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Into the swing: Pilates for golfers
"You're the only one in the class who's going to be able to do that!" says one of the students, grinning as he tries to emulate his mentor's maneuvers.
His classmates - they're all men who look to be in their 30s through 50s - similarly struggle to follow the lead.
The morning's workout may cause some sore muscles in the short run, but the students hope their efforts will pay off where they count: on the golf course.
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A strange combination? Not for Griffin, who's been pairing the fitness discipline with the recreational pursuit since 2005. And the resident of neighboring North Strabane Township has found no shortage of participants when offering classes in Peters.
"I've had many golfers coming through who are looking to lower their handicap, lower their scores and have less pain," she says. "They're finding that this program allows them to hit the ball farther, straighter and more accurately."
That might come as a surprise to an uninformed observer who sees a group of guys lying on mats, trying to keep their lower legs parallel with the floor, or on their hands and knees, balancing sticks on their backs.
But when it comes to Pilates' positive effects for golfers, take the word of a professional.
"It helps identify the specific muscles that we are using to help them swing the golf club and prevent injury," says Matt Kluck, a PGA-certified instructor who teaches at Mt. Lebanon Golf Course. "This is probably the best source of cross-training that I can find for golf, that helps strengthening, flexibility and your endurance."
Pilates for golfers involves a variety of components designed to increase distance; improve balance, posture and accuracy; reduce pain; and prevent injuries caused by overuse of certain joints and muscles.
"When you're done with this class, you have done a lot of strength training, functional training and golf-specific movements, and you're getting a lot of tips on how to move in your swing," Griffin says.
Golfers also learn to cope with the inevitable effects of getting on in years.
"I'm fighting age with every part of my body," admits Peters resident Kim Mason, who learned about Pilates' relationship with golf through a Florida pro who "hated to admit his wife could show him how to improve."
"The golf-specific elements in this class should help increase the length and breadth of my swing and improve my balance," Mason says. "Your core gets stronger, and that's what really helps drive the golf swing. You might find that even though you're older, you might hit the ball farther than you did when you were younger."
When Mason and his classmates were younger, they may have known something about Pilates as an exercise philosophy embraced primarily by women.
"A lot of men feel that Pilates is not masculine," Griffin explains. "The way I teach Pilates is very upbeat, not meditative. I modify the exercises so we're not doing every exercise you'd do in a regular Pilates class. We're just doing the ones that are specific to golf."
So golfers, grab your floor mats and get ready to keep up with the instructor.
Your scorecard will thank you.
Click here for golf clinic and class details
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