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Sunday, December 2, 2007

3 Simple Golf Practice Steps To An Effective Golf Game

Without constant practice, you cannot expect your golf game to get better over time. Even with the help of lessons, instructional videos and other aids that you purchase, you cannot get better without consistent and efficient practice. You need to practice consistently because with every practice session, your body goes through a series of exercises that help develop muscle memory. Also, you need to practice efficiently because it is important that you learn to pace your energy through the different kinds of exercises.

Although this advice sounds simple enough, many tend to overlook it. It's tempting to go straight and tee-off as soon as you get to the golf course. Many golfers, even the pros are guilty of that too. This is simply because there are many golfers out there think that their score will improve as long as they spend enough time practicing at the practice range or even worst, on the course.

This could not be further from the truth. In order to play a better game of golf, it is vital that you hold regular and disciplined practice sessions, the way that you would treat your golf game.

Instead of thinking how boring practice sessions can get, do remember that it is with constant practice that you are able to develop better playing habits when you next play a round of golf. Also, it would help you to think of practice sessions as a fun part of learning and not look at is as a heavy burden or a chore .If you think practice sessions are fun, you would naturally play better and have more enjoyment in the game.

You practice sessions are generally divided into three parts. They are the:
- warming up stage
- fresh stage
- fatigued stage

In each of these stages, you will be doing different sets of activities, and when they are carried out in the right stages, they will effectively get you the results that you want and this can be seen when you are out playing golf with your friends.

The Warming Up Stage

Many people have the misconception that golf is an easy game that doesn't require any physical activities, as it only involves walking and swinging. Again, this is wrong. Even when you are swinging your golf clubs, you use your muscle groups to move and work in ways that you normally don't in your everyday routine.

This means that when you play golf you can expect to have your arms, torso, and lower back muscles to work hard. This shows that it is very important for you to first go through some stretching activities for warming up. You should start from the top of your head and work down towards your feet.

Remember that what you want is to get your muscles to move in full range and to achieve flexibility. Should you be unfamiliar with stretching activities, do consult your trainer or instructor at your club for some advice.

The Fresh Stage

Right after warming up, you could start practicing exercises that help build on a certain golfing skill which you would like to master. On the other hand you could work on parts of your game that you think needs the most work. These could include driving, chipping or putting.

The aim is of course to work on your techniques and skills while you're still fresh and flexible from a good stretching exercise during the warming up stage as your body will be able to respond in a more positive manner to whatever exercise that you are practicing.

Some people have the wrong idea about practice sessions. They think that golf practice means spending time on a golfing range. Why would you want to work on your driving, unless that is the area that you would most want to improve? If you think your putting needs serious practice, then by all means, work on your putting as soon as you've warmed up. (By the way, it has been noted that almost 60% of a golfer's strokes take place on the golf green. However, this is not considered by many golfers, which result in poor ineffective golfing habits).

The Fatigued Stage

Once you get a bit tired or breathless from all the earlier exercises, you can move on to other parts of your game that needs minor practice. As your body is already familiar with this facet of the game, you only need to reinforce and maintain this technique.

Should you require any correction to your technique, your already stressed body will not be too pressured in trying to master a particularly difficult skill. As stated in the example above, only after you have done enough practice on your putting should you move on to the driving range reinforce and maintain your drives.

Last but not least, take note of these suggestions and observations when you are practicing next.

In order to get continuous and consistent improvement, do remember that a good practice to play ratio is about 2:1. This means that you have to spend twice as much time at practice as to the amount of time spent playing.

On the other hand, remember to get sufficient rest in between your exercises and also in between the various stages. Even though it is considered as a work out, you should not exert yourself to the point of panting and gasping. That would not bring any good but will bring even more harm to you.

Your golf game should improve as your practice sessions get more disciplined and more organised. Remember to be consistent and to note the results of all your exercises so that you can improve your golf game one stroke at a time.

Juzaily Ramli and his friend Tommy Lehmann are golf enthusiasts and proud owners of golf resorts website.

Discover how you can increase your distance and lower your golf score with the right practice and golf training.

Swiss Ab Routine For Yoga Ball

A Truly Effective Yogic Relaxation Technique

Lie on your back on the floor with your arms placed naturally by you side, your palms uppermost and fingers relaxed. Have your legs about shoulder width apart. You may place a folded small towel beneath your head, but nothing more comfortable than that.

Now some people, especially beginners, tend go to sleep very quickly in this position and that is not what we are seeking to do. If this happens to you, adopt the following position instead: Be seated in a straight-backed chair with your hands on your thighs or knees. Sit up straight and make sure that your feet are comfortably flat on the floor. Also be certain that each side of your body is positioned identically. In other words place the hands identically with the finger spread being the same on each hand; ensure that the feet placed symmetrically.

So now, in either your lying or seated position, close you eyes.

Now, take your mind to your right thumb. Visualize it. Ensure that it is relaxed. Move it if necessary. Take your mind now to you right index finger; again, visualize it and make sure that it is relaxed. Move to the middle finger, then the ring finger and then the little finger. Move your mind now to the back of your right hand, your right wrist, your right forearm, your right upper arm. Be sure that you are visualizing each part and ensuring that it is completely relaxed. Move your visualization now to the right shoulder, the right armpit, the right side of the body, the right hip, the right knee, the right calf, the right ankle, the soul of the right foot, the right big toe, second toe, third toe, fourth toe, little toe.

Take your mind now to your left thumb, left forefinger and so on around the left side of your body to the left little toe.

Visualize now and ensure relaxation of the left buttock, the right buttock, the small of the back, the spinal column, the right shoulder blade, the left shoulder blade, the area between the shoulder blades, the tops of the shoulders and back and sides of the neck, the back of the head, the right ear, the left ear, the right temple, the left temple.

Pause here and imagine that the feeling of relaxation that you are now experiencing is flowing through your temples into your mind. Feel your mind as being totally relaxed; totally at ease. Tell yourself that It is that way because of the relaxation flowing into it. Savor this experience for a little while and then move your consciousness to the top of your head, your forehead, your right eyebrow, left eyebrow, right eye, left eye, the nose, the nose tip, the upper lip, the lower lip,(at this juncture ensure that the bottom jaw is totally relaxed, with the teeth a barely touching it at all) and then on to the chin, neck, right side of chest, left side of chest, abdomen and then the right leg, the left leg, the right arm, the left arm, the trunk, the head, your whole body your whole bodyyour whole body.

(This may sound complicated in the reading, but in practice, because the parts are in sequence, there is no difficulty in running the visualization from one part of the body to the next and so on. It is an old yoga technique that has been practiced for thousands of years and it is its very simplicity that underpins it historical success).

By now you are probably feeling very relaxed almost divorced from the real world. (If you do not, dont be concerned. Simply go through the procedure again)

Now is the time to begin to visualize places of great contentment, beauty and peace that you have experienced during your lifetime. Perhaps a lake, or a beach, a forest, a running stream, a sunset, the glory of the stars. Feel the cold of the water or snow; feel the warmth of the noonday, smell the forest, smell the grasslands, listen to the insects, the call of the birds; see the sky, see the clouds

Do this for what appears quite a long time five or ten minutes. Then let your imagination rest. Just visualize nothing at all. Stay like this for as long as you can. You will feel totally at peace. You may even feel so peaceful and contented that youd like to stay this was forever! Many people feel that way and are quite reluctant to return to a wakeful state. But all good things come to an endeven successful meditations and in meditation, it is easy to loose track of time. Some people set a quiet alarm that rings after about 45 minutes or an hour. You may want to do the same. Whatever, when it comes time to go back to the everyday, do so slowly. With your eyes still closed, raise your arms above your head and drop them down to your sides again. Move your bottom jaw. Move your legs and then slowly open your eyes. Wow! Youre back in the real world!

Follow this technique every day for at least half an hourpreferably an hour. You'll be amazed at what it does for you. Youll be more relaxed; more confident; more alive! The real world will become a much, much better place in which to be. Who knows, you may even take up yoga and reap even more rewards!

Michael russell Your Independent guide to Yoga

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