The golf channel now covers plenty about it and nearly every golf publication has a section devoted to it. The subject is golf fitness, the latest hot topic in golf – and so it should be. A lack of fitness is one of the main reasons people leave the game and the last few years of playing are often laden with fatigue, injuries and diminishing performance.

Even worse, sadly many of our golfing family and friends succumb to the number one killer in the western world, cardiovascular disease, usually manifesting itself as a heart attack or a stroke. Nearly everyone in the above scenarios has the good intention of engaging in an exercise program that would help combat a decline in health, but fall foul of the age old excuse of not having enough time, or they invest the time and see a lack of results. For a long time now, the fitness industry as well as the medical community have been preaching the mantra that, to get fit, one has to engage in low- to moderate-intensity exercise for 20-60 minutes, 3 to 5 times per week, a time consuming endeavor.

This has been due to research only focusing on how long people train. But now that research scientists are examining more and more the effects of what is called “sprint interval training,” it is being shown that the most effective way to get in shape is in fact through shorter, more intense workouts.

The reason is that this type of training has an influence on both major energy systems in the body, the aerobic system and the anaerobic system, whereas the old school moderate-intensity continuous endurance training influences only the aerobic system. One great consequence of this fact is that less time investment is needed to gain great results by employing sprint interval training. Also of importance here is that the anaerobic system is an essential component of playing golf.

Further more, high-intensity interval training also targets what are called fast twitch muscle fibers, again essential for golf, but more importantly, if not trained leads to a dramatic decline in muscle size and strength. This is typically seen with aging because there is a tendency to not engage in high-intensity interval training as we age. But the good news is that it’s never too late to start this type of training – and it’s not just for elite level athletes.

During the Golf Fitness Academy on The Golf Channel, presented by Titleist, Dr. Mark J. Smith discussed how the golfer can save significant time and get great results by focusing on this type of training. During the show, Dr. Smith shared the results of a recent scientific paper, published in the prestigious Journal of Applied Physiology that showed just 16 minutes of sprint interval training (30 seconds at a time) over only two weeks, doubled the endurance capacity of the participants.

Now while Dr. Smith shared a number of ways that this type of training can be accomplished, such as using a stationary bike or running up stairs or a hill, he has been involved in the research behind a very unique product that is gaining traction among professional golfers and athletes as well as thousands of individuals looking for an effective time-efficient exercise solution.
Dr. Smith explains that The X-iser® Machine, although excellent for endurance type training, is especially effective for sprint interval training and improves balance exceptionally well in the process. “At the end of the day,” says Dr. Smith, “we are able to obtain significant results in as little as 12 minutes a week, typically done in 20-second bursts that can be spread throughout the week.”

So unlike traditional training where you are changing, sweating and then showering, burst training on this unit can be accomplished at any time, anywhere and in day to day attire. It’s also great for warming up before a round as it gets the cardiovascular system going while also sharpening the balance needed to play golf.

For those that like to stay in shape or get in shape for golf in the least amount of time, looking into sprint interval training and this great portable machine can pay huge dividends. More information can be found at: www.xiser.com