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An Ohio licensed Physical Therapist, TPI Certified Golf Fitness Instructor and K-vest Level one certified instructor providing simple exercises for golfers that empower them to train without pain.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Golfers Hydration: What You May Be Missing.

http://onlyatgbg.comDo you need a drink? 

Is your golf swing losing power because of dehydration? Current recommendations are that we should be drinking one half of our body weight in ounces every day.

So, for example, a 200# person should consume 100 oz/day. 25% or 25 ounces of this should be throughout your morning. During a golf round you should consume 40% - 50% of your total daily intake of water. If your water intake for the day is 100 ounces, you would consume 40-50 ounces of water on the golf course. The remaining water should be consumed throughout the day.

Be careful though because coffee, tea, flavored drinks and sports drinks require more water to dilute for absorption so they can actually be dehydrating. In addition, caffeinated drinks act as a diuretic further depleting fluid loss.

You may also be surprised to learn that drinking soda and alcohol has a direct impact on your golf score. Robert Yang of TPI says, "the sugar content of alcohol and soda can severely impact hormone levels in your body. This hormonal fluctuation can lead to physical and mental failure."

Now, consider this. 80% of hyaline cartilage is water. Hyaline cartilage is what cushions the surface of your joints and produces the very slippery joint fluid that reduces friction between the joint surfaces. Given the amount of sugary drinks and caffeine that we normally drink, is it hard to surmise that most of us suffer from chronic dehydration?

Now given these two bits of information, is it not reasonable to think that arthritic problems showing up at younger ages is in part because of poor hydration? Isn't it possible that many golfers have to quit the sport prematurely simply because they don't drink enough good water?

The golf swing demands that your body use its 'kinetic chain' to twist, store energy, untwist and release energy in a specifically controlled fashion. Your body is held together largely by a complex network of fascia that connects all of the organs and muscles to each other.

This myofascial matrix is made up largely of cells called 'proteoglycans'. They carry a 3:1 ratio of water to solute (primarily glucose).  This creates a hydraulic cushion that allows forces to be distributed evenly, energy stored and released as we move.

However, when we are in a state of chronic dehydration, we lose our ability to store energy and release it in an even, controlled fashion. Your golf swing cannot help but suffer

Robert Yang and Dr. Greg Rose of TPI recommend the following hydration tips for the golfer:

1. Drink a big mouthful of water per hole.
2. Take one swig at the tee box, on while walking to your second shot, one while on the green.
3. Refill the water bottle every 3-5 holes depending on temp and whether walking or fiddling.
4. Have a drink of water with a pinch of Celtic Sea Salt at the start of the round and at the turn.

So, have a drink on me and

Have a Great Game!

Mr Stiv http://onlyatgbg.com/mrstiv

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