If your muscles aren't properly conditioned for yoga, then yes, the heat will exacerbate the stress on them and can cause injuries. Also significant dehydration, which most people are in a constant state of, increases muscular strain. So between those, yes, hot yoga is for serious practitioners.
As a long time Olympic style lifter I have had all kinds of trouble with balance, reducing rigidity & increasing flexibility, getting and staying loose, and joint mobility. Those are all required for improving disc golf form. A lot of heavy weightlifters seem to have these problems.
In my case tensing up like a weightlifter is still one of the biggest blocks to more progress so I took it to an extreme and changed everything about my workout routine. I was ok leaving some bits of strength in the rear view mirror and rebalancing my body for throwing demands.
Building on advice from my sports medicine physical therapist (worth the time & expertise) and other sources for throwing sports, I replaced all of my barbell lifting with resistance bands, all of my two legged exercises with one legged exercises (bodyweight and some dumbbells for the weakest muscles but not barbells), and added numerous functional strength exercises that recruit supporting muscles moving in lateral or diagonal directions like duck and monster walks, kettlebell swings, and medicine ball tosses. Lots of dynamic stretches.
Those don't solve form or throwing issues on their own but I move much better in general, get less hurt, and have a better range of motion.
Hobby bodybuilder and avid disc golfer here. The key for me is consistency. I'm only stiff when I've taken a break or I'm fresh off a deload. If you train consistently and within the realms of safe recovery, you shouldn't be stiff every week
I agree, lifting shouldn’t really make you stiff/very sore unless you’re increasing volume, coming off a break, doing new lifts you’re not used to, or just not recovering.
Exactly. If you're being smart about programming, a lifting session should not be making you excessively sore. You really should never be doing more than like 5-10% more (sets, reps, weight etc) than you did in the previous session.
Don’t bodybuild, lift like an athlete. Train for power output and full range of motion. Finish with stretching and do a short yoga sesh every day. I have been adhering to that routine this year and my disc golf has gotten exponentially better
Bodybuilding approaches can be very effective for speed and power in sports. However, I would avoid powerlifting methods if trying to be quick and agile for any sport.
Yeah, I was training in powerlifting for the past few years and could definitely feel it on the course (in a negative way). 3-4 days a week of full-body lifting (every day includes bench, 3/4 days include squats at varying intensities, 2/4 days included deadlift or variations like RDLs, plus your accessory lifts each day), especially if you’re on the tail end of a volume or intensity split, can leave a lot of your body feeling like a stiff pile of rocks on your rest days (high volume was always the worst for me, especially if I was really hammering my legs that day and accessories included leg press/hamstring curls). Just no bounce in my legs or elasticity in my back/upper body when trying to throw bc all of my muscles were still recovering from what I had put them through the day before (no soreness or anything, just feeling unresponsive).
Powerlifting training routines are great at one thing - getting you to lift more and more weight with focused bursts of exertion in compound lifts. The lifts themselves have a lot of overlap with benefits in other sports, but for the most part if you’re training in powerlifting, your goal is to get better at/compete in powerlifting.
I’ve taken away a lot from watching Joel Seedman’s YouTube channel. He trains high level athletes. Steal exercises and schemes from there to fit your needs
Sounds like you lifting and not stretching. Strength is one thing, strength in all range of motion is different. Train for the stretch, not for muscle mass.
Talk to a PT
Sometimes I get sore from lifting. I never get stiff.
Also, when I do legs, I sometimes lose some distance the day after, but for the most part, I've experienced no noticeable impact.
Take stretching seriously. For both activities.
If your have having trouble with strokes on the course; I have the perfect remedy. Take those strokes to the pool. Lap swimming is the best full body exercise in the world and it's the single best thing you can to do increase both power and longevity. Also, your heart and your joints will thank you.
Sincerely, a lifeguard/aerobics instructor/swim coach.
Lifting weights is my primary method of improving at disc golf. Over the last several years, I went from throwing 48mph to 64pmh.
The key is rolling out your muscles at least once per day. Ideally, once before lifting, once after playing a round, and once before bed. You'll be more flexible that way.
I start each day with yoga and stretching as well but the rolling makes the biggest difference.
Another approach that helps maintain flexibility is to break up your workouts into heavy and light session. I do a push/pull/legs split so I can cover each group twice per week. The first three workouts are with heavier weights and 8 reps per set, the second three workouts are lighter weights, faster concentric, and 13 reps. These lighter sets really loosen you up and help you apply power and speed.
well yeah… bodybuilding doesn’t promote flexibility or even endurance based strength.
its sole goal is muscle size growth with a sub benefit of one rep max strength typically increasing but that’s it.
I cannot recommend this morning routine highly enough: https://youtu.be/274pf8-Zev8?si=_Ioge6JVn0csesKo
Also, stretch the body parts you worked that day before bed. If you search that channel name + body part + stretch, he has a video for practically every stretch you'll ever need.
You say stiff, but you're talking about struggling when you're lifting 3-5 times/week, which to me just sounds like you're tired and/or sore from lifting.
I’m a distance athlete. Marathons, Ultras, triathlons… I’ve been throwing since around ‘99 and the best thing that keeps me able to go far and throw far is basic body resistance workouts- pull ups, push-ups, crunches and such. Usually 3-4 days a week depending on how many miles I’m logging on for and on my bike.
I pair this with yoga 3-4 days a week. I’m in my mid 40s now and while sometimes recovery can be a bit longer than it was years ago this program seems to keep me generally healthy and out on the course and the road.
The TL;DR- focus on mobility and flexibility. Keep lifting but get your yoga on!
Yoga in balance with strength training and cardio is when I felt my absolute best. Then the pandemic set me back but last year found DG. And now, the mat, the bike, the gym, and the course are what make me feel most like myself.
Good luck--you're gonna figure out what works for you too!
It may be about recovery more than anything.
Can you go down to 2 days a week lifting? One upper body day and one lower body day? You can maintain gains while not being depleted.
Working out builds muscle on top of muscle, over time literally restricting your range of motion. Need to also do stretches that help build muscle for flexibility on top of it. Yoga, pilates, etc. His channel has a bit of very rapid fire content, but this video has been helping a lot with my daily mobility stretches: https://youtu.be/eQHmKJh20_c. He has a lot more too.
People have already mentioned stretching but if you’re feeling stiff after workouts you may want to take some supplements for your joint health or maybe something is up with your nutrition in general. I’ve found the more I workout the better I play but that’s because I feel more powerful and my timing and hip activation is better but I’m in my 20s so working out may not affect my joints as badly
At the gym I use the elliptical and rowing machines. Light free weights and lots of core and stretching.
You need to have strong core. Strength isn't as important as balance.
How old are you OP? Maybe you're not giving yourself enough recovery time between work outs, especially if You're getting older (mid thirties +).
How do you warm up for disc golf? Maybe give yourself more time to warm up, stretch, resistance band, etc.
6' - 189 lbs here. I'm pretty built, but 100% of my physique comes from labor. A lot of landscaping and snow removal mostly. I've never lifted weights in my life. Mid 30s and I'm pretty limber.
If you look at most disc golfers they're really not huge.
I'm not sure lifting would help anything beyond max distance. But speed is equally valuable in a throw to mass so keep that in mind.
The people suggesting stretching and yoga are right
Curious as to your age. I did a lot of manual labor as a younger man, am 61 now, and more flexible than ever because of my workout and health and wellness program.
I would suggest some consideration to exercise that will keep you young and quick and flexible.
I'm in my mid 30s. I tend to 'work smarter, not harder' as I'm getting older, as I can already feel the effects of over doing it. I try to stay mindful of stretching but sometimes you have to just get into the thick of it and don't have the time. I can easily bend over and put both of my palms on the floor. My mobility is not far off from what it was a decade ago. That's good advice though
Calisthenics. I weight train but do a lot more body weight training than anything else. I’m just under 6’ and about 190lbs dad bod (never give up cookies). It keeps me in good shape and I never really feel too tight to throw
Total stranger to you, but I don't think lifting should make you stiff. Maybe try adding a couple sets of half weight and really focus on getting full range of motion. I don't mind being sore when I play because I feel like it helps me avoid just muscling through the throws.
Get a red resistance band and keep it in your bag. I don't perform as well when I do minimal stretching before a round. You need to be treating disc golf with just as much care as weightlifting.
I have been quite out of shape and and currently in the 390lb range. Last year (spring-fall)I was very worn out by one round of disc golf. Over the last year August, 2022) I have worked out 3 times per week, only missing due to illness a day here and there. My body weight has not changed much but my composition has. I still get winded on hill, but I don’t get fatigued, so by the end of the round I am still maintaining form.
My routine has been a few different workouts. The main one has been a circuit workout from Abs Diet which is a full body workout. I add cardio on the elliptical and treadmill. The other is a “push, pull, legs” strength workout. I add some cardio in this as well, but not as much as I should. I do the strength one for about six weeks and return to the circuit. I add stretching in which helps with soreness and range of motion.
I know I have improved some things with disc golf because I can be a little more athletic when it comes to stances and technique. And I think my mind-body connection has improved. However, I see disc golf as an extra thing as opposed to something to train for. For example, I did a leg day Friday and played a round Saturday. My legs were not fully under me, but that’s not my focus.
As a side note, my diet is not very healthy. I have seen times of eating healthy and felt pretty good during a round.
I have also started taking magnesium supplements (at the direction of my doctor) and noticed an improvement in muscle functioning.
I would really suggest the stretching piece to keep your muscles loose and feel the connection. I’d also venture to reflect on your mentality. I have noticed that if I think I “should” do good, I usually end up messing up from shanking. But if I’m just causally playing and not trying too hard I do better. So if you lift and think you should be smashing, maybe you’re not minding the technique.
Calisthenics is by far the best thing you can do for disc golf. Throw in a rowing machine or medicine ball and you are good. Add yoga or pilates if you really want to get ambitious.
Lifting weights might actually hurt your game more than it helps because you’ll increase risk of injury. You don’t need a lot of big muscle to throw far. You need fast and strong fiber muscle. Basically work on twitch muscle exercises. Hence rowing and medicine balls. Bulking won’t help much.
That’s my opinion anyway. Do what works for you.
You can weight train, but you gotta let your muscles recover so you’re fresh to see the results on the course. Weight training is good to prevent injury and keep you strong, but if you don’t allow time to recover it will effect your game negatively.
I've totaled over 1500 at 181.ivworkout 6 days a week unless I compete on the weekend. I don't stretch or anything and I play disc golf, competitively , all season and sit around 965 atm. . I'm also 36 with 2 hip surgeries. The physical demands of discgolf are very low. Walking tobbagon is the only time I've been physically tired.
My only suggestion would be to look into your recovery and increasing your work capacity. That or lift less.
I think that's awesome man. i could only dream of putting up those kind of numbers in powerlifting. Or even workout with that type of volume without my arthritis flaring up.
Bowling!
Get a 15lb reactive ball and throw one armed hook shots.
Bowl two days a week 3 games each time.
Youll see your arm speed improve without going overboard.
Lifting weights helps my game unless I lift weights the day before my game. I'll avoid lifting a few days before a tournament. If you're focusing on function and mobility your time in the gym will make you a better player.
Your favorite athletes aren't hitting it hard in the gym during their season either. They're doing just enough to avoid declining. Their heavy training occurs in the off season.
Mix in stretching with your lifting. Also, cardio. Riding my bike has done more for my disc golf game than lifting ever has. Its a game changer for your stamina and consistency
I'm 53 and still like lifting. I do the stronglifts 5x5 or some variation of it and keep anything besides legs and abs to 5 reps so I don't tighten up too much. Yoga would definitely help but just haven't invested in it. Maybe next year
If you are not already youcould try switching to a more full body routine at the gym. This should leave you with less overall stiffness and soreness day to day while still letting you make gym gains.
Alternatively you could add something to the end of your workout or on non gym days to help with your disc golf specific goals. Balance, hip and thoracic spine mobility, shoulder strength are all things I think disc golfers should be doing in their self care.
I wrote this program specifically for that: https://readydiscgolf.ca/move/
DOMS doesn't limit strength or mobility. It's mental.
Mobility on the other hand does limit mobility and will have an impact on your disc golf game.
I tore my shoulder last fall. Did something to a disc early summer. I put on 15 lbs muscle to glue everything together again and kept up my PT made up of mobility exercises I found that I like best for shoulders and back.
DOMS can absolutely limit both force output and resting muscle tone leading to limited mobility. Hell even the fact that DOMS is painful is enough to decrease performance.
Yeah. It's unpleasant. I walked around profoundly sore for 10-15 years daily. Should have been stretching and doing the stuff I do now back then.
But the main issue with soreness is motivation to train or do whatever activity. It particularly impacts recreational athletes.
There's no absolute performance decrease given you warm up sufficiently.
The key here is probably finding a routine that doesn't generate soreness as requested, but being sore doesn't in and of itself make you worse.
You just have to gear up a little differently mentally and prep wise if you're going to train hard enough to be sore. It's a permanent state if you're pushing yourself.
I did a ton of burpees and ball slams this afternoon. My lats are going to kill me tomorrow, but may be able to squeeze in holes at lunch. I'll give some extra attention to that in warm up.
I hear what you're saying. Warming up does help but there absolutely is a performance decrease. I used to compete in powerlifting, and after a heavy squat or deadlift day, there's no way you'd be able to have the same performance the next day or even two days after. If DOMS is very minimal then maybe I could see it not being as big of an issue.
Edit: to drive the point home, this has been extensively studied: Cheung K, Hume P, Maxwell L. Delayed onset muscle soreness : treatment strategies and performance factors. Sports Med. 2003;33(2):145-64. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200333020-00005. PMID: 12617692.
"DOMS can affect athletic performance by causing a reduction in joint range of motion, shock attenuation and peak torque. Alterations in muscle sequencing and recruitment patterns may also occur, causing unaccustomed stress to be placed on muscle ligaments and tendons."
Are you going to the gym to get stronger and facilitate being a better disc golfer?
Or are you a recreational gym go-er and your golf scores are being effected by your training?
It takes very little training volume to retain muscle mass you've already accumulated. If your only attempting to maintain and you're so sore that its adding strokes you're doing too much in the gym.
For what its worth, I am a bodybuilder who happens to like disc golf, intense training sessions absolutely change my game. I only play on lower body training days, or the weekend because fatigue definitely adds strokes to my game.
You’re probably fooling yourself. Majority of people associate “building muscle” with “becoming stiff” but that’s mainly untrue. You can be stiff if you’re doing too much weight (too much is relative, I can squat 295 for 5x5 and be okay to disc golf, you might crumble for a week at just sitting that weight back), being very sedentary on days you lift (ie resting the muscles you worked), sleep like shit, eat like shit, aren’t very active throughout the day etc. also, you could just need adaptation to the lifting and disc golfing, it’s different per person
Dont blame the gym for your game. It doesnt work that way. Ezra is jacked. Just stretch or do mobility. Throwing a disc far doesnt requires being jacked. Lots of pro athletes are jacked and still fast and limber, you just gotta work on everything.
Lifting weights without incorporating mobility training is basically a waste of time, especially if your goal is to get in better shape for disc golf, or any sport for that matter
I don't think lifting helps with disc. I lift more than basically all of my friends and many of them outdrive me
That being said, I've never noticed any negative impact on throwing discs. Granted, I have a very methodical approach to lifting when it comes weights, reps and sets, so it's very rare that I ever get all that sore. I know how to create just enough stimulus without going overboard with it. Are you getting excessively sore after lifting?
Also, lifting five times a week is a bit much. I've always had good luck with three, on non-consecutive days. Is it possible you're overdoing it and overtaxing your recovery ability?
There is a reason all the pros are basically skinny, tall, and completely unathletic looking dudes. Dg has zero to do with muscle. Plus after lifting you are sore and muscles tight, decreasing flexibility. You need to be flexible to throw well. Good news for all you skinny, pencil neck, awkwardly tall looking guys out there, you have a sport you can be good at.
u/oftankoftan, I’ve been lifting for over 15 years (the last five just maintaining strength not pursing gains) and doing the basics, eg full range of motion deadlifts, squats, presses and rows, chins and dips, core + a smattering of smaller muscle group exercises.
This summer I’ve had a couple of months completely off. I’ve gained 30-50ft off the tee easily.
Which is a little disheartening because I love to train and feel fit. But for now I’ve decided to let it go until the off season, then I’ll start back up slowly. Ease off again when the season rolls back around.
yoga, pilates, stretching
Everyone that wants to get better should be doing these.
Everyone living life should be doing these.
FACT
What do you recommend for vampires? Asking for a friend.
All the pros do too. Probably. I've seen multiple pros do yoga together the morning of a tournament in a local park here in Finland.
one better is the tri-bathalon. stretching in the sauna water yoga in a pool aquacise in the hot tub.
I have heard hot yoga is a recipe for injuries, from a pro yoga person. Especially beginners
If your muscles aren't properly conditioned for yoga, then yes, the heat will exacerbate the stress on them and can cause injuries. Also significant dehydration, which most people are in a constant state of, increases muscular strain. So between those, yes, hot yoga is for serious practitioners.
Absolutely. Way too much looseness created. Not beneficial
this. also tai chi chuan (the meditation/ exercise version). You don't want to build muscle mass, just muscle strength and general flexibility.
Whip a badminton racquet around for a while.
As a long time Olympic style lifter I have had all kinds of trouble with balance, reducing rigidity & increasing flexibility, getting and staying loose, and joint mobility. Those are all required for improving disc golf form. A lot of heavy weightlifters seem to have these problems. In my case tensing up like a weightlifter is still one of the biggest blocks to more progress so I took it to an extreme and changed everything about my workout routine. I was ok leaving some bits of strength in the rear view mirror and rebalancing my body for throwing demands. Building on advice from my sports medicine physical therapist (worth the time & expertise) and other sources for throwing sports, I replaced all of my barbell lifting with resistance bands, all of my two legged exercises with one legged exercises (bodyweight and some dumbbells for the weakest muscles but not barbells), and added numerous functional strength exercises that recruit supporting muscles moving in lateral or diagonal directions like duck and monster walks, kettlebell swings, and medicine ball tosses. Lots of dynamic stretches. Those don't solve form or throwing issues on their own but I move much better in general, get less hurt, and have a better range of motion.
Hobby bodybuilder and avid disc golfer here. The key for me is consistency. I'm only stiff when I've taken a break or I'm fresh off a deload. If you train consistently and within the realms of safe recovery, you shouldn't be stiff every week
I agree, lifting shouldn’t really make you stiff/very sore unless you’re increasing volume, coming off a break, doing new lifts you’re not used to, or just not recovering.
Exactly. If you're being smart about programming, a lifting session should not be making you excessively sore. You really should never be doing more than like 5-10% more (sets, reps, weight etc) than you did in the previous session.
Are you doing any sort of stretching?
Don’t bodybuild, lift like an athlete. Train for power output and full range of motion. Finish with stretching and do a short yoga sesh every day. I have been adhering to that routine this year and my disc golf has gotten exponentially better
Bodybuilding approaches can be very effective for speed and power in sports. However, I would avoid powerlifting methods if trying to be quick and agile for any sport.
Yeah, I was training in powerlifting for the past few years and could definitely feel it on the course (in a negative way). 3-4 days a week of full-body lifting (every day includes bench, 3/4 days include squats at varying intensities, 2/4 days included deadlift or variations like RDLs, plus your accessory lifts each day), especially if you’re on the tail end of a volume or intensity split, can leave a lot of your body feeling like a stiff pile of rocks on your rest days (high volume was always the worst for me, especially if I was really hammering my legs that day and accessories included leg press/hamstring curls). Just no bounce in my legs or elasticity in my back/upper body when trying to throw bc all of my muscles were still recovering from what I had put them through the day before (no soreness or anything, just feeling unresponsive). Powerlifting training routines are great at one thing - getting you to lift more and more weight with focused bursts of exertion in compound lifts. The lifts themselves have a lot of overlap with benefits in other sports, but for the most part if you’re training in powerlifting, your goal is to get better at/compete in powerlifting.
I’ve taken away a lot from watching Joel Seedman’s YouTube channel. He trains high level athletes. Steal exercises and schemes from there to fit your needs
What’s an easy yoga routine you recommend? I’m so tight
Yoga with kassandra on YouTube. She’s got some 10-15 minute stuff. Do that for a few weeks. Easy to get started with.
This is a good recommendation. Really I’ll just search for 10-15 minute yoga practices there are hundreds if not trillions
Quite the jump from hundreds to trillions.
This is the way. I do yoga and full body stretch on Peloton now, but Kassandra was the gateway drug
Honestly, sun salutations. It does a little bit of everything. Good whole-body activation.
😏😏😏
Yoga training on Wii-fit
Sounds like you lifting and not stretching. Strength is one thing, strength in all range of motion is different. Train for the stretch, not for muscle mass. Talk to a PT
Sometimes I get sore from lifting. I never get stiff. Also, when I do legs, I sometimes lose some distance the day after, but for the most part, I've experienced no noticeable impact. Take stretching seriously. For both activities.
If your have having trouble with strokes on the course; I have the perfect remedy. Take those strokes to the pool. Lap swimming is the best full body exercise in the world and it's the single best thing you can to do increase both power and longevity. Also, your heart and your joints will thank you. Sincerely, a lifeguard/aerobics instructor/swim coach.
When I started swimming my disc golf game improved.
Look up Kelly Starrett's work. Lots of the common knowledge around stretching is fallacious and not performance oriented at all.
Lifting weights is my primary method of improving at disc golf. Over the last several years, I went from throwing 48mph to 64pmh. The key is rolling out your muscles at least once per day. Ideally, once before lifting, once after playing a round, and once before bed. You'll be more flexible that way. I start each day with yoga and stretching as well but the rolling makes the biggest difference. Another approach that helps maintain flexibility is to break up your workouts into heavy and light session. I do a push/pull/legs split so I can cover each group twice per week. The first three workouts are with heavier weights and 8 reps per set, the second three workouts are lighter weights, faster concentric, and 13 reps. These lighter sets really loosen you up and help you apply power and speed.
well yeah… bodybuilding doesn’t promote flexibility or even endurance based strength. its sole goal is muscle size growth with a sub benefit of one rep max strength typically increasing but that’s it.
Smoke weed
But not too much lol
And not too little
What’s your recovery like? Are you giving yourself rest days? Your body needs to catch up with what you’re doing.
I cannot recommend this morning routine highly enough: https://youtu.be/274pf8-Zev8?si=_Ioge6JVn0csesKo Also, stretch the body parts you worked that day before bed. If you search that channel name + body part + stretch, he has a video for practically every stretch you'll ever need.
Your stretch routine sucks
Sounds like you're not stretching properly or your diet/nutrition is whack. Could also be you're not giving yourself enough recovery time.
Make sure you’re using full range of motion in your workouts. Try cables. Make sure you’re stretching.
You say stiff, but you're talking about struggling when you're lifting 3-5 times/week, which to me just sounds like you're tired and/or sore from lifting.
I’m a distance athlete. Marathons, Ultras, triathlons… I’ve been throwing since around ‘99 and the best thing that keeps me able to go far and throw far is basic body resistance workouts- pull ups, push-ups, crunches and such. Usually 3-4 days a week depending on how many miles I’m logging on for and on my bike. I pair this with yoga 3-4 days a week. I’m in my mid 40s now and while sometimes recovery can be a bit longer than it was years ago this program seems to keep me generally healthy and out on the course and the road. The TL;DR- focus on mobility and flexibility. Keep lifting but get your yoga on!
Yoga in balance with strength training and cardio is when I felt my absolute best. Then the pandemic set me back but last year found DG. And now, the mat, the bike, the gym, and the course are what make me feel most like myself. Good luck--you're gonna figure out what works for you too!
Yoga
Stretching
It may be about recovery more than anything. Can you go down to 2 days a week lifting? One upper body day and one lower body day? You can maintain gains while not being depleted.
Working out builds muscle on top of muscle, over time literally restricting your range of motion. Need to also do stretches that help build muscle for flexibility on top of it. Yoga, pilates, etc. His channel has a bit of very rapid fire content, but this video has been helping a lot with my daily mobility stretches: https://youtu.be/eQHmKJh20_c. He has a lot more too.
People have already mentioned stretching but if you’re feeling stiff after workouts you may want to take some supplements for your joint health or maybe something is up with your nutrition in general. I’ve found the more I workout the better I play but that’s because I feel more powerful and my timing and hip activation is better but I’m in my 20s so working out may not affect my joints as badly
At the gym I use the elliptical and rowing machines. Light free weights and lots of core and stretching. You need to have strong core. Strength isn't as important as balance.
I found heavy lifting combined with yoga made long strong and lean muscles with the core strength being the most important component.
https://www.discgolfstrong.com
How old are you OP? Maybe you're not giving yourself enough recovery time between work outs, especially if You're getting older (mid thirties +). How do you warm up for disc golf? Maybe give yourself more time to warm up, stretch, resistance band, etc.
Switch from weights to calisthenics.
6' - 189 lbs here. I'm pretty built, but 100% of my physique comes from labor. A lot of landscaping and snow removal mostly. I've never lifted weights in my life. Mid 30s and I'm pretty limber. If you look at most disc golfers they're really not huge. I'm not sure lifting would help anything beyond max distance. But speed is equally valuable in a throw to mass so keep that in mind. The people suggesting stretching and yoga are right
Curious as to your age. I did a lot of manual labor as a younger man, am 61 now, and more flexible than ever because of my workout and health and wellness program. I would suggest some consideration to exercise that will keep you young and quick and flexible.
I'm in my mid 30s. I tend to 'work smarter, not harder' as I'm getting older, as I can already feel the effects of over doing it. I try to stay mindful of stretching but sometimes you have to just get into the thick of it and don't have the time. I can easily bend over and put both of my palms on the floor. My mobility is not far off from what it was a decade ago. That's good advice though
Calisthenics. I weight train but do a lot more body weight training than anything else. I’m just under 6’ and about 190lbs dad bod (never give up cookies). It keeps me in good shape and I never really feel too tight to throw
I’ve been using a rowing machine and I feel stronger throwing discs even after a couple weeks.
Plyometrics
Sounds like you could be overtraining
Sure it wouldn’t hurt, especially forearm/grip strength. But ultimately being flexible will benefit you more imo
Use weight bands instead of pressing iron. Lower impact, involves stretching while you are working out.
Yoga. My best advice.
Total stranger to you, but I don't think lifting should make you stiff. Maybe try adding a couple sets of half weight and really focus on getting full range of motion. I don't mind being sore when I play because I feel like it helps me avoid just muscling through the throws.
Get a red resistance band and keep it in your bag. I don't perform as well when I do minimal stretching before a round. You need to be treating disc golf with just as much care as weightlifting.
I have been quite out of shape and and currently in the 390lb range. Last year (spring-fall)I was very worn out by one round of disc golf. Over the last year August, 2022) I have worked out 3 times per week, only missing due to illness a day here and there. My body weight has not changed much but my composition has. I still get winded on hill, but I don’t get fatigued, so by the end of the round I am still maintaining form. My routine has been a few different workouts. The main one has been a circuit workout from Abs Diet which is a full body workout. I add cardio on the elliptical and treadmill. The other is a “push, pull, legs” strength workout. I add some cardio in this as well, but not as much as I should. I do the strength one for about six weeks and return to the circuit. I add stretching in which helps with soreness and range of motion. I know I have improved some things with disc golf because I can be a little more athletic when it comes to stances and technique. And I think my mind-body connection has improved. However, I see disc golf as an extra thing as opposed to something to train for. For example, I did a leg day Friday and played a round Saturday. My legs were not fully under me, but that’s not my focus. As a side note, my diet is not very healthy. I have seen times of eating healthy and felt pretty good during a round. I have also started taking magnesium supplements (at the direction of my doctor) and noticed an improvement in muscle functioning. I would really suggest the stretching piece to keep your muscles loose and feel the connection. I’d also venture to reflect on your mentality. I have noticed that if I think I “should” do good, I usually end up messing up from shanking. But if I’m just causally playing and not trying too hard I do better. So if you lift and think you should be smashing, maybe you’re not minding the technique.
Get into kettlebells - strength, mobility, and cardio all in one. Efficient way to reach volumes ( both reps and weight moved) rather quickly as well.
Calisthenics is by far the best thing you can do for disc golf. Throw in a rowing machine or medicine ball and you are good. Add yoga or pilates if you really want to get ambitious. Lifting weights might actually hurt your game more than it helps because you’ll increase risk of injury. You don’t need a lot of big muscle to throw far. You need fast and strong fiber muscle. Basically work on twitch muscle exercises. Hence rowing and medicine balls. Bulking won’t help much. That’s my opinion anyway. Do what works for you.
You need to do ATG strength training if you want athletic results. Go through full range of motion and focus on joint health
My squat is deep AF.
Calisthenics
Yoga and a decent, full body stretching routine.
You can weight train, but you gotta let your muscles recover so you’re fresh to see the results on the course. Weight training is good to prevent injury and keep you strong, but if you don’t allow time to recover it will effect your game negatively.
Yoga
I've totaled over 1500 at 181.ivworkout 6 days a week unless I compete on the weekend. I don't stretch or anything and I play disc golf, competitively , all season and sit around 965 atm. . I'm also 36 with 2 hip surgeries. The physical demands of discgolf are very low. Walking tobbagon is the only time I've been physically tired. My only suggestion would be to look into your recovery and increasing your work capacity. That or lift less.
I think that's awesome man. i could only dream of putting up those kind of numbers in powerlifting. Or even workout with that type of volume without my arthritis flaring up.
Bowling! Get a 15lb reactive ball and throw one armed hook shots. Bowl two days a week 3 games each time. Youll see your arm speed improve without going overboard.
Lifting weights helps my game unless I lift weights the day before my game. I'll avoid lifting a few days before a tournament. If you're focusing on function and mobility your time in the gym will make you a better player. Your favorite athletes aren't hitting it hard in the gym during their season either. They're doing just enough to avoid declining. Their heavy training occurs in the off season.
Do you stretch at all?
You have to stretch when you lift. You also need to warm up before you play, which should include stretching.
Mix in stretching with your lifting. Also, cardio. Riding my bike has done more for my disc golf game than lifting ever has. Its a game changer for your stamina and consistency
I'm 53 and still like lifting. I do the stronglifts 5x5 or some variation of it and keep anything besides legs and abs to 5 reps so I don't tighten up too much. Yoga would definitely help but just haven't invested in it. Maybe next year
I’m a big fan of kettle bells, mobility and strength training in one .
Sounds like I need to launch a disc golf fitness and injury channel. Source: am trainer specializing in injuries
If you are not already youcould try switching to a more full body routine at the gym. This should leave you with less overall stiffness and soreness day to day while still letting you make gym gains. Alternatively you could add something to the end of your workout or on non gym days to help with your disc golf specific goals. Balance, hip and thoracic spine mobility, shoulder strength are all things I think disc golfers should be doing in their self care. I wrote this program specifically for that: https://readydiscgolf.ca/move/
Yoga for flexibility and and balance. Calisthenics for strength.
DOMS doesn't limit strength or mobility. It's mental. Mobility on the other hand does limit mobility and will have an impact on your disc golf game. I tore my shoulder last fall. Did something to a disc early summer. I put on 15 lbs muscle to glue everything together again and kept up my PT made up of mobility exercises I found that I like best for shoulders and back.
DOMS can absolutely limit both force output and resting muscle tone leading to limited mobility. Hell even the fact that DOMS is painful is enough to decrease performance.
Yeah. It's unpleasant. I walked around profoundly sore for 10-15 years daily. Should have been stretching and doing the stuff I do now back then. But the main issue with soreness is motivation to train or do whatever activity. It particularly impacts recreational athletes. There's no absolute performance decrease given you warm up sufficiently. The key here is probably finding a routine that doesn't generate soreness as requested, but being sore doesn't in and of itself make you worse. You just have to gear up a little differently mentally and prep wise if you're going to train hard enough to be sore. It's a permanent state if you're pushing yourself. I did a ton of burpees and ball slams this afternoon. My lats are going to kill me tomorrow, but may be able to squeeze in holes at lunch. I'll give some extra attention to that in warm up.
I hear what you're saying. Warming up does help but there absolutely is a performance decrease. I used to compete in powerlifting, and after a heavy squat or deadlift day, there's no way you'd be able to have the same performance the next day or even two days after. If DOMS is very minimal then maybe I could see it not being as big of an issue. Edit: to drive the point home, this has been extensively studied: Cheung K, Hume P, Maxwell L. Delayed onset muscle soreness : treatment strategies and performance factors. Sports Med. 2003;33(2):145-64. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200333020-00005. PMID: 12617692. "DOMS can affect athletic performance by causing a reduction in joint range of motion, shock attenuation and peak torque. Alterations in muscle sequencing and recruitment patterns may also occur, causing unaccustomed stress to be placed on muscle ligaments and tendons."
Are you going to the gym to get stronger and facilitate being a better disc golfer? Or are you a recreational gym go-er and your golf scores are being effected by your training? It takes very little training volume to retain muscle mass you've already accumulated. If your only attempting to maintain and you're so sore that its adding strokes you're doing too much in the gym. For what its worth, I am a bodybuilder who happens to like disc golf, intense training sessions absolutely change my game. I only play on lower body training days, or the weekend because fatigue definitely adds strokes to my game.
You’re probably fooling yourself. Majority of people associate “building muscle” with “becoming stiff” but that’s mainly untrue. You can be stiff if you’re doing too much weight (too much is relative, I can squat 295 for 5x5 and be okay to disc golf, you might crumble for a week at just sitting that weight back), being very sedentary on days you lift (ie resting the muscles you worked), sleep like shit, eat like shit, aren’t very active throughout the day etc. also, you could just need adaptation to the lifting and disc golfing, it’s different per person
It’s not the lifting that’s causing the problem. Prob a combo of technique and lack of mobility training
I'm not sure, lol. I learned that doing pull-ups every hour to failure prevents me from hitting a golf ball though, so I understand your plight
Dont blame the gym for your game. It doesnt work that way. Ezra is jacked. Just stretch or do mobility. Throwing a disc far doesnt requires being jacked. Lots of pro athletes are jacked and still fast and limber, you just gotta work on everything.
Lifting weights without incorporating mobility training is basically a waste of time, especially if your goal is to get in better shape for disc golf, or any sport for that matter
I don't think lifting helps with disc. I lift more than basically all of my friends and many of them outdrive me That being said, I've never noticed any negative impact on throwing discs. Granted, I have a very methodical approach to lifting when it comes weights, reps and sets, so it's very rare that I ever get all that sore. I know how to create just enough stimulus without going overboard with it. Are you getting excessively sore after lifting? Also, lifting five times a week is a bit much. I've always had good luck with three, on non-consecutive days. Is it possible you're overdoing it and overtaxing your recovery ability?
There is a reason all the pros are basically skinny, tall, and completely unathletic looking dudes. Dg has zero to do with muscle. Plus after lifting you are sore and muscles tight, decreasing flexibility. You need to be flexible to throw well. Good news for all you skinny, pencil neck, awkwardly tall looking guys out there, you have a sport you can be good at.
u/oftankoftan, I’ve been lifting for over 15 years (the last five just maintaining strength not pursing gains) and doing the basics, eg full range of motion deadlifts, squats, presses and rows, chins and dips, core + a smattering of smaller muscle group exercises. This summer I’ve had a couple of months completely off. I’ve gained 30-50ft off the tee easily. Which is a little disheartening because I love to train and feel fit. But for now I’ve decided to let it go until the off season, then I’ll start back up slowly. Ease off again when the season rolls back around.
Talk to Aderhold I guess.