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Q & A with Bodybuilding Golf Pro Michael Manavian


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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.

 

Thanks for the question. Good one at that. The short suggested answer from me is don't bother. You've done all this work with one arm that by the time you made up the lag time with the other arm it wouldn't make sense nor would it benefit either sport.

 

But nevertheless to equalize each arm you would have to do to the left arm what you did to the right, which is to work it. What you've done as well is created new nerve pathways from your brain to your arm. Ingraining that motion. You could spend seven years bowling left handed, or you could train the left arm in similar bowling motions. Throw a 20lb ball or heavier left handed . Not for score just for reps. Remember you didn't overdevelop your right thru exercise.

 

Imo your going to do more harm than good to your game by building up your left. You've gotten good at bowling and golf and have created a pattern for both. If you build up your left arm your going to throw that balance off kilter. Instead just work everything you have symmetrically from here forward in order not to throw off your swing patterns.

 

Make sense?

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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Thanks for the question. Good one at that. The short suggested answer from me is don't bother. You've done all this work with one arm that by the time you made up the lag time with the other arm it wouldn't make sense nor would it benefit either sport.

 

But nevertheless to equalize each arm you would have to do to the left arm what you did to the right, which is to work it. What you've done as well is created new nerve pathways from your brain to your arm. Ingraining that motion. You could spend seven years bowling left handed, or you could train the left arm in similar bowling motions. Throw a 20lb ball or heavier left handed . Not for score just for reps. Remember you didn't overdevelop your right thru exercise.

 

Imo your going to do more harm than good to your game by building up your left. You've gotten good at bowling and golf and have created a pattern for both. If you build up your left arm your going to throw that balance off kilter. Instead just work everything you have symmetrically from here forward in order not to throw off your swing patterns.

 

Make sense?

 

just to add a little to the above. given that you dont mind throwing off your body's reflex motion in the golf swing and bowling action - and desire to build up the arm independent of the left. focus both on the tricep and biceps. Triceps - push downs with rope, reverse (palm up) grip, and overhead. Biceps - standing curl, concentration curl, incline bench db curl.

 

i prefer higher rep schemes 20-25 reps to get that blood flow to the extremities. 3-5 sets per exercise 2x-3x/week to start. dont care about the weight as of yet, but make it pretty moderate that your crying when you hit 20 and the last 5 are forced.

 

keep us posted.biggrin.gif

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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I had actually thought about bowling left handed, but I was afraid that would get my mechanics off. I will try what you have suggested and see how it goes. Thanks for the info.

 

JBones - just to reiterate - your at a stage where its going to be one or the other. if your going for aesthetics which you say you are, your actions may suffer with both left handed bowling, and single arm training.

 

the way things wont suffer - is if you build everything up from your current state. ex: if your left arm is 15" and your right is 17" making your left 16" and right 18" is going to help you more than bringing up the left to equal to the right. (this point is my cornerstone piece)

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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  • 1 month later...

Wanted to share this email I just got from some random tool bag - mind you that I have no idea who he is.

 

For some reason beyond my grasp I'm assuming he feels better emailing strangers about his viewpoints lmao

 

 

>

> On Mar 31, 2011 7:18 PM, "charl rogers" wrote:

> >

> > This is bullshit man. gold is a sport which means you need many factors of fitness, flexibility, power, functional training, cv, plyometrics and so on, also golf is a sport unlike bodybuilding where steroids are not allowed. there is a reason your not on tour and i am and camilo is too that we are on main tours pga or challange tour in europe but bodybuilding has no aid to help in golf.

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Just wanted to update this thread as its been a while. ive been having a good summer working and saving money for the winter as i'm planning a fla trip to play some mini tour events. because of that i've decided to work on the physique and golf swing, concentrating on getting the most i can out of whenever I do play, as playing in an event is pretty much stupid right now as i'm no where near as prepared as i like to be.

 

having said that i've been seeing some fantastic results the few times I have been playing. My driver situation was quite a fiasco caving in 2 heads and getting a new one that was a dud. Having had to rely on my iron game its really performed and i can say that i've been really rolling the rock nicely on the intended line.

 

What is not sharp is the wedge game. around the greens, half shots, yardages which i believe should be easy up and downs to gimme distances are far from accurate. I did swap out my CG 12's for the CG 15 DSG's with conforming grooves and just havent really found them to be easy to adjust to.

 

My playing partners yesterday asked me a question about yardages that turned into a discussion about how to play flyers and how the hell to pull the right club for that? and seriously its become a crazy issue as i can throttle up or down quite a bit based on whats in front of me.

 

And this being Tiger's return week at Firestone - I remember him hitting some 180yard pitching wedges out of the thick rough on 18 with legs-a-flailing on the follow thru - so what better time than now to talk FLYERS!!!! sorry philly fans not that kind

 

Since we dont live in a bubble and hit off mats to perfect locations, in the real world numbers can go whacky so file this under dont try this at home if your scared of new ideas.

 

to start I always go through a little mental checklist on the tee box -

 

Question 1 - what the hell is this hole? (thats exactly how i say it lol ) and usually the answer is a par 3/4/5 followed by gosh this this stupid/great, after insulting/praising the designer/architect/superintendent on their choices.

 

Followed by trying to make a decision on whats the goal here is - which is whats the ideal way to give myself a putt for the lowest score? not necessarily a birdie or eagle - but sometimes i'll play for par or bogey as thats all i'll need on a hole. if a pin is cut on a stupid ridge that needs a windmill to complete it, then yeah, i'm trying to lag this putt to not 3 putt and get out of dodge!

 

So this becomes tricky as your bombarded with stew full of variables that to go into one side of an equation that your trying to balance out with on the other being the move your going to make.

 

Again, i have a checklist.

How's the lie? in this case its a flyer in the rough

how far? in yards (preferably =)) 188pin 172 front 195 back

wheres the wind coming from? 6:30 not quite 7 - (analog clockcool.gif)

how hard is the wind blowing? low - rather than medium? hard? stupid hard?

 

From here where do we want to favor our shot - short vs long, right or left

 

from here next up i narrow down and envision the shot shape to give me the best result - high/med/low traj and draw/fade/straight.

 

beautiful got all that? so real world example, yesterday straightaway par 5 of 550 yards, tee shot into a slightly up hill landing area. Obnoxious hole as it was envisioned to be played as a 3 shot hole with a 245yd tee shot - no thank you. so plan A is to rip driver down the right side with a little turn over to give myself an opportunity to get there in two - check - I hit it good and it hits some hardpan in the rough and trundles a little way and I have left 188 yards to the middle of the green - blind shot 195 back edge 170 front edge. And as we said a bit of a flyer, a slight low helping drift of some wind coming from about 6:30. there is trouble long and left and since i'm on the 1st cut on the right side i'm coming into the hold from a bit of an angle.

 

I throw that all into the database and out spits out smooth 7 or hard 8iron. figuring i can hit a high jumper, that because of the flyer will go a little more and not spin when it lands, i can use that to my advantage to get to the front of the green with either, I know I dont want to go over. So i choose the 8iron thinking its safe and i've got to jump on it with a high thrust rate. ok lets go -

 

i flush it and hit it 193 yards to the back edge of the green and because it came in high it stopped on a dime.

 

now - lets contemplate some of the other options i had - should i have taken a 9 iron to get to the front of the green? or hit a stock 7? personally neither one works for me - the 9 wouldve hit on the front and spun like hell off the front, and the 7 would not have landed as softly nor as vertically to stop and would have bounced over the green.

 

this is an important step - you think an 8 iron i shouldnt be happy with hitting it 45 past the hole? yes eagle would be nice but a 2 putt birdie is really ok when you realize that hey its the right club and yes, i hit it a twinge too hard, but i played the percentages and it was the safer play. this is a tweaner club for that shot.

 

but Manavs i dont hit the bejeezes out of it as far as you do? understood, but i guess this is really a lesson on how to hit a flyer on purpose. i cant tell you how many times ive seen amateurs try to hit fw woods out of rough from 200+ yards away, when if they have any type of a decent swing they should stick to a pw, 9i or 8i and try to jump on it and hit it 140 yards and have run it 30. and for those people who cannot hit a 140 yard shot with either a pw/9i/or 8i are playing the wrong sets of tees if they have 200 yards left!!!!! play it forward people PLEASE!!!!

 

another example two weeks ago i'm playing with a fellow professional on a long par 5 i've got 220 from the middle of the fw to a pin tucked left, and am assuming 200 to the front edge. green runs front left to back right, it is pitched towards us. over the green is death, short of the green is a firmish landing area and a bunker front right. there is only 5 yards to run up this shot and the green is guarded by trees right and left.

 

I pull a 7 iron and get a stupid look out of him like, what am i doing? so i explain the plan here is to run it up with a low hooking 7 iron. he's arguing fly a 6 iron to the middle of the green and two putt it. though i see his logic, i completely take both scores of 3 and 7 out of the equation with my play and will make a 4/5/6 at worst with the 7iron. taking the 6iron i bring in 3 but also bring in over the green 7.

 

having said that, from a great lie in the fairway that has not been mown that day -so less contact with the ball = less spin - what do ya know, i have a whisper of a flyer. i take the 7 iron and play a high thrust low blistered draw that lands 190 runs up to the 4 yards short of the green. i couldnt believe it stopped so quick with that trajectory (it was wetter than i thought) and hit a straight forward chip to tap in range.

 

 

 

i share these 2 stories as i think next time your confronted with a long shot out of a seemingly difficult flyer lie from 200+ yards out - take a 2-4 clubs less than you may normally do off say a tee or off the fairway, and instead of trying to hit a miraculous 4 iron out of 3 inches of rough, try hitting a hard going nuke that lands 3/4s of the way and run it to the front edge. you may be surprised by the results

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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Hi Michael,

 

Seeing all this great info (which at the same makes my head spin) motivates me to do something for my golf game as well.

 

Like you mentioned in the other thread, I should either change my driver head or go to the gym to avoid the miserable 270 yard drives :D

 

I'm 27 years old, 5'11 and about 204lbs. Used to work out at the gym 4 times a week during college. Now with a wife, a job and golf... it's just hard to find the time.

 

So went from defined arms, pecs and abs to big fat beer belly :D

 

Breakfast: 1 egg, 2 slices of bread with turkey ham and cheese.

Morning snack: ham/cheese sandwich

Lunch: rice or bread with some kind of meat and vegetables.

Afternoon snack: fruits

Dinner: same as lunch (sometimes try to skip the carbs and just have proteins with vegetables)

 

My goal? First priority is to lose the fat and gaining more power would be an added bonus.

 

All I got at home is a set of 44lbs dumbbells. What kind of cardio would you recommend?

 

Thanks!

:cobra-small: SpeedZone 9* w/ Aldila Rogue Silver 60 S
:callaway-small: X2 Hot 3 Deep 14.5* w/ Aldila Tour Green 75 S
:taylormade-small: JetSpeed 5W 19* w/ Matrix Velox T 69 S OR :adams-small: Super LS 3H 19* w/ Kuro Kage Black 80 S
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Stupid Google translate! :P

 

My questions are:

 

What work out program would you recommend for losing the extra pounds?

 

I read you mentioned low and high intensity cardio work outs, do they have different uses/goals?

:cobra-small: SpeedZone 9* w/ Aldila Rogue Silver 60 S
:callaway-small: X2 Hot 3 Deep 14.5* w/ Aldila Tour Green 75 S
:taylormade-small: JetSpeed 5W 19* w/ Matrix Velox T 69 S OR :adams-small: Super LS 3H 19* w/ Kuro Kage Black 80 S
:mizuno-small: JPX919 Forged 4-PW w/ Modus3 105 S
:titelist-small: Vokey SM7 50/08F, 54/14F & 58/08M w/ Modus3 115 Wedge
:EVNROLL: ER1 34" w/ SuperStroke Fatso 2.0
MfleKCg.jpg Pro / 9dZCgaF.jpgH2NO Lite Cart Bag / :Clicgear: 3.0 / :918457628_PrecisionPro: NX7 Pro LRF

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Stupid Google translate! :P

 

My questions are:

 

What work out program would you recommend for losing the extra pounds?

 

I read you mentioned low and high intensity cardio work outs, do they have different uses/goals?

 

 

 

for someone starting back into exercise after a layoff the heart and lungs need to be improved so that they can handle the load of more intense weight training down the road. for this reason, Id suggest the weight training progression in my book (hint hint), but if you want a home workout program, to drop body fat and increase endurance - the spartacus one is very good at the hardest of levels. http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/high-intensity-circuit-routine/index.php

 

good luck with that.

 

yes - low intensity cardio burns exclusively fat, and high intensity improves heart and lung function/capacity, but burns more glycogen than fat. it all depends on your goals and where you are in your current level.

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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Thanks for the feedback Michael.

 

If I understand correctly, you are supposed to do the 10 stations 3 times, correct?

And the whole thing 3 times a week.

 

How would you go combining a 30min low intensity cardio with the Spartacus?

 

Maybe 1 rep and 30min cardio?

Or 3 rep and 10min cardio?

 

I guess 3 reps and 30min cardio would be the best... but assuming I don't have the time for it... wondering what would be the most effective combination.

 

Thanks!

:cobra-small: SpeedZone 9* w/ Aldila Rogue Silver 60 S
:callaway-small: X2 Hot 3 Deep 14.5* w/ Aldila Tour Green 75 S
:taylormade-small: JetSpeed 5W 19* w/ Matrix Velox T 69 S OR :adams-small: Super LS 3H 19* w/ Kuro Kage Black 80 S
:mizuno-small: JPX919 Forged 4-PW w/ Modus3 105 S
:titelist-small: Vokey SM7 50/08F, 54/14F & 58/08M w/ Modus3 115 Wedge
:EVNROLL: ER1 34" w/ SuperStroke Fatso 2.0
MfleKCg.jpg Pro / 9dZCgaF.jpgH2NO Lite Cart Bag / :Clicgear: 3.0 / :918457628_PrecisionPro: NX7 Pro LRF

My reviews: MLA Putter // Titleist SM7 // PING i500 // PuttOUT

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Thanks for the feedback Michael.

 

If I understand correctly, you are supposed to do the 10 stations 3 times, correct?

And the whole thing 3 times a week.

 

 

yes

 

 

How would you go combining a 30min low intensity cardio with the Spartacus?

 

 

you would do the spartacus monday wednesday and friday and do 30 mins of low intensity tues/thurs/sat

 

 

 

Maybe 1 rep and 30min cardio?

Or 3 rep and 10min cardio?

 

 

 

i dont understand this

 

 

 

I guess 3 reps and 30min cardio would be the best... but assuming I don't have the time for it... wondering what would be the most effective combination.

 

Thanks!

 

assuming you dont have 30 mins a day 6 days a week to get in shape - you shouldnt expect to get in shape. my advise to those people not looking to get in shape is to eat these

 

hohos.jpg

 

and drink plenty of these

beer_mug.jpg

 

 

hell thats what id do cool.gif

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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Got it! Will do the 3 days Spartacus and 3 days low intensity cardio.

Lucky I don't like sweets... but the beer oh man the beer! :(

:cobra-small: SpeedZone 9* w/ Aldila Rogue Silver 60 S
:callaway-small: X2 Hot 3 Deep 14.5* w/ Aldila Tour Green 75 S
:taylormade-small: JetSpeed 5W 19* w/ Matrix Velox T 69 S OR :adams-small: Super LS 3H 19* w/ Kuro Kage Black 80 S
:mizuno-small: JPX919 Forged 4-PW w/ Modus3 105 S
:titelist-small: Vokey SM7 50/08F, 54/14F & 58/08M w/ Modus3 115 Wedge
:EVNROLL: ER1 34" w/ SuperStroke Fatso 2.0
MfleKCg.jpg Pro / 9dZCgaF.jpgH2NO Lite Cart Bag / :Clicgear: 3.0 / :918457628_PrecisionPro: NX7 Pro LRF

My reviews: MLA Putter // Titleist SM7 // PING i500 // PuttOUT

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  • 3 weeks later...

quick update everyone. Just got word from taylormade that they are going to hook me up with some personal use clubs.

 

random question to anyone, is there a difference in ball speed between my R7 TP irons to the new forged MC or forged MB?

 

I am leaning towards the MB's but want to make sure they'll play similar

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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I'd go with the new R11 irons if they're hooking u up. Hit a friend's set a few days ago with the new TT Monacos in them and they were the cat's meow.

In The Bag
Driver: TaylorMade M2 (2017) w/ Project X T1100 HZRDUS Handcrafted 65x 
Strong 3 wood: Taylormade M1 15* w/ ProjectX T1100 HZRDUS handcrafted 75x
3 Hybrid: Adams PRO 18* w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4 Hybrid: Adams PRO 20* (bent to 21*) w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4-AW: TaylorMade P770 w/ Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Black Onyx S400

SW: 56* Scratch Tour Dept(CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
LW: 60* Scratch Tour Department (CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
XW: 64* Cally XForged Vintage w/ DG X100 8 iron tiger stepped
Putter: Nike Method Prototype 006 at 34"

Have a ton of back-ups in all categories, but there are always 14 clubs in the bag that differ depending on the course and set-up. Bomb and gouge. Yes, I'm a club gigolo.

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I saw them yesterday they look good, too big, too offset for my liking.

 

I'm considering a mix set.2-6 MC , 7-pw MB

 

I'd go with the new R11 irons if they're hooking u up. Hit a friend's set a few days ago with the new TT Monacos in them and they were the cat's meow.

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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well i was able to stop into a local store that has a foresight launch monitor - btw i think these are awesome monitors - and test out the TM MB's and MC's side by side. Well after plenty of warming up and swings, below are the results of my findings.

 

so who thinks which is which? same shaft, one head is offset and one head is slightly less. Now the shaft did not fit me though it was a rifle project x, it was a flighted version, way to soft 6.5flex and standard length. (i play 7.5 plus 1 inch) so directionally i could care less.

 

All i was looking for was if i lost ball speed with the forged irons and if the new grooves made any significant difference in comparison to my current r7 tp's.

 

important categories -

ball speed to clubhead speed

launch angle

spin rate

total height

ballspeeeds.jpg

 

:cobra-small: Staffer 

:Arccos: Staffer 

www.MANAVIANGolf.com

 

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  • 8 years later...

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