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Brent's EF approach to golf
publication date: Mar 16, 2010
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author/source: Art
In the modern landscape, a golf course is a good approximation to the lake shore savanna that was the home to ancestral humans. I feel at home on a golf course as though it speaks to a deeper asthetics than I can understand. I live on the edge on one and am fascinated by the play of shadows and sun over the fractal landscape. Even babies that are shown landscape images focus more on savanna landscapes. One of our subscribers, and a co-organizer of the upcoming Ancestral Health conference---the Woodstock of Evolutionary Medicine according to Loren Cordain. Brent and I have corresponded for years and we both have an interest in golf, his far more serious and successful than mine. I find his EF approach to golf fascinating and he gave me permission to share it with subscribers and the general public. Here it is. "At the golf tournament, while I was warming up on the putting green, a top amateur (he's 55 years old) pinched my arms and joked, "All this muscle must make that blood flow and keep you warm in that short sleeve shirt." He was wearing a hat, ear muffs, a long shirt, and a jacket. I am pretty diligent with my thermal fluctuation practices as one extra thing that has helped me handle cold temperature so well. This winter, I have swam after every workout in the gym. I sit in the hot tub, swim a few laps, get back in the hot tub, maybe swim a few more laps, then use the sauna and steam, back and forth, then take cold showers and mix in some hot water here and there. It feels great at the end; so relaxed. 1. High-intensity, low-duration. Golf is a bursty sport requiring coordinated muscle firing in a short period of time. Training with moderate weights and lifting at variable speeds helps me maintain muscle suppleness while building strength. Sprints on the row machine and elliptical in the winter months help keep up my conditioning for enduring 4-5 hours of concentration. 2. Stalking putts (prey). Squatting is an ancestral resting position, so I do this while waiting my turn to putt and study the green's contours. I then imagine that I am stalking my putt like sizing up prey, crouched in the bushes. This helps me key in on very specific targets on the greens and maintain flow in my routine. 3. High-duration, low-intensity. Walking the golf course requires long periods of simply walking (low-intensity) and observing and reflecting. I approach this time as part of the ancestral hunt and take in my surroundings as much as possible. It's the Levy-flight time where all the mental challenges with golf performance get worked through and settled, in preparation for the next shot. One shot at a time. 4. Mimicry. I try to mimic professional golfers with swings that fit my body-type and tempo. Mimicry, I suspect, helps coordinate diverse muscle firing in a more synergistic pattern. It's an ancestral learning modality. 5. Practice. Repetitive motion is dangerous. I hit a small bucket of balls, switching through each club, usually hitting 2-5 golf balls per club. I then chip and putt. When I practice putting, I get fractal: I hit lots of really short putts (7-8 feet and in) and a few really long, lag putts, as Ben Hogan used to do. My usual practice time is under 45 minutes--this helps me avoid getting to technical mentally with my motions. I stay focused on symmetry, balance, rhythm, and grace in all my motions. I maintain athletic, centered postures in all my shots, from tee box to the putting green. This is a high ROI approach to practicing golf and performing at an elite level. 6. Warm-up. For three years, I've applied EF workouts to warm up for golf rounds effectively. My first tests with this approach allowed me to qualify for two main tournaments at Spyglass Golf Course in Monterey, CA, and I've continued successfully ever since. I do a few row machines sprints, about 10-minutes of elliptical machine sprints, then do upside-down pushups, a few one-legged jumps up stairs with 15lbs. medicine ball above my head, maybe throw in another lift, then jump in the pool and hot tub. The warm up takes about 20-25 minutes max, and I feel loose, warm, and ready when I get to the course. I don't hit balls before my rounds. I simply putt and chip and then go play. 7. Mental function. My personal ancestral, EF diet provides my body with the inputs necessary to produce healthy tissues. Calmness, alertness, and an inner sense of warmth are the main results that I notice when I am out on the course. I often fast before and during rounds, only sipping some water here and there. Fasting sharpens my focus. I eat a celebratory hunting feast after the round. Feel free to share these points in a post or anything. I wanted to capture them all in one place again. Confidence is another main benefit. EF has allowed me to take my golf game to very high competitive level with improved consistency. I'm thankful for that." Best, Brent Pottenger |