Working out and general fitness

[brandon21486]

The Surgeon General recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week:

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/priorities/prevention/strategy/active-living.html

Even at 40 minutes of HIIT (which is more than moderate activity), 500m swimming and 45 minutes of weight training you're probably getting the minimum recommended activity for a week in 5 days a week. That's 5 times the bare minimum, which is not "essentially" the bare minimum.

I'm not saying that's bad, or that disc golf is that great of a work out, depending on how you play it might not even qualify as moderate activity, but if you're going to justify talking down to everyone because you work out a lot by stating an easy to research benchmark is only a good idea if you've researched the benchmark yourself.

My experience is that cardio and endurance is probably the most important thing to work on for disc golf. Not getting fatigued at the end of two rounds can be a big deal.

Great post! :thmbup:

Andy may be right that most people in America live a sedentary lifestyle but I think his tone implies this is because most people are lazy. I have a sedentary lifestyle but I wish I had more time to be more active and I know there are others that deal with the same situation. I get up every morning and get ready for work then drive 45 minutes to work. I get out at lunch to do field work or play a few holes because I enjoy it. Then when I get off and drive another 45 minutes home I play with kids(sometimes get some physical activity here)/help with homework then do the nightly bath/bed routine. So by 9:30pm I finally have time! At this point I usually unwind a bit before I go to bed at 11 pm to get up at 6am to start again.

I am sure I am not the only one that experiences this and I am sure there is a bit more I can do here and there. I choose disc golf though because I enjoy it and it is at least some physical activity. Along with changing my diet I have lost over 30 lbs. and while I may never be as fit as Andy I am at least getting in better shape than I was.

 

[garublador]

Andy may be right that most people in America live a sedentary lifestyle but I think his tone implies this is because most people are lazy. I have a sedentary lifestyle but I wish I had more time to be more active and I know there are others that deal with the same situation. I get up every morning and get ready for work then drive 45 minutes to work. I get out at lunch to do field work or play a few holes because I enjoy it. Then when I get off and drive another 45 minutes home I play with kids(sometimes get some physical activity here)/help with homework then do the nightly bath/bed routine. So by 9:30pm I finally have time! At this point I usually unwind a bit before I go to bed at 11 pm to get up at 6am to start again.

I am sure I am not the only one that experiences this and I am sure there is a bit more I can do here and there. I choose disc golf though because I enjoy it and it is at least some physical activity. Along with changing my diet I have lost over 30 lbs. and while I may never be as fit as Andy I am at least getting in better shape than I was.

I don't have that long of a commute (I actually did before I had kids, and it's rough enough without that responsibility), but I'm totally with you there. I wish I had time to be lazy. I have to get up at 4:30AM if I want to get 20-30 minutes of exercise in in the mornings as it is. There just isn't an extra 2 hours per day to meet that guy's "bare minimum" requirement. I'd either be sleeping only 4-5 hours per night or not seeing my family at all.

 

[runningDoc]

I used to run a ton and play competitive softball, and pick up basketball/soccer a lot. Now that I'm in my mid thirties my facebook feed is mostly baby pictures and posts about horrific injuries suffered by friends who still do contact sports and what not.

I just try to be active in a way which blends in with my life. So if I'm lucky 4-5 rounds of DG a week (I'm 2min away from a 9 hole pitch an putt and 10min away from two nice courses) + everyday at least an hour with my dogs at the dog park (which is a 30 acres has trails/water/open areas and is two fold because they catch frisbees so I get in field work even if its with 80gram dog discs).

So I'm fortunate to have some nice DG courses a quick drive away which means being able to squeeze in a round quickly if I have two hours of free time. A normal round of disc golf is 2.5miles -3miles of walking with a 10lbs bag (measured with gps watch), and my hour with the dogs is about 2-3miles a day (measured with gps watch). Doing both that can be about 6miles of walking/throwing 5 times a week. I've toned down my running and decided that softball/basketball/soccer isn't worth the potential injuries and now have disc golf instead.

I'm thinking of getting really back into running (I used to run half marathons every 3-4 months and ran 3-5miles a day 5x/week) because I miss that runners high... when I lived in NYC for 5+ years running was a way of life because you could exercise and enjoy the city/parks and there was a running race nearby every weekend, but now I love DG and live near two awesome DG courses so if I have some free time I'd rather play DG!

I've seen people basically running through the DG course and it looks kind of fun (they can get the whole course done in 30min) but counter intuitive to actual scoring low and working on your form. Also it would eventually probably make me impatient when I actually play tournaments/casual rounds with friends.

I hate the gym/working out with weights/ect... I'd rather be playing catch with my dogs/playing DG/riding a bike/running outside enjoying nature/hiking ect instead of being kooked up inside with weights/pilates machine/ect.

 

[Jabumbo]

Yeah, I absolutely hate going to the gym and rarely have done any sort of weight routine. My best hope is to get myself into a short routine I can do at home with the stereo blasting some vinyl at me that includes some stretching and basic stuff like squats, planks, etc.

I like to run and do yoga. I'm happy to get a yoga class in once a week but its been a struggle since surgery to get into a steady running routine. I had been going 2-3 times a week but my legs still won't allow me to go more than a mile at a time and making the trip to a flat track/trail to run for 20 minutes just doesn't happen when other activities present themselves...

 

[ranger]

I used to run a ton and play competitive softball, and pick up basketball/soccer a lot. Now that I'm in my mid thirties my facebook feed is mostly baby pictures and posts about horrific injuries suffered by friends who still do contact sports and what not.

I just try to be active in a way which blends in with my life. So if I'm lucky 4-5 rounds of DG a week (I'm 2min away from a 9 hole pitch an putt and 10min away from two nice courses) + everyday at least an hour with my dogs at the dog park (which is a 30 acres has trails/water/open areas and is two fold because they catch frisbees so I get in field work even if its with 80gram dog discs).

So I'm fortunate to have some nice DG courses a quick drive away which means being able to squeeze in a round quickly if I have two hours of free time. A normal round of disc golf is 2.5miles -3miles of walking with a 10lbs bag (measured with gps watch), and my hour with the dogs is about 2-3miles a day (measured with gps watch). Doing both that can be about 6miles of walking/throwing 5 times a week. I've toned down my running and decided that softball/basketball/soccer isn't worth the potential injuries and now have disc golf instead.

I'm thinking of getting really back into running (I used to run half marathons every 3-4 months and ran 3-5miles a day 5x/week) because I miss that runners high... when I lived in NYC for 5+ years running was a way of life because you could exercise and enjoy the city/parks and there was a running race nearby every weekend, but now I love DG and live near two awesome DG courses so if I have some free time I'd rather play DG!

I've seen people basically running through the DG course and it looks kind of fun (they can get the whole course done in 30min) but counter intuitive to actual scoring low and working on your form. Also it would eventually probably make me impatient when I actually play tournaments/casual rounds with friends.

I hate the gym/working out with weights/ect... I'd rather be playing catch with my dogs/playing DG/riding a bike/running outside enjoying nature/hiking ect instead of being kooked up inside with weights/pilates machine/ect.

It doesn't help with form, especially when energy starts running low, but I've had some great scores running.

It improves my mental game. I don't have time to over think. Plus, who care about scores all the time unless you're a pro.

 

[davistd0]

I have been playing disc golf for 6 years. Started CrossFit almost 2 years ago at 3 days per week and have been at 5 days a week every week since March 2014. It definitely impacts disc golf. New England has a lot of courses with moderate to intense elevation. Mid way through the 2nd round of tournaments at such courses, I see/hear people complain about how tired they are. Their mental focus and physical consistency gets progressively worse, while I am able to easily maintain the same focus and abilities throughout the day. Also, my core strength and mid-line stability has improved dramatically. I can throw about 50ft farther than before I started CrossFit, and that's gain without ever doing distance field work. Even better is how much easier/smoother throwing those critical 300ft placement shots has become. As a result, I am throwing putters/mids on the same shots I used to throw fairways/drivers.

CrossFit targets the following 10 fitness domains. I believe they are all important in disc golf at a high level:
Endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy.

 

[DG_Before_Breakfast]

DG about 3 times a week, and yoga class around the same amount keeps me from getting unfit. But if I really wanted to exercise, I agree I need to add more intense Cardio and weights. I starting doing 100 pushups a day, and that helps quite a bit. Not sure it helps DG, but it builds muscles in arms, shoulders and core.

I think DG is awesome for staying fit though. I'm 46, and I can see doing it until I just can't anymore. It gets me outside, I hike a couple miles or more, and throwing Discs gives a little extra calorie usage. If I could combine with a bit more cardio and pushups I'd be golden, and I have done that in the past, but most days I'd prefer to just play, and chat with my DG buddies.

 

[wolfmandragon]

I have been playing disc golf for 6 years. Started CrossFit almost 2 years ago at 3 days per week and have been at 5 days a week every week since March 2014. It definitely impacts disc golf. New England has a lot of courses with moderate to intense elevation. Mid way through the 2nd round of tournaments at such courses, I see/hear people complain about how tired they are. Their mental focus and physical consistency gets progressively worse, while I am able to easily maintain the same focus and abilities throughout the day. Also, my core strength and mid-line stability has improved dramatically. I can throw about 50ft farther than before I started CrossFit, and that's gain without ever doing distance field work. Even better is how much easier/smoother throwing those critical 300ft placement shots has become. As a result, I am throwing putters/mids on the same shots I used to throw fairways/drivers.

CrossFit targets the following 10 fitness domains. I believe they are all important in disc golf at a high level:
Endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy.

I got into using kettlebells years ago in martial arts. I am curious on how kettlebells are used in crossfit, the concept sounds similar to what our goals were.
Do you use kettlebells and if so, what is the workout?

 

[DG_Before_Breakfast]

The TRX-like, resistance band, training I've heard cited quite a few times as directly strengthening muscles in a way relevant to DG. You can basically set this up like you are driving, and make the place where your elbow is past your waist where the bands are reaching high resistance, so your forced to put a lot of power into it right where you want to accelerate your disc through the "Hit" of the drive, making your release point the highest velocity part of your swing. At least that is the theory - wish I had time to and energy to really prove it

 

[THUGNIFICENT763]

Here's my workout! Raaaaaaaargh!
prepare to be amazed

 

[RobA]

The TRX-like, resistance band, training I've heard cited quite a few times as directly strengthening muscles in a way relevant to DG. You can basically set this up like you are driving, and make the place where your elbow is past your waist where the bands are reaching high resistance, so your forced to put a lot of power into it right where you want to accelerate your disc through the "Hit" of the drive, making your release point the highest velocity part of your swing. At least that is the theory - wish I had time to and energy to really prove it

I use TRX, with some bands mixed in once in a while. They are very different. Bands isolate one muscle or muscle group, where TRX uses multiple muscle groups and the core is used in almost every exercise.

You are right though, bands can be set up to simulate a drive motion. I imagine the affect would almost be like a baseball player using a heavier bat in the batters box.

 

[THUGNIFICENT763]

Throw a 45 lb plate the same way you would a disc. BOOM!
If you do not own weights, a manhole cover would probably suffice.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

^weak as hell.

 

[THUGNIFICENT763]

^weak as hell.

If you can throw a manhole cover, a max weight disc is small potatoes.

 

[RobA]

If you can throw a manhole cover, a max weight disc is small potatoes.

Whose manhole are you trying to throw?

 

[THUGNIFICENT763]

Nobody's, I have plate weights...

 

[seehad]

This is a topic quite heavy on my mind as I recover from an injury 3 days after my first tournament of the year in April. I was too quick trying to get back and re-aggravated the injury after a tournament a month later. I have a pretty amazing physical therapist who has educated and inspired me to take a very active role in not only healing, but preventing future injury as I continue to actively age. Through this journey, I have learned a lot about the muscles in my body and what they do. Weight training isn't even close to the radar. The amount of core strength, mobility and balance I have gained over the last 10 weeks with pretty much just my body as resistance has been quite noticeable. The side effect to added balance, mobility and core strength has transferred quite well to golf.

Here's one exercise you can do without taking any time away from your day. Get some balance pods and just stand on them while you work, watch a show or read a book. Start for 10 minutes and work your way up to an hour if you can. Builds everything from your feet to your core.

 

[AndyJB]

^especially if you aren't used to that sort of thing. If you haven't actively been using those muscle groups, you'd be shocked how sore you can get just from a few minutes of standing.

 

[Stevo]

I started Krav Maga a few years ago and it has directly impacted my disc golf game. Stamina, flexibility, overall strength, and explosive power being the most noticeable effects.

 

[AndyJB]

I started Krav Maga a few years ago and it has directly impacted my disc golf game. Stamina, flexibility, overall strength, and explosive power being the most noticeable effects.

This is a dude you do not want to **** with. I don't know how much the rest of you all know about Krav Maga, but that is a legit martial art. I've never directly trained in Krav Maga, but a gym I used to work out at was right next to a KM....dojo(?) and those guys were always howling in pain and covered in sweat when they left. I can see any martial art, especially when taken seriously, helping out one's Disc Golf game.

I'm still impressed by the guy who swims two miles several times a week. That's awesome. I swim barely half that 4 days a week...sometimes less.

There's tons of good options out there. Weight lifting, specifically powerlifting and bodybuilding (my forte') are probably the worst things to do. Otherwise anything that incorporates core strength training, cardio, flexibility and agility will be the cat's pajamas. Weights can be part of that, and should be, but shouldn't be the cornerstone of a disc golf-related fitness regimen.

I also apologize for being a douche earlier. I take fitness very seriously, and have since long before I joined the military. My dad was also a fitness fanatic, and imparted that upon my brother and sister. I am often the outcast in disc golf because I not only look, but often act, like the douchey ******* jock type. I do love disc golf, but not enough to train specifically for that. I instead train to look good, feel good, perform better in my job and to prevent injury. I may take it to the extreme, but my job is almost entirely physical based.

Again, apologies to all I pissed off and I know how discouraging it can be when some ass hole like myself talks down to you with a holier than thou attitude just because they live a different life. I promise to continue to try to keep this in check. Fitness is a lot more than just picking up heavy things and setting them back down, or running a long distance...it's about physical and mental well-being. People like myself having the attitude I took earlier in this thread is at the best not helpful, and the worst harmful.

I'll continue to monitor this thread because there is some good information here. I will refrain from posting though. I once again apologize for being a total ******* in this matter.