talked about really hit home though, since it's a product that I've been using.

 

Someone asked about EAS and Muscle Milk, and you mentioned the economy size EAS bag from Costco. Of course, that's been my one supplement for the last year!! I just finished up a bag about a week ago and was going to ask my wife to pick up more until you mentioned that it possibly makes you bloated OR have to run to the bathroom (which I haven't experienced thankfully).

 

I'm 6'5", 250lbs. I'm looking to slim down to around 220 (well I actually don't really care what the number on the scale says, I just want my body composition to change and I don't want to be big/bulky). Basically I just want to become more lean. Anyway, I eat pretty well for the most part, and I've been working out, but I'm looking for a good supplement to help. If you would recommend just one supplement what would it be? I've seen other posts that show several different products that you use thruout the day, but I don't have the budget to purchase all of those.

 

Is it possible to say that just one would be a big helper in me obtaining my goals? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks for your time, and have a great day!

 

Kyle

 

Kyle -

 

Welcome to MGS, this is a fun place i hope you feel welcome here. the ones of us that started this from the beginning take alot of pride in it.

 

to answer your question - BE CAREFUL FROM WHEY PROTEIN. it CAN cause kidney issues. i have read some alarming studies as of late that show more harm than any of the good that could occur from it. first off all the whey proteins on the market dont have the protein content that is on the label. and nevermind the "acceptable levels" of lead arsenic and cadmium in your powder. sorry there is no acceptable level of heavy metals in my body. IMO Eating real food is always better than Whey.

 

 

Michael

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kyle -

 

Welcome to MGS, this is a fun place i hope you feel welcome here. the ones of us that started this from the beginning take alot of pride in it.

 

to answer your question - BE CAREFUL FROM WHEY PROTEIN. it CAN cause kidney issues. i have read some alarming studies as of late that show more harm than any of the good that could occur from it. first off all the whey proteins on the market dont have the protein content that is on the label. and nevermind the "acceptable levels" of lead arsenic and cadmium in your powder. sorry there is no acceptable level of heavy metals in my body. IMO Eating real food is always better than Whey.

 

 

Michael

 

 

 

 

Thanks a lot for the info Michael. I'll give it a whirl. One thing I noticed is that it appears to be in capsule or tablet form. Is there a powder version that you're aware of? If not how do you use it as a meal replacement or in shakes?

 

Thanks again and have a great weekend!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Michael. Got any good tips for strengthening the wrists that won't cause carpal tunnel or similar type problems? I don't even know if that is my problem, but I have figured out that I have a HORRIBLE problem with bringing my club face through on any kind of consistent basis. One shot it is a 30* push, the next a 20' draw, the next a wicked hook, the next a nice fade, the next a slice that would do a banana proud. I take care to grip the club the same every time and make sure the club face is square at address. I am pretty sure my problem is in my wrist action at the moment of impact.

Thanks in advance.

•Never argue with an idiot. First, he will drag you down to his level. Then he will beat you with experience!•

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Michael. Got any good tips for strengthening the wrists that won't cause carpal tunnel or similar type problems? I don't even know if that is my problem, but I have figured out that I have a HORRIBLE problem with bringing my club face through on any kind of consistent basis. One shot it is a 30* push, the next a 20' draw, the next a wicked hook, the next a nice fade, the next a slice that would do a banana proud. I take care to grip the club the same every time and make sure the club face is square at address. I am pretty sure my problem is in my wrist action at the moment of impact.

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

Cheymike - brilliant Columbus/Trevino quote in your signature LOL

 

Strengthening the wrists for the sake of strengthening the wrists will unfortunately only make your grip on the 30*push and the 20*hook only more firm.

 

ie - If your trying to hammer a nail into the wall but keep missing the nail, a stronger grip will only make your grip firmer as you continue to repeatedly hit the wall.

 

Point being, you need to understand what is the best hand and wrist action for you first. for a right handed golfer that would mean that at impact the shaft lines up with the left forearm and not the right as is most common - check out impact drill IV page 251 in Atomic Golf it breaks it down piece by piece for you.

 

if you still feel you need stronger forearms (the wrists cannot be strengthened as you put it, they are merely a joint controlled by the forearm muscles) - i personally never trained forearms as when one trains their back muscles, the forearms take a pounding - but a simple forearm exercise you can do is this exercise either palm up as in the video or palm down

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb99wBkcQd0

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Mike, Hate to put you on the spot, but I am assuming you have run across Jaacob Bowden's program to improve swing speed. What are your thoughts about his science and theory? With tendinitis in both elbows and a pending ECU surgery after the golf season, my orthopedic guy has told me if I pick up a weight I am playing with dynamite, and that resistance bands are as far as I should go at this time, and probably forever.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

Mike, Hate to put you on the spot, but I am assuming you have run across Jaacob Bowden's program to improve swing speed. What are your thoughts about his science and theory? With tendinitis in both elbows and a pending ECU surgery after the golf season, my orthopedic guy has told me if I pick up a weight I am playing with dynamite, and that resistance bands are as far as I should go at this time, and probably forever.

 

Phana - not the timeliest of replies I know, but this one snuck past me somehow.

 

I have not heard of Mr Bowden's program, quick google search didnt say much - can you pm me some information on him?

 

As far as your tendinitis - speaking from experience md's tend to blow things out of proportion. with that said, tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendons and you need to find out what caused the inflammation and bring that down. ice works magic, as do some anti-aging medications that promote healing and overall general well being. i'd talk to an anti-aging doctor and see what he can prescribe to you that will actually repair the injury vs covering it up or masking it.

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Michael,

 

Read a lot of your stuff on here and most of it seems to be guys asking your help in order to lose weight and get fitter and stronger in the process.

 

I am however at the opposite end of the spectrum. I would love to 'Bulk up' a bit, preferably doing exercises that I can do in the comfort of my own home (also without spending too much!). I currently have access to a set of free weights at home but thats about it! Currently weigh about 140lbs, 6ft tall, never really done any strength training before! Just lanky and lazy with a fast metabolism!

 

Ideally (as I'm sure we all would), I would obviously like the exercise to help me with my golf game (hitting the ball further, straighter/ more consistent). I understand this can be done with various methods. I think that from what I have read, increasing mass, flexibility and stability would all be really useful for me.

 

Just decided to start the 100 press ups, 200 sit ups and 200 squats training today which last for 6 weeks I believe... will be interesting to see how they go- should get me through overseeding out here in Arizona at least!

 

But yeh, I'd be interested to hear any advice or tips you may have, and also whether or not you would recommend starting to take protein shakes or something similar for this type of workout.

 

I look forward to hearing anything you have to say!

 

Many thanks,

 

Philip (phil.b89)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Michael,

 

Read a lot of your stuff on here and most of it seems to be guys asking your help in order to lose weight and get fitter and stronger in the process.

 

I am however at the opposite end of the spectrum. I would love to 'Bulk up' a bit, preferably doing exercises that I can do in the comfort of my own home (also without spending too much!). I currently have access to a set of free weights at home but thats about it! Currently weigh about 140lbs, 6ft tall, never really done any strength training before! Just lanky and lazy with a fast metabolism!

 

Ideally (as I'm sure we all would), I would obviously like the exercise to help me with my golf game (hitting the ball further, straighter/ more consistent). I understand this can be done with various methods. I think that from what I have read, increasing mass, flexibility and stability would all be really useful for me.

 

Just decided to start the 100 press ups, 200 sit ups and 200 squats training today which last for 6 weeks I believe... will be interesting to see how they go- should get me through overseeding out here in Arizona at least!

 

But yeh, I'd be interested to hear any advice or tips you may have, and also whether or not you would recommend starting to take protein shakes or something similar for this type of workout.

 

I look forward to hearing anything you have to say!

 

Many thanks,

 

Philip (phil.b89)

 

Philip -

 

Thanks for posting on here. I can speak from experience as when I played the mini tours back in 2000 i was 128lbs soaking wet, getting outdriven by 80 yards, and hitting fairway woods into par fours to my competitors 8/9/PW's.

 

Right then and there i realized I needed to get bigger but no clue how to, so hopefully, i can help you amigo biggrin.gif

 

Being that you are 6' 140# you need to eat bro, and eat big. Take a look at the chart below - You gotta start pushing 20-23 calories x your body weight a day at the minimum in order to put some size on.

 

Calorie Needs per Day per Pound of Bodyweight

HBW x 8-10 cals = to meet your BMR (Or Diet Off Some Fat)

HBW x 11-13 cals = to meet your BMR and a sedentary lifestyle

HBW x 13-15 cals = to meet your BMR and light activity

HBW x 15-17 cals = to meet your BMR and moderate activity

HBW x 18-20 cals= to meet your BMR and heavy activity/training.

HBW x 20-23 cals= to add body mass

*HBW = Healthy Body Weight

 

I'd suggest eating clean carbohydrates like pasta, rice, oatmeal, yams, and a ton of them!!!! Get your essential fatty acids in as well from supplements, like omega 3-6-9 fish oils, peanut butter, avocados, nuts etc.

 

I was to the point where i was eating 8-10 meals a day at during my first big growth spurt.

 

As far as your exercise routines go, your going to have to train with a plan to build your body symmetrically - otherwise your going to throw off your golf swing with an imbalance. unfortunately most exercise programs for golf inadvertently do just that - they do sport specific training which is the WORST thing for you to do as it builds one piece bigger than the rest. NOT IDEAL!!!!

 

Thanks for your question and keep us posted on your progress -

Michael

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • SPY VIP

Hi Mike,

 

Over the last couple of years I've let my fitness slip a bit. Between moving farther away from my gym (and office), working longer hours (I basically have 1 full-time job and 2 part-time jobs), and playing a lot more golf (walking whenever the course permits), I don't have the same windows of time I used to. Toss in a one month old and any hope of resuming my old workout routine are out the window (which is more or less counter productive as far as the golf game goes).

 

All that said, I'm tired of making excuses (and buying bigger pants). The simplest solution, I think, is to supplement my infrequent (realistically 2x a week at best) trips to the gym with some type of daily workout at home. I've looked at treadmill and ellipticals for home, but a quality machine is easily over a grand (probably more) and neither does for flexibility, core strength, or anything else for that matter. I'm a big fan of the gravity machines, but I'm not sold on the Chuck Norris home model, and they don't offer much of a cardio workout.

 

What I think makes a whole lot of sense space-wise, financially, and in terms of what I'm hoping to achieve (better overall fitness with an emphasis on the "golf muscles") is a kettlebell routine. I was wondering if you had any particular thoughts on a kettlebells both in general, and in terms of golf-specific fitness, or if you had any alternative suggestions for a home-based workout regimen?

 

Thanks,

T

MyGolfSpy is only major golf site that refuses advertising from large golf companies. With your support we can keep it that way. Donate Today
 


Subscribe to the MyGolfSpy Newsletter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mike,

 

Over the last couple of years I've let my fitness slip a bit. Between moving farther away from my gym (and office), working longer hours (I basically have 1 full-time job and 2 part-time jobs), and playing a lot more golf (walking whenever the course permits), I don't have the same windows of time I used to. Toss in a one month old and any hope of resuming my old workout routine are out the window (which is more or less counter productive as far as the golf game goes).

 

All that said, I'm tired of making excuses (and buying bigger pants). The simplest solution, I think, is to supplement my infrequent (realistically 2x a week at best) trips to the gym with some type of daily workout at home. I've looked at treadmill and ellipticals for home, but a quality machine is easily over a grand (probably more) and neither does for flexibility, core strength, or anything else for that matter. I'm a big fan of the gravity machines, but I'm not sold on the Chuck Norris home model, and they don't offer much of a cardio workout.

 

What I think makes a whole lot of sense space-wise, financially, and in terms of what I'm hoping to achieve (better overall fitness with an emphasis on the "golf muscles") is a kettlebell routine. I was wondering if you had any particular thoughts on a kettlebells both in general, and in terms of golf-specific fitness, or if you had any alternative suggestions for a home-based workout regimen?

 

Thanks,

T

 

Lets recap - More golf, 3 jobs, and a newborn - and your trying to fit in your fitness? good luck ! cool.gif

 

Your in one of those situations where something is better than nothing at this stage. And that something is going to have to be above and beyond what your already doing in any 1 or more of the following three aspects:

- Cardio

- weight training

- nutrition

 

simply put if you can make ur morning cup of coffee and walk around your neighborhood for 30 mins 3-4x's a week - walk with a brisk pace yes dont run or jog - that will start to burn some fat. And the best part its free.

 

weight training, if you can do something in your home with a form of resistance be it a weight a band or a kettlebell, the body is going to have to change to accommodate that load. if you do it with some good intensity 3-4x's a week and for 20-30 mins again thats a good start. (also there are no such things as golf muscles, just develop everything not just certain muscles - thats a great way to create an imbalance and mess up your swing)

 

nutritionally if you were to do none of the above but supplement your diet with 2 additional protein meals of 50g per day via food over the course of 6 months you would indeed dramatically reduce your body composition and increase your lean body mass.

 

again i am striking at the lowest common denominator. Increase one of these areas and you'll see results, increase 2 or all three now you will speed up the result. the key is your commitment to it not the knowledge behind it.

 

For example- i have met some really stupid people in the gym over the years that have the most disciplined and dedicated work ethic i have ever witnessed. conversely i have also met on paper some of the smartest brains on the planet that have no idea about discipline or commitment to a goal. point being none of what i say matters in changing a physique if the person cannot make the mental shift from where they are at to where they want to be - and that is all about mental discipline.

 

good luck and keep us posted.

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

G'day Manavs, good to see you here buddy. Was wondering. I've noticed some many golfers have a flabby belly; even the fit ones (and however so slightly). I'm not talking about a 'pot belly', just flabby. What would you recommend to keep stomach trim?

 

Welcome aboard TTR!!! how are things in AUS treating you?

 

thats a great question. visceral fat tends to accumulate on top of the muscles under the skin of the abdomen in men. In women it goes to the upper hamstrings, butt/hip area. TIghtening up this area has little to do with sit ups. Its all cardio and diet related. Its the first place fat goes to and the last to come off unfortunately.

 

adding 30 mins of cardio 4-5 times a week at a low intensity will go a long way in 6-8 weeks time.

 

Then when you get most of the fat off, you can still hold water under the skin - you can see the abs, but theres still abs - thats predominately water. That water can be manipulated out with properly timed carbohydrates, sodium, and water intake. Basically you have to make the kidneys flush out more water than it thinks it should.

 

A simple way to test this is to sodium load all your foods for 5 days. add salt to everything for 5 days try to get close to 5000mg/day. you will hold a ton of water these days, and drink 3 gallons of water each of these days. on day 5 drink only 2 gallons, on day 6 cut all your sodium to zero, drink only 1 gallon of distilled h2o, and add in 2-3 sweet potatos to your day's diet . you'll see how amazing and tight your skin will be, and how hard and full your muscles will be from the inside out.

 

please tell us your experience if you - or anyone decides to do this.smile.gif

 

also make note - this will not help your golf game as your intentionally dehydrating yourself. but its good for the beach party your going to on the weekend. fortunately we golfers get to wear collard shirts smile.gif

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.....

 

adding 30 mins of cardio 4-5 times a week at a low intensity will go a long way in 6-8 weeks time.

 

.....

 

 

Thanks Manavs. Things in Aus are good.

 

Btw. perhaps it's a rookie question but what is 'low intensity' cardio? I thought cardio was always some sort of hell for leather type exercise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Manavs. Things in Aus are good.

 

Btw. perhaps it's a rookie question but what is 'low intensity' cardio? I thought cardio was always some sort of hell for leather type exercise.

 

no not at all - open your door and walk for 15 mins in one direction turn around and walk back in a brisk manner. walk with a purpose. dont run or jog just walk slightly fast.

 

high intensity cardio would be running up stadium stairs as fast as possible til your heart explodes biggrin.gif

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Wow here is one majorly neglected thread.

 

Lets see here - since I last wrote here, I battled a debilitating injury to my left arm, couldnt and didnt train from 9/20-12/26, lost 20lbs due to a few personal things that went on, and resigned from the company i worked for because i uncovered some unethical behavior.

 

But don't fret all is good and better than ever - My arm is back in tact and strong as ever. Been training for 6 weeks now and have made bigtime gains and am better than when i stopped training. Weight is back up to where I like it, and I packed up my apt in texas and 'm chasing the dream every day practicing and playing mini tour events across florida. Life is better than just good, its truly great.

 

Here is a little bit of my progress - (excuse the fisheye of the camera this was not pulled)

 

http://www.v1golfacademy.com/SwingStore/909F388BB864.mp4

 

 

My left forearm/elbow area had a deep knot/spasm/tendonitis developing. I met up with a local A.R.T. active release therapist Dr. Mark Taylor in Frisco, TX, and within 3 sessions i was able to go from not being able to lift a cup of coffee to no pain and weight training in 2 weeks.

 

With the weight training I had to start back up gradually - first week back I did 3 sets per body part - i felt so weak and pathetic, but knew i had to go thru it. The next week i bumped it up to 5 sets, then 9 sets, then 12, then 15, and now i feel as good as i ever have. I'm not doing my insane 40-50 sets/bodypart (remember i have even done100 sets / bodypart) anymore like i did when i was competing, right now its a very functional goal for my golfish physique.

 

I started back on a solid diet and jumped back on my supplements and have even surprised myself at how good i feel/look and how quickly the change happened. Im taking daily:

 

1 Animal Pak - vitamin/mineral

1 Animal Omega Pak - Essential fatty acids

3g Di-Creatine-Malate - a very good creatine

850mg L-Taurine

3g L-Arginine

3g D-Aspartic-Acid - natural testosterone booster

 

This stack has been nothing but impressive for me and definitely has helped bring me this far.

 

With the snow covering most of the country i am fortunate and glad that i've got the opportunity presented itself for me to leave the company and peg it. BEST thing to happen to me in 10 years (last time i played was ten years ago lol)

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is winter time and I really want to not only prevent the rust from creeping into my swing but actually increase my clubhead speed before spring. I have heard that the best thing to work on is hip strength, any tips or excercises for this?

 

Also, I have heard mixed messages about swinging a weighted club, some say it hurts your swing others such as Vijay Sing believe that it is the best golf invention known to man, what do you guys think?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've found that building up overall upperbody (i.e. triceps, pecs and shoulders) and core strength has helped alot this winter, but hip flexibility is definirely a big one. You could probably find some yoga that would help with that. And with the weighted club, I've found that weighted clubs can help with mechanics but swinging a lightweight club will help increase club head speed.

"Never criticize anyone until you've walked a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you'll be a mile away and you have their shoes."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is winter time and I really want to not only prevent the rust from creeping into my swing but actually increase my clubhead speed before spring. I have heard that the best thing to work on is hip strength, any tips or excercises for this?

 

Also, I have heard mixed messages about swinging a weighted club, some say it hurts your swing others such as Vijay Sing believe that it is the best golf invention known to man, what do you guys think?

 

Well I dont know (or do i care) what others think about weighted clubs. Truth of the matter is that the benefit of a weighted club is that when you swing it off plane it becomes very heavy and unswingable. if you are looking to do more with a weighted club than find plane - ie build some kind of strength/endurance/flexibility - i have some swamp land i'd love to sell ya wink.gif

 

Regarding hip strength i'll answer below

 

 

 

I've found that building up overall upperbody (i.e. triceps, pecs and shoulders) and core strength has helped alot this winter, but hip flexibility is definirely a big one. You could probably find some yoga that would help with that. And with the weighted club, I've found that weighted clubs can help with mechanics but swinging a lightweight club will help increase club head speed.

 

btbgolf4 - let me correctly answer Schuyler's question this way.

 

Lets say you have a jaloppy of a car - an old volkswagen. and you take one piece of that car and replace it with ferrari parts, say the engine, do you now have a ferrari? of course not.

 

by suggesting to build up upperbody - excluding back and legs which are your two biggest bodyparts, one would be DESTROYING their golf swing, then blaming weight training on this fact, instead of blaming insufficient and incorrect weight training because doing what you suggest CREATES imbalances.

 

It is these imbalances that throw off a person's golf swing motion.

 

Personally, i've never tried to increase clubhead speed, rather i;ve always wanted to increase force which is mass times acceleration. if i can increase my muscle mass my contractile strength will increase - in plain english.... all else being equal (which is a different discussion on how you train)....

 

if i punch you at 125lbs you wont feel it

if i punch you at 190lbs your going to take notice

if i punch you at 250lbs your not getting up

 

so in review - dont try to increase one piece - having hips that are stronger than the rest of your body will ruin your kinetic chain. what good is a ferrari engine with a volkswagen transmission? aint gonna work - work out and get stronger at every single bodypart - legs, back, shoulders, chest, arms, abs, and more specifically -

 

legs - quads, hams, abductors, adductors, calves

back - middle back, lats, lower back

shoulders - front delts, side delts, rear delts

chest - upper pec, lower pec, and ribcage work

arms - biceps, and tricep

abs - upper/lower, and serratus

 

this way EVERYTHING becomes stronger, bigger, faster and you have no weak links... makes sense?

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Micheal,

 

Besides being a golfer, I am also a bowler. I bowl in two leagues a week, plus tournament and practice, so I am probably throwing 300-400 balls a week. I'm right handed and I throw a 15lb ball. My right arm is built up quite a bit more than my left and I'm wanting to even them out for aesthetic purposes. I've been bowling for about 7 years now and during that time, I have been trying to do about 100-150 reps with my left arm on bowling days. I'm in pretty good shape and I'm pretty decent at both sports, so I'm not really wanting to change my workout to gain anything other than some mass in my left arm. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...