I get messages every week from golfers and other athletes who have read my books or come across my methods and say that they have made a big difference to their game, but many people have this initial run of seeing things improve because they have attempted to clear their mind or they’ve had an insight into how things like intention or visualisation are so much more powerful and effective when the mind is quiet but then they find it difficult either to begin or continue with their day to day Performance Practice.
Many of these people are in a space I’ve described in Breathe Golf where they have received countless lessons from a number of golf professionals, tried all the online tips and tricks, purchased several gadgets that promise to fix their swing faults, turned their back garden or yard into a practice area but still see their handicap going the wrong way and feel ready to give up in frustration.
Some of these people begin their daily performance practice with high hopes but then fall by the wayside as other things in life take over – others notice how different they feel and how much more difficult golf and life seem to be when they stop doing the practice and they decide to go back to it – for instance my client Andrew from Scotland noticed he didn’t get so angry or uptight on the golf course when doing his daily practice so when he stopped for a while because of an injury, he decided to go back to it as he knew how much it had helped him.
So, what is it that separates those that CAN be consistent with the Performance Practice versus those who for whatever reason find it too hard, or don’t have the aspiration or discipline or have never had a morning routine or who want instant results or just want to tick off a checklist – like the ‘Top 10 key points to get in flow’ kind of approach?
Joining me today to help answer this, is David Collins from Florida. We’ve been working together on Zoom for three years.
David graduated from the Professional Golf Management at Ferris State University and spent time at two top level golf clubs in the state of Florida where he started his passion for teaching and trying to find the holy grail. Other career opportunities came along, which he took advantage of but his thirst for learning about the game of golf never went away and after his children were on their way, he used this knowledge and passion for his own game. These experiences give him a very unique perspective on how club level golfers can improve their game. FYI, when David started back playing, he has seen major improvement in both his everyday play but more importantly, his tournament play.
Here’s what we discussed:
Breathing in to the top and breathing out through impact.
Fa Jing or how to issue explosive power by staying relaxed.
Bruce Lee style set-up for more ground-force reaction.
How the quiet mind allows intention and motion to complement each other.
20 minute meditation practice, not thinking but experiencing the breath.
Why this is not a breathing ‘technique’.
Hitting shots under pressure by playing in the zone more often.
Tiger Woods’ eyes; his focus is internal and external at the same time.
Beating your rivals on the course and being a great club player.
Benefits to everyday health and wellbeing.
Experience the breath while it’s happening.
Top athletes who meditate and how to use their example to inspire your daily practice.
The feeling of relaxed readiness and how the body wakes up, giving you more spring in your swing and more club-head speed.
How to gain more distance.
Combing golf range practice with your performance practice.
Mushin (Zen), the mind without thinking; the absence of clinging or being stuck in thought.
Bridging your daily practice with golf by coming into the body in everyday activities.
Practice, prepare and perform – all with the same focus.
The greatest athletes are the calmest athletes.
That’s all we have time for this episode. It’s been really interesting talking with you, David. Thanks for coming on the show.
If you would like to know more about my Performance Practice methods for golf, please get your copies of Breathe Golf and Connected Golf, and if you’re an athlete from another sport then my latest book The Athlete’s Ascent will help you apply these methods to your own discipline.
Stay in touch by signing up to the newsletter at www.chi-performance.com and if you like this show, please leave a comment or rating for me. Thank you.
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