I didn't know if anybody had a good weight program geared towards disc golf that they'd like to share? I've been tinkering with trying to put one together but didn't know if somebody already had one that works for them. I used to pole vault in high school and figured a lot of the same exercises would work. A lot of core work (back and abs), with a decent amount of shoulder, lats, and some triceps. Obviously I'm thinking lighter weight with more reps, something to strengthen and tone without adding a ton of mass. Any thoughts?

i sent you a PM.

Something from a PM I sent someone last fall...


MONDAY
Bench Press starting at 50% of max, 5 sets to failure, add 5lb per set
Incline Dumbell Press 3 sets of 12
Butterfly 3 sets to failure
Arnolds 3 sets of 15
Lat Raises 3 sets of 15
Shoulder Shrugs 3 sets of 15

WEDNESDAY
Squats starting at 50% of max, 5 sets to failure*
CIRCUIT - Hamstring Curl to 15, Quad Extension to 15, Calf raise to failure repeat circuit 3 times
Leg Press, 3 sets to failure
*On squats definitely use a machine unless you have 2 spotters when working to failure, I learned this the hard way.

FRIDAY
Pull Ups 3 sets to failure
Barbell curls 5 sets of 5 (heavy)
Lat Pulldowns 3 sets to failure
Hammer Curls 2 sets to failure
One arm dumbbell row 3 sets of 12
Dips 3 sets to failure
Triceps Pushdown 3 sets to failure

END EVERY WORKOUT WITH INTENSIVE ABS: Pick a part of the abs and work on it. Upper abs one day, lower the next, and cycle through. The Abs are important for the increase in distance.

I also ended every workout with a brisk run for some cardio, but you could bike, do elliptical, whatever... its just to balance it all out and get some cardiovascular fitness in there with the rest.



It helps.

make sure you stretch! increase of muscle can lead to decrease of flexibility and range of motion which is not conducive to distance. I'm not sure when the best time to stretch relative to your workout would be, but I imagine if you finish your workout, do the cardio phase and stretch while your still warm may help.

One idea I've always thought about is a rotational, medicine ball workouts for disc golfers. It'd have to be good as a part of a core workout...

make sure you stretch! increase of muscle can lead to decrease of flexibility and range of motion which is not conducive to distance. I'm not sure when the best time to stretch relative to your workout would be, but I imagine if you finish your workout, do the cardio phase and stretch while your still warm may help.


Definitely agree. The workout I posted above is usually done with a partner to spot and help push during cardio. At the end we finish with stretching that usually includes some partner stuff... for example: sitting and touching your toes with someone applying pressure to your upper back. Hamstring stretches while on your back with the partner applying pressure to the foot... Lots of different ways to increase flexibility.

I typically don't lift a lot of leg weights, I guess I figure the bit of running I do is enough of a workout. Unfortunately I don't get out but maybe twice a week to throw, and at a tournament or something where I may play 4 rounds in two days, I know I'm getting tired towards the end. I agree with what was said earlier, too much lifting will decrease flexibility, it's just a matter of finding that happy medium where you're getting the best of both worlds.

Don't forget your Jobes' rotator cuff exercises. They are essential for a strong and healthy shoulder.

I was a pole vaulter and javelin thrower in college (17'6 and 200ft).. I also have a degree in exercise science. The things you and other people listed such as core and shoulder lifts are good. I really liked discgolferjw's idea of doing rotational med ball workouts. Building up mass won't necessarily decrease range of motion or flexibility, but if you do bulid a significant amount of mass without doing stretching exercises it most likely would happen.
I would like to leave a few tips... If you are looking to increase distance then you must involve activites with a high rate of force (fast contraction).. Building up muscle is pointless if your muscles can't fire quickly. Most of this is due to increase firing of the nervous system. That is why skinny guys can throw far too. So going out and unloading some discs as far as you can would be more beneficial then bench pressing. So i would say weightlifting can increase your absolute potential, but the key is developing the rate of force to throw far. In that case olympic lifts may be beneficial. Playing disc golf is a cardio workout. And as far as stretching, all of the newest research suggests dynamic stretching before and static stretching after. And you guys are right, if you can't reach full range of motion then you will lose power.

I wish weight lifting was more important in disc golf, but it really isn't. Disc golf is such a skill dependant sport that strength and power are completely outweighed by the skill aspect of it.

I also have a degree in exercise science. Playing disc golf is a cardio workout.



I don't think my heart rate has ever reached 70% or more of my max HR;not even putting in front of a huge gallery. Disc golf is not even close to being an aerobic sport.

On a side note. Last November I started a weight loss / strengthening program and have lost 42 pounds and should also be stronger as I increased my sit-ups per session from 20 to 100 and my push ups from 4 to 20. I do more than just these two exercises but these are the two I notice improvement since I always try to increase these reps.

Without my beer belly and 42 pounds less my body is lighter and faster and I have a lot more flexibility (feels like I am a feather when I walk and run-and yes I actually sprint race with my grandkid at times now too - crazy)

I am 44 years old and have officially been measured at throwing 428 feet. I would say I average around 400 feet and have personally measured my longest at over 455. I live in Colorado which I feel does add distance. My best guess is that I lose 30 feet at sea level.

During the weight loss and strengthening I noticed I was not throwing as well but it�s kind of hard to tell sometimes when you are playing with heavy sweatshirts on and in cold weather.

I feel the weight loss has screwed up my timing. I go left / right and rarely seem to be on target. I have tried slowing down and extending my reach back with little success other than when I time it perfectly I seem to get 50+ feet . I used to have audible snap when I throw and that is 99% gone.

Is there a fitness expert that can suggest what I should be focusing on? Should I slow down my xstep more? Should I try to increase my reach back. Should I increase the size of my x steps? Should I focus on slowing down my faster arm to get the snap back??

I also have a degree in exercise science. Playing disc golf is a cardio workout.



I don't think my heart rate has ever reached 70% or more of my max HR;not even putting in front of a huge gallery. Disc golf is not even close to being an aerobic sport.



I feel like you are trying to insenuate that I don't know what I am talking about. Simple walking is considered cardio. So would you classify it as an anerobic sport?

On a side note. Last November I started a weight loss / strengthening program and have lost 42 pounds and should also be stronger as I increased my sit-ups per session from 20 to 100 and my push ups from 4 to 20. I do more than just these two exercises but these are the two I notice improvement since I always try to increase these reps.

Without my beer belly and 42 pounds less my body is lighter and faster and I have a lot more flexibility (feels like I am a feather when I walk and run-and yes I actually sprint race with my grandkid at times now too - crazy)

I am 44 years old and have officially been measured at throwing 428 feet. I would say I average around 400 feet and have personally measured my longest at over 455. I live in Colorado which I feel does add distance. My best guess is that I lose 30 feet at sea level.

During the weight loss and strengthening I noticed I was not throwing as well but it�s kind of hard to tell sometimes when you are playing with heavy sweatshirts on and in cold weather.

I feel the weight loss has screwed up my timing. I go left / right and rarely seem to be on target. I have tried slowing down and extending my reach back with little success other than when I time it perfectly I seem to get 50+ feet . I used to have audible snap when I throw and that is 99% gone.

Is there a fitness expert that can suggest what I should be focusing on? Should I slow down my xstep more? Should I try to increase my reach back. Should I increase the size of my x steps? Should I focus on slowing down my faster arm to get the snap back??



You're not looking for advice from a fitness expert, more like a technician expert. My 2 cents is that you may have to be patient and get used to playing at your new weight. Maybe you are lighter, quicker, etc... which may throw off your timing like you said. Maybe post a video and see what other people have to say.

Be patient and focus on relaxing when you throw, don't think about the inaccuracy and the way things feel different and let it flow naturally. It will take time for the muscle memory to adjust. Your body is used to having to throw around 42 pounds of extra body. The pull through needs time to adjust, but in the end you'll be smoother with a bigger pop as a result. Give it time and relax.

Additionally: working out in itself does wear down your body, and might cause some timing issues. Have you tried specifically playing after a week or so away from your fitness program to see if there's a timing difference?

I also have a degree in exercise science. Playing disc golf is a cardio workout.



I don't think my heart rate has ever reached 70% or more of my max HR;not even putting in front of a huge gallery. Disc golf is not even close to being an aerobic sport.



I feel like you are trying to insenuate that I don't know what I am talking about. Simple walking is considered cardio. So would you classify it as an anerobic sport?



Walking 300 feet every 5 minutes is not a cardio workout. Disc golf is usually not an aerobic sport unless the terrain is challenging and there are long walks between holes that get your heart rate elevated. That's all I'm saying.

You have a right to your opinion, but what I think you are referring to is intensity. You may be in good shape and fell like you don't get much of a workout... But it is still a type of aerobic sport. Factors such as playing speed, course length, number of rounds, and what you said terrain will have an affect on your heart rate. But you usually walk several miles, and the stopping and going would make it an intermitten aerobic workout.

An aerobic work-out would be elevating your hr to approx. 65% or more of your vo2 max for 20 continuous minutes or more. An intermitten work-out would be what happens to you between gloves with no fingers. :p

panther550 - Virtually every definition of aerobic exercise from every source lists aerobic exercise as something which is a continuous workout for 20 minutes or more. The stop-go nature of disc golf really proves it is NOT an aerobic workout.

And don't brag about a degree. I know people with degrees in various fields that have no [censored] clue what they're talking about. Prove you know what you're talking about by backing up what you say with references and experiences, not by saying "but I have a degree in [x]!" - that means [censored]-all.

simply walking at any length is far more aerobic than sitting down and therfore it is aerobic. does it raise the heartbeat to 65% of max ? i believe there is a raise in my heartbeat each time i see a good or bad shot and definately know there is a an extra amount of energy expended to play a round of golf rather than sitting down .
have you ever thrown an ace? i have 22 of them and every one increased my heart rate to near anarobic status.
golf is excercise , that may not say its aerobic, but its definately not sedintary.

When I disc golf I usually i never sit, so i stand and walk for several hours. SO to me my exercise is lasting much longer than 20minutes..
.
"Aerobic exercise refers to exercise that involves or improves oxygen consumption by the body.[1] Aerobic means "with oxygen", and refers to the use of oxygen in the body's metabolic or energy-generating process." "Usually lasting longer than 20minutes"

So from this definition I will staty with my statement that disc golf is aerobic. Calories burned is based on how much the oxygen is consumed. I know I burn alot of calories playing discgolf. Whether it is aerobic or not I guess is a pointless arguement. I agree that you won't increase your VO2 max much, or make any significant gains.But it is a very good exercise and can help keep you in good health.

cwojputt, there is no reason to attack me. I was just listing my credentials... And yes I know there are alot of people with degree's that don't know their own craft. Throwing a disc is a very explosive or anerobic (sometimes) but standing and walking for hours I think would be aerobic... I can ask a credible source, but I don't think it is that important of an issue? How was i BRAGGING, DID YOU READ MY POST AT ALL? I listed alot of good information, and you attack me because you guys have different point of views on the cardio aspect?

I'm not attacking you at all. If you read my post you will notice I said to NOT use that as a basis and that that means absolutely NOTHING to me. That is what I meant. It wasn't a personal attack at all, it was a statement that it means nothing and citing sources tends to mean more.

However I am questioning you when you state that simply standing up contributes to aerobic exercise. Say what? Simply standing in place is not going to raise your heart rate, it does not make disc an aerobic workout. Simply standing, as opposed to sitting, is not enough to increase use of oxygen. If that were the case I'd be standing up at my desk right now, gotta get in shape you know.

Aerobic exercise is SUSTAINED increase of use of oxygen, etc. The key word here is SUSTAINED. It means maintaining that oxygen consumption. Throwing a disc once every few minutes or walking for 300 feet at a time and then stopping... that is NOT sustained. Simply because you continue to stand between shots does not mean you are sustaining your workout.

toledo, did you have a counter arguement for my post?

I believe my entire point on SUSTAINING the increased heart rate argued your post. An ace doesn't give you a raised heart rate for a sustained period of time, though I also disagree that all aces raise heart rates. I had one this Saturday in a tournament and it wasn't exciting at all. (then again I had people from the card on the green behind us telling me it was the quietest ace reaction ever, but I'd just lost a putter in a lake and the ace didn't make me any less annoyed lol sorry, personal tangent over)

I agree with you fully that at points your heart rate is raised, and that it IS exercise. But it isn't an aerobic workout. You aren't sustaining that raised heart rate.

I will conced in this arguement that disc golf is not entirely aerobic. You never walk continously for 20minutes or more. But for some courses you do have to be in decent shape to complete. Many discgolfers get run down after a tournament, and it is not due to the throwing of the disc, it is the standing and walking that makes you tired... So what type of exercise would you categorize it as?

I dont think it is so much the walking and standing that gets people worn down from a weekend (or longer) event.

It is mostly mental fatigue transfered to the body.

I will conced in this arguement that disc golf is not entirely aerobic. You never walk continously for 20minutes or more. But for some courses you do have to be in decent shape to complete. Many discgolfers get run down after a tournament, and it is not due to the throwing of the disc, it is the standing and walking that makes you tired... So what type of exercise would you categorize it as?


Honestly? It is hard to place in a particular category. I'd hit up some golf forums or websites as I'm sure some ball golfers have categorized their sport somewhere. Personally I think that the fact that people wind up run down does come from the fact that you are going to experience muscle fatigue from the time spent walking the course. Elevation plays a major part as well. We have a local deuce or die course where I usually shoot 47 or better (19 holes) and I'm more tired from rounds there than our other course where I try to shoot 50 or better (18 holes). You aren't necessarily doing aerobic work, but your muscles are going to be fatigued from use. Add in the factor of mental fatigue that was mentioned as well and I agree with... and you get some worn down golfers at the end of rough events.

I guess I'm not too concerned with what kind of activity I'd consider it, but I agree that all of the factors mentioned above add up to be pretty tiring over the course of a tournament. That's really what I was looking for, conditioning here and there to not tire out as much and stay a bit sharper when it counts. I'm not necessarily looking to get ripped and think it's gonna add 50 feet to my drives, just be in a little bit better shape than the guy 2 strokes ahead of me when everybody is getting worn out. I definitely think the mental aspect is a lot more draining than what people initially give it credit for though.

I agree 100% that the mental aspect is quite powerful. I have taken a definite note that I tend to not sweat much at all when I golf, even through the hottest days of summer I'm relatively dry. However when I take a poor shot or three, get in a bad situation, really muck something up... I begin to sweat, my heart pounds faster. The mental aspect can really change how your body reacts to the game.

Disc golf is essentially "cross training". You walk a little, lift a little, squat a little, and then move on.
Since I have been using my Jeep jogger stroller, I have saved tons of energy during rounds. I don't have to lug my bag around any more. Taking your bag off of your shoulders and setting it down, then picking it up and slinging it back around your shoulders 100 times per round gets tiring. A lot of times I won't even mark my lie with a mini because that's just another squat. Physical fatigue leads to mental fatigue and visa-versa if you aren't playing all too well.

Ok, I'm willing to volunteer for the program. How much weight do I have to gain? Do I get coupons for ice cream shops?

What you have to do, Mark, is eat ice cream for 20 minutes a day, then come to this site and record your experience. Right now I'm fantasizing about a 3-some with Ben and Jerry.

try doing shoulder excersices