In past issues I’ve talked about creating niche or “specialty” Pilates group exercise classes for your members. These classes are a great way of getting members with similar interests together. Many of them are sports-based, as in Pilates for tennis players or Pilates for cyclists. Golf, in particular, seems to draw together both men and women in their zeal for the game.
Whenever I talk to golfers I am surprised at how fanatical they are about the game. They’ll look for any kind of an edge that will make them better. And, they’re willing to pay for it. That’s where Pilates comes in.
It is well-documented that Pilates’ benefits of length, strength and agility can help increase athletic performance. It is rapidly becoming a crucial strength and conditioning adjunct for top-level athletes. This includes teams in the NFL, NBA and MLB as well as a host of Olympic athletes. These athletes are finding that they can run greater distances or hit the ball farther – and do it while reducing the risk of injury. These benefits apply to golfers as well, and progressive clubs are capitalizing on the opportunity by offering fee-based Pilates for Golf classes.
The synergy between golf and Pilates revolves around the center or “core” (the trunk, shoulder girdle and pelvis) of the body. The Pilates method of exercise is based on building core strength, while most golf movements come from the core. Golfers participating in Pilates will see improved hip rotation, range of motion in the shoulders, and back stability. This will lead to more powerful and accurate golf shots.
In addition, Pilates can help both heal and prevent injuries that affect accuracy and stamina. A golf shot puts a tremendous amount of torque on a golfer’s body. It is also repeating essentially the same move in the same direction over and over again. As a result, some muscles become overused and others weaken causing an imbalance.
These muscle imbalances can affect the legs, hips, arms, shoulders, and the lower back, which will obviously impact a golfer’s game, particularly for those over the age of 50. Drives may become shorter, fairway shots may be less accurate and it becomes harder to finish a round without pain and exhaustion.
The lower back is probably the chief culprit among the ailments which golfers experience. A limited range of motion in the spine and hips can cause stress to the lower back. Pilate exercises develop the muscles that support these areas, helping to improve both accuracy and power. The core muscles will help maintain the proper spine angle as well as balance that golfers need in order to perform their best.
In addition, many of the mind-body elements of Pilates – like enhanced breathing – can help heighten a golfer’s concentration level. All golfers appreciate this as a major key to success on the course.
Pilates for golf group classes can use mats, Reformers, props, or a combination of the three. Typically, clubs charge an additional fee for Reformer-based classes. The Reformer offers more assistance than the mat (which uses an individual’s own gravity as support) and can make a workout as easy, or as challenging, as the instructor or client requires. Most sports-based specialty classes are also fee-based – regardless of the apparatus use – because, as mentioned, clubs have found that members will pay extra to improve their athletic performance.
Before introducing Pilates for Golf classes (or any other sport-related specialty Pilates class), be sure you’ve located an instructor with a background in the sport. It’s the old “talk the talk, walk the walk” scenario. If your instructor doesn’t have a solid understanding of golf, it will hurt the credibility of the class and your members will not want to come back.
From an exercise standpoint, your instructors should have an applicable repertoire of the proper exercises designed to improve your members’ golf games. There are several tools on the market that can help. One such tool is the The Hole in One Pilates DVD from Pilates for Golf. This DVD is mat and prop-based and shows a wide variety of exercises that improve a golfer’s game.
Many of the exercises can be translated into Reformer work. The DVD can be purchased at www.pilatesforgolf.com orwww.pilates.com.
If you would like to start a Pilates for Golf class, poll your members to gauge interest. You’ll also need to determine pricing (group classes can run anywhere from $20-$50 a session), and class duration. Classes typically run twice weekly for six to eight weeks. You might want to call clubs with similar programs and see what they’re doing.
For clubs with golfers in their membership and the proper instructor resources, there’s no reason not to put together a Pilates for Golf class for them. In just a few weeks, your members should start to see results on the course, while your club sees results on its bottom line.
Ken Endelman is the Founder and CEO of Balanced Body, Inc., the world’s leading resource for Pilates equipment, education and information. For more information call 1.800.PILATES, or visit www.pilates.com.
