Cross training is a ball with a racket!
Friday, January 7, 2011 at 11:12PM I played racketball today for the first time in quite a few years. In my younger years I played quite a bit,and really enjoyed getting back to a great game. My host was Robert Robbins, golf teaching professional at the Sports Center at the Corolla Light Resort in Corolla, NC. Robert had never played before, so it was exciting for me to introduce him to a game I have always enjoyed. I think we played about ten games, Robert wanted to play until he beat me (that guy has a lot of heart!). He will have to wait until next time. I am sure my days are numbered because he is a good athlete and did very well for the first time! After playing today I could not help but think about what great cross training this sport is for my #1 sport and life long passion...golf. Let me count the ways it is great cross training for golf
#1 the cardio is great because of the start stop action, it reminded me of the interval training that the Titleist Performance Institute suggests for golf.
#2 it is a rotary sport that requires lower body and upper body rotation.
#3 requires (in most cases) lower body stability, separation (upper and lower), and firing against a stable lead leg (again most of the time).
#4 when we cannot use our lower body for stability in racketball because of the speed of the game, it requires great balance and proprioception to execute the shot (single leg balance test anyone?).
#5 it requires great concentration on the ball, seems harder than golf because it is moving and you are often moving, often at high speed.
#6 hitting shots in all different directions, trajectories, speeds and distances is wonderful eyehand coordination that correlates to golfs face control, touch, speed control, trajectory control and much more that relates to controlling the golf ball. In racketball it is happening so fast that it is much more instinctive. That has got to be a good thing!
#7 strategy that requires quick, instantaneuos decision making regarding angles, speeds, tracjectories ........ect
All that good stuff for golf and guess what? It was just plain FUN!
So if you are not playing golf or practicing golf or training for golf get out and do something that requires movement!
Reader Comments (2)
Lol, thanks for not telling everybody you beat me left handed. I need points next time.
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