Over the past few months, my columns have focused on the mental aspects of the game and the importance of choosing the right clubs for your game. This month I'm offering some exercise tips to help you become either a more physically fit golfer or at least one who enjoys a pain-free game. I have to admit that I am not a good role model for being physically fit. My exercise routine consists of lifting weights (i.e. brown bottles weighing 12 ounces from the refrigerator to my mouth) and stretching (i.e., getting up from my chair to go to the bathroom). To help us all with our golf exercises, I consulted Thomas S. Asuma, a certified athletic trainer and a certified golf fitness instructor at Athletico's Golf Performance Center in Oak Brook.

First, I want to tell you that the Athletico Golf Performance Center is a unique center providing a variety of technologies designed to determine your current state of physical fitness and develop ways to improve it, but also how to improve your golf game. To find out more about the center, please visit the Web site: www.athletico.com.

In talking to Thomas Asuma, I asked him to put together some exercise tips for seniors designed to make us more physically fit. What follows is what Asuma shared with me.

Preparing for the golf season of 2009

As winter turns to spring and spring into summer, we're all waiting to hit the links. As we await the dawn of spring and the arrival of another golf season, we've all glanced at our golf clubs wondering when we can awaken them from their long winter slumber.

For those of you who have been hitting some balls at your local dome, taking swings in the basement, or have just returned from a warm-weather golf trip, I'm sure that the desire to hit balls outdoors is there.

As with any type of physical activity, however, proper preparation and "easing into things" is recommended to prevent injuries, excessive soreness, and get the season off to a great start. Here a few tips to prepare you for your best golf season ever!

Cardiovascular

Whether or not you actually walk the golf course, (I'm hoping most, if not all of you, are still able and willing to do this), getting your heart and lungs ready for the demands of playing golf is important.

The average length of a typical golf course is between three and four miles (approximately 6000-7000 yards). Moreover, we never walk in a straight line because we never hit straight shots, so it's more like 7,500 to 8,000 yards on a typical round.

If you intend to walk this distance by carrying or pulling your bag (as well as stopping along the way to take some swings), you certainly need to be able to walk at least this far normally with relative ease. This is not to say that you need to step outside and attempt to go for a three- to four-mile walk and do this over and over.

Have a plan for walking the course. Look at the calendar and set an approximate date that you want to walk your first round. One week prior to that date should be the first time you hit the four mile mark. Subtract 10 percent of that distance (recommended weekly increase in mileage for running or walking programs) for each week prior to your goal date and that will determine the distance you should be walking three to four times each week. What happens if you don't have that much time to devote to your cardio preparation or want quicker results? Interval training is a great way to build endurance and also burn calories at a faster rate than normal, steady-rate cardio programs do.

Interval training is simply described as short bouts of higher intensity exercise, followed by longer duration of low- to moderate-intensity exercise. An example of an interval walking program would be to walk one block as quickly as you can, followed by walking two to four blocks at a more comfortable pace. By repeating this exercise pattern for 20 to 30 minutes or for a desired distance, you'll be gaining faster results. In the event that walking longer distances just isn't a possibility but you are still able to enjoy the game of golf, you can use an elliptical trainer or bike to build up your cardiovascular endurance.

Read Part 2 in the next issue of Senior Connection.