High-intensity training can unlock potent speed in your golf swing – and the desert dunes of Big Red make the perfect playground

By Claudine Foong-Riggs
Speed is the essential raw material required in any powerful golf swing. When you can control it through balance, stability and good mechanics, that’s when you unlock explosive power. But without speed, a golfer will always have limitations. So how do we increase our dynamic power? We do it through high-intensity training, and a trip to the desert dunes on the Dubai-Hatta road provides the perfect environment in which to train. The soft sand and dramatic contours of the dunes make the following exercises especially challenging, but your focus should be on quality, not quantity. High-Intensity Interval Training and dynamic control for a golfer is beneficial for improving conditioning, strength, power and anabolic response to build muscle and reduce fat.  Each of the following exercises should be performed for no more than 20-30 seconds with a rest period of 30-60 seconds. Remember to always do a full warm-up before getting started.

Spiderman Crawl (main image)
This is a great exercise to do in the desert. Begin in a strong push-up position and bring your right knee to right elbow, left hand out in front and keep your body low to the ground. Alternate your hands and legs to continue to crawl forwards.
3 sets of 8

Speed Parachute Training
Once you have mastered the sprint technique, the parachute can be an excellent tool, which provides resistance in the drive phase of sprinting. You can do this exercise without a parachute.
Perform 3-5 sets of 30m sprints

Hill Sprints
Hill Sprints require an athlete to use a lot more leg power to drive hard into the ground. Sprint UP the hill and run back down, focusing on looking forward. Experiment with different hill lengths – short, medium and long.
Perform 3-5 sets

Bound with Med-Ball Pass 
Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart. Hold a light medicine ball (or basketball) at your chest. Hip hinge and push off the ground as hard as you can, jumping forwards. Push away with your arms and release the ball. Land softly and sprint to the ball and repeat.
3 sets of 5

‘180’ Jumps 
Your lower body is the driving force for this movement. The sequence is: lower body, core, then arms. Load and drive off the ground to rotate and face the opposite direction. Land softly, stabilising your body and immediately load and jump back in the other direction.
3 sets of 10

Claudine Foong is the Brand Ambassador of PXG Middle East. Instagram: @claudinefoong

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The post Golf Fitness Special: Speed drills in the desert appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Chances are you’ve had a few close calls to the first tee since (and will again) so here’s the second in our series of 11th-hour warm-up exercises from the PXG Middle East ambassador:

Here’s a reminder of Claudine’s last tip to ensure you warm-up adequately when time is tight:

Foong began Golf Digest Middle East’s new Golf Fitness series with the “Farmer Carry”. Again shot on location at Trump Dubai, the exercise activates the all-important core muscles, promotes shoulder and pelvic stability and increases grip strength and can be seen here:

Later the Canadian introduced the ‘Goblet Squat” to the mix to assist lower body strength and marry core and pelvic stability:

Stay tuned for more fitness tips from the Ontario-native, who played collegiate golf at Gardner Webb University in North Carolina and spent three seasons playing professionally – including on The Futures (now Symetra) Tour and in Canada and Florida – before devoting her career to wellness and performance coaching. Your game, and body, will thank you for it.

The post VIDEO: PXG ambassador Claudine Foong is back with another quick warm-up tip appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

You’ve planned this round for weeks and worked tirelessly to clear your in-tray so you can make it to the club with ample wiggle room for a relaxed warm up. But that report due next week is suddenly needed now. You work a small miracle to submit it only to be then dragged into a “quick” meeting that gives new meaning to slow play. Don’t they know the traffic is always a nightmare on the days you attempt to secretly slip away for golf?

At best you’ll arrive with just enough time to throw down a couple of balls in a vain attempt to get the pace of the greens (no chance given your current heart-rate, let alone your frazzled mental state). Then you’ll engage in a handful of stiff practice swings that have the potential to be as painful as they look.

You’re rushed and, almost inevitably, so too is your tee shot and the half dozen or so swipes that result as you struggle down the first. And with that, another round is as good as done almost before it’s begun.

Modern life tends to get in the way of being one of those loose limbed range rats your enviously eye on the mad dash for the first tee. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t, or can’t, devote a few of the precious minutes left before your tee time to a decent warm-up.

Allow Dubai-based PXG Middle East ambassador Claudine Foong to show you some quick and easy stretches to ensure you split the first fairway, or at least avoid splitting something in the process.

A few quick putts is often the best we can manage. Until now. Images by Kristina Nabieva

Foong began Golf Digest Middle East’s new Golf Fitness series with the “Farmer Carry”. Again shot on location at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, the exercise activates the all-important core muscles, promotes shoulder and pelvic stability and increases grip strength and can be seen here:

Later the Canadian introduced the ‘Goblet Squat” to the mix to assist lower body strength and marry core and pelvic stability:

Stay tuned for more golf fitness videos from the Ontario-native, who played collegiate golf at Gardner Webb University in North Carolina and spent three seasons playing professionally – including on The Futures (now Symetra) Tour and in Canada and Florida – before devoting her career to wellness and performance coaching. Your game, and body, will thank you for it.

The post VIDEO: Late to the tee? Fortunately PXG ambassador Claudine Foong beat you there with a last minute warm-up routine appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

This month the PXG Middle East ambassador introduces the ‘Goblet Squat” to help improve lower body strength and marry core and pelvic stability.

The Dubai-based Canadian wellness and performance coach is no stranger to Golf Digest Middle East, having collaborated in previous fitness videos as well as interviewing nine-time major champion Gary Player for the magazine. At 81 years young, Player remains one of the fittest golfers on the planet.

RELATED CONTENT
Maximise your athletic potential with Gary Player

Foong began the new Golf Fitness series with the “Farmer Carry” last month. Again shot on location at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, the exercise activates the all-important core muscles, promotes shoulder and pelvic stability and increases grip strength and can be seen here:

Stay tuned for more golf fitness videos from the Ontario-native, who played collegiate golf at Gardner Webb University in North Carolina and spent three seasons playing professionally – including on The Futures (now Symetra) Tour and in Canada and Florida – before devoting her career to wellness and performance coaching.

Foong is married to Canadian PGA Professional and fellow PXG Ambassador Alex Riggs who recently produced this excellent short game tip for Golf Digest Middle East.

The post VIDEO: Golf Fitness with PXG Middle East ambassador <br> Claudine Foong appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Dubai-based Canadian wellness and performance coach is no stranger to Golf Digest Middle East, having collaborated in previous fitness videos as well as interviewing nine-time major champion Gary Player for the magazine.

At 81 years young, Player remains one of the fittest golfers on the planet.

RELATED CONTENT
Maximise your athletic potential with Gary Player

Now a PXG Middle East ambassador, Foong begins the new series with the “Farmer Carry”. Shot on location at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, the exercise activates the all-important core muscles, promotes shoulder and pelvic stability and increases grip strength.

Stay tuned for more golf fitness videos from the Ontario-native, who played collegiate golf at Gardner Webb University in North Carolina and spent three seasons playing professionally – including on The Futures (now Symetra) Tour and in Canada and Florida – before devoting her career to wellness and performance coaching.

Foong is married to Canadian PGA Professional and fellow PXG Ambassador Alex Riggs who recently produced this excellent short game tip for Golf Digest Middle East.

SEE ALSO
Stress Free Chipping with Alex Riggs

Photos by Kristina Nabieva

The post VIDEO – New Golf Fitness Series with PXG Middle East Ambassador Claudine Foong appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

High-intensity training can unlock potent speed in your golf swing – and the desert dunes of Big Red make the perfect playground

By Claudine Foong-Riggs
Speed is the essential raw material required in any powerful golf swing. When you can control it through balance, stability and good mechanics, that’s when you unlock explosive power. But without speed, a golfer will always have limitations. So how do we increase our dynamic power? We do it through high-intensity training, and a trip to the desert dunes on the Dubai-Hatta road provides the perfect environment in which to train. The soft sand and dramatic contours of the dunes make the following exercises especially challenging, but your focus should be on quality, not quantity. High-Intensity Interval Training and dynamic control for a golfer is beneficial for improving conditioning, strength, power and anabolic response to build muscle and reduce fat.  Each of the following exercises should be performed for no more than 20-30 seconds with a rest period of 30-60 seconds. Remember to always do a full warm-up before getting started.

Spiderman Crawl (main image above)
This is a great exercise to do in the desert. Begin in a strong push up position and bring your right knee to right elbow, left hand out in front and keep your body low to the ground. Alternate your hands and legs to continue to crawl forwards.
3 SETS OF 8

Speed Parachute Training
Once you have mastered the sprint technique, the parachute can be an excellent tool, which provides resistance in the drive phase of sprinting. You can do this exercise without a parachute.
PERFORM 3-5 SETS OF 30m SPRINTS

Hill Sprints
Hill Sprints require an athlete to use a lot more leg power to drive hard into the ground. Sprint UP the hill and run back down, focusing on looking forward. Experiment with different hill lengths – short, medium and long.
PERFORM 3-5 SETS

Bound with Med-Ball Pass 
Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart. Hold a light medicine ball (or basketball) at your chest. Hip hinge and push off the ground as hard as you can, jumping forwards. Push away with your arms and release the ball. Land softly and sprint to the ball and repeat.
3 SETS OF 5

‘180’ Jumps 
Your lower body is the driving force for this movement. The sequence is lower body, core, then arms. Load and drive off the ground to rotate and face the opposite direction. Land softly, stabilising your body and immediately load and jump back in the other direction.
3 SETS OF 10

Claudine Foong is a Brand Ambassador for PXG Middle East.

The post Golf Fitness Special: Speed drills in the desert appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Gary Player meets the Butch Harmon School of Golf’s Claudine Foong to discuss the keys to a healthy game

Your Core Is Your Power Source
By Gary Player

My advice to all golfers is very simple. Focus on your core! Picture yourself in golf set-up and now zoom in on the area that runs from your breastbone down to your knees – that is your power base. When I exercise, I spend a lot of time on this area. I do 1,300 crunches and sit-ups four times a week, and a series of plank exercises, starting on my back and then alternating each side, holding these planks for two minutes each time.

To play your best golf, you should focus on a strong core, strong hands and feet, and a loose, supple back. What you should not be doing, is building up your shoulders and biceps with too much muscle, as I believe Tiger Woods did. And when you stretch, don’t forget to pay close attention to your ‘weaker’ side. I’ve hit over 11 million golf balls in my life, swinging right to left. So when I stretch, I make sure I spend extra time going the other way.

Related: Breaking 70 at Eighty

3 Things You Can Learn From Gary Player
By Claudine Foong

Meeting Mr. Gary Player, the first thing you notice is his energy and vitality. You would never guess he is 80 years young. He is in phenomenal shape; and his passion and zest for life are incredibly inspiring. Here are the three key things that I took away from meeting golf’s original fitness pioneer.

1 Make Fitness a Priority
● Not only is fitness important for golf, but fitness for life is key. Player attributes his ability to shoot well below his age to his exercise routine. His routine includes weights, sprints and an extensive group of core exercises. He demonstrated a few of his routine exercises during the interview, one of which included me sitting on his feet while he leg pressed me.

2 Take Nutrition Seriously
● Gary Player is a strong advocate for healthy eating.  He believes in educating people to eat nutrient dense meals mainly consisting of a variety of vegetables. He does eat some meat, however he ensures it is free range and good quality.

3 Get Healthy in Mind and Body
● As part of his fitness, Mr. Player practices Tai Chi poses that help him focus his mind and instil discipline. He is a firm believer that a healthy mind promotes happiness.

Claudine Foong is the Director of Fitness at the Butch Harmon School of Golf. For more information, contact +971 (0)4 425 1040 or visit butchharmondubai.com

Photographs by Farooq Salik

The post Maximise your athletic potential appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

We detail how Alex Riggs and Claudine Foong at the Butch Harmon School of Golf have been helping to transform a BRIGHT talent

THE SWING: How Sana Is Taking Her Game To The Next Level

A home grown success story

By Alex Riggs

Sana Tufail is the most successful female junior golfer in UAE history. If you play regular tournament golf here, you will probably be familiar with the exploits of this home grown success story. Now 18 and embarking on a college golf scholarship at the Old Dominion University in the U.S., Sana has won all there is to win at an amateur level in the UAE, even playing in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters as a 15-year-old in 2011 and carding a debut round of one over par 73.

Sana is a dedicated athlete who has put everything into achieving her goals. Having worked with our director of instruction Justin Parsons as a junior, she has set new standards for what is possible as a female golfer in the UAE, but is right now facing her biggest challenge – to compete against the best college golfers in America.

 Claudine Foong, our director of fitness here at the BHSG, and I have been working with Sana these past three months to help prepare her for that big step up. When we first started, the priority quickly became adding power to her game. Although she’s always been consistent, Sana wasn’t hitting the ball far enough to compete with the top women golfers in her age bracket internationally.

From a golf swing perspective, we have therefore been working to make a powerful draw her stock shot. Most of the women on tour play this shape for that very reason – it can be a difference maker. Away from the course, Sana has been working hard with Claudine to transform her physical capabilities, and the results have been encouraging. We wish her well with her collegiate career, and anticipate plenty more success down the road. I’ve outlined some of the swing techniques we’ve been focusing on, and for anyone seeking to hit a draw these positions will help.

POWER UP: How Sana Is Taking Her Game To The Next Level

Catching up off the course

By Claudine Foong

When Sana first came into the gym at the Butch Harmon School of Golf she was very green – she’d never really done much strength and conditioning work in the past. So our first goal was to develop her athleticism and make sure she had good movement patterns. As a golfer, you need strength, power and mobility, and these three components have been something we’ve been focusing on over the last three months. I’m really impressed with how far she’s come in such a short period of time. Along with the work she’s done with Alex on her swing, she’s been able to gain a significant amount of distance and more consistency of ball striking. With Sana going into collegiate golf in the States, conditioning-wise she’ll now be equipped to handle the rigors of regular tournament play. Here I’ve outlined three of the exercises that Sana has been doing in her training program, and I would recommend you also give them a try to help develop strength and power in your golf game.

1.  The Tyre Push

We’ve used a tyre here, but this exercise is traditionally done with a sled. It’s a great one for developing strength in your glutes and the entire posterior chain, as well developing core stability. It also challenges the upper body and works the entire shoulder girdle. This exercise works either for sprints or strength. With Sana we focused on the latter, so she’s using a tyre that weighs around 30kg. Ultimately, you want to choose a weight that’s heavy enough to challenge your body over each set.

Perform 4 sets of 15-30 metres, with a full rest and recovery in between each set.

2) The Bulgarian Split Squat

This unilateral exercise challenges the entire lower body. It’s excellent for core strength and stability. Begin with the rear foot elevated 4-6 inches off the ground, progressing up to having it rest on a bench. Slowly lower your body until your back knee lightly touches the ground, holding your arms out directly in front of you. Drive through your front heel to return back to the start position, ensuring that your front knee stays behind the toes of your front foot.

Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps on each leg

3. Farmer Walks

This is a great addition to your workouts for developing power in your legs, glutes and hips. It strengthens the core and develops a stronger and more stable back and shoulders, increasing grip strength. Use a deadlift to bring the dumbbells to your thighs, and taking short, fast steps, maintain a tall spine, keeping your chest and eyes up. Vary the weights and distance. Light weights for longer distance (40m), right through to heavy weights for short distance (10-15m). At this end, you should aim to carry half your body weight acorss both hands.

Perform 4 sets, taking full rest and recovery in between each set

Sana Tufail: Owner of six UAE course records (including a 67 at home club Yas Links), Sana Tufail enjoyed a prolific junior career that culminated in an invitation to play the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in 2011. She shot a gross 64 in the 2014 Faldo Series Asia at Al Ain Shooting, Equestrian & Golf Club, en route to winning the event. She has won 29 Ladies EGF events and a record 17 Ladies Opens in a row

Photographs by Farooq Salik

The post Big Draw: How Sana Tufail is Transforming Her Game appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.