How to Beat the Winter Fishing Doldrums
Ever wonder what you can do to get a fishing "fix" in the winter if your not an ice fisherman and you live in the frigid north? Besides the obvious magazine reading, and shopping, here are a few ideas.
Clean your fishing rods and check for cracks - Everyone has had, or will have, a fishing rod break while the are fishing. Sometimes this cannot be avoided, but other times you can find these issues before the next season starts by wiping down your fishing rods and checking the guides for nicks, scratches, or cracks. If you find a crack in the rod, get a new one. I have never met someone who has repaired a graphite rod and been satisfied. If you cut it down it changes the action. If you try and wrap the cracked area it changes the action. If you have a crack in a guide, you can buy replacements and fix it. If you find a nick or scratch in a guide you might be able to polish it out with an emery cloth or diamond bit on a dremel.
Check your lures - Look over your lures for paint issues on wooden lures, rusty hooks, dull hooks, bent hooks, etc. All of these things can contribute to problems down the road. Consider upgrading hooks if you have a lot of bent or dull hooks. Some people buy brand new lures and change the hooks to a different brand due to the better quality.
Carve a lure - If your feeling adverturous you can purchase a chunk of balsa wood and try your hand at carving a lure. A basic lure is relatively easy to create and you can purchase all the metal hardware from a mailorder fishing catalog. It is quite satisfying to catch a fish on a lure you created yourself.
Start a fishing diary - This may sound crazy to some people but it can give you a great insight into what the fish are doing. Get a notebook, buy a computer program, join a website, or whatever other method you can think of, but start logging the weather conditions, lures used, fish caught, etc. This can give you a better handle on what needs to be done to catch fish in similar situations on other lakes, or at other times, and keeps you from forgetting.
I hope this has given you a few ideas of things you can do during the winter that are both productive and fun.
Golf Specific Fitness Is Underrated
Golf specific fitness is mainstream on tour! There is no way around it! To play your best, you've got to be in better golf shape! Golf is physical…and requires both dynamic strength and flexibility.
Gone are the days of the 19th hole! That's if you want to be top dog in your foursome. Instead of going to the 19th hole after your round, why not do some cool down stretches so you're ready for the next round?
I'm not saying you have to be a fanatic, but just realize there is a definite "physical component" to optimal golf performance. The demand on the body to swing a club at upwards of 100 mph and stay in your golf posture is huge.
A golf specific fitness program incorporating golf exercise and golf stretching will maximize your body's ability to produce awesome power where it counts…at impact!
What is golf specific fitness?
I can tell you it's not going to a gym and doing a seated chest press. It's not spending 2 hours everyday beating yourself up. It's not lifting heavy weights. But it does require a commitment. Just like anything else worth achieving.
That phrase, "if it were easy, everybody would be doing it" is so true.
With over 70 million baby boomers who want to enjoy life, be healthier and a big majority of them playing golf…golf specific fitness "kills two birds with one stone". A fitter, stronger body and an awesome golf game. What better way to spend your quality years?
Golf specific fitness incorporates dynamic strength and flexibility; muscular endurance directly related to your golf swing; balance; coordination: stability; and a much improve sequence of timing to produce maximum power through the impact zone.
Golf specific fitness does not require heavy weights, but improving your golf swing strength is always a goal. Being stronger in your golf swing takes a unique approach that is not accomplished with a general fitness program.
The main focus should be on "rotational" strength and flexibility!
The golf swing is a high-speed rotational movement. The goal for maximum distance is to create a higher level of torque and be able to store and unleash it at the right moment in time.
This requires a major emphasis on core rotational movements with resistance. This is the ONLY way to improve your backswing AND follow through range of motion and power. These movements should be done sitting on a stability ball; standing erect; getting in your golf posture; and even on one leg.
It kills me to see a trainer do a bicep curl with a golf client. This will NOT help your golf swing. Just take a look at the position your wrist is in doing a standard bicep curl. It's turned out very awkwardly (and uncomfortably).
Do you grip a golf club like this? Then why would you do this exercise? If you're a golfer, you wouldn't!
How about a seated chest press on a machine?
I've seen golfers in the gym doing this one.
Golf is "on your feet", using every major muscle group in your body in a certain sequence of motion. How would a "seated" chest press on a "controlled" machine help your golf swing?
It wouldn't!
Golf specific fitness will get your body moving powerfully through your golf swing for 18 holes. Your swing will become more consistent. You will add a ton of yards to all your clubs…especially your driver. And your incident of injury will plummet.
Isn't this reason enough to get start on a program of golf specific fitness?
About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf performance swing trainers in the country. Golf Magazine's expert at GolfOnline.com, author and founder of several cutting-edge online golf performance sites. Take a look at his just released golf performance dvds and manual at his improve golf swing site - Perform Better Golf.
Choosing the Right Golf Club for You
Cast Iron Golf Club
With cast iron golf clubs the majority of the weight in the golf club is around the perimeter of the club head. This feature makes the sweet spot larger, which is great for both beginners and those who encounter difficulty making full contact.
Forged Iron Golf Club
The choice of professionals due to design and function, the forged iron golf club has a slightly heavier toe, with the center of the gravity for the golf club at the center of the club head. Forged iron golf clubs are an alternative as your experience and skill increases.
Club sizes
Golf clubs are available in a range of sizes to suit the player, from standard to midsize, and even oversized.
Standard clubs have a smaller head, meaning a smaller sweet spot as well, and are the usual choice for advanced players and professionals.
The beauty of a midsize golf club is the larger sweet spot for better ball contact. The head size is a little larger than the standard golf club, and these clubs are the best choice for players with average skill as they are easy to control.
If you have a hard time hitting the ball straight, oversized golf clubs are for you. They have a huge sweet spot, and some control is sacrificed because of it, but this doesn't stop this being the choice of many seniors as the huge sweet spot gives you much longer distance!
About The Author:
Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.golfclubsreviews.info a website specialized on Golf Club, resources and articles. This site provides updated information on Golf Club. For more info on Golf Club visit: http://www.golfclubsreviews.info
