Golf, a sport with unsuspected virtues!

For those who still doubted it, golf constitutes a real sporting activity whose positive impact on health is supported by numerous scientific publications. A sport born in the 18th century, Golf has returned to the Olympic Games since Rio 2016, which clearly demonstrates its place in this sporting universe.

Look at the best European or world competitions, you will no longer see a player with a plump stomach. On the contrary, today we are seeing new profiles of golfers appear, such as Dustin Johnson, or Bryson DeChambeau, hyper muscular, capable of sending first drives almost 400 meters, all in power. Furthermore, golf, as a sport, allows a significant energy expenditure, an estimated consumption of 300 to 400 calories per hour, or around 1500 calories over a classic 18 holes, which is not so bad!

A bibliographic review demonstrates numerous positive effects for regular players, playing 2 to 3 courses per week on average:

1 – a positive impact on life expectancy according to a 2009 Swedish study (Farahmand B, Broman G, de Faire U, Vagero D and Ahlbom A. “Golf: a game of life and death–reduced mortality in Swedish golf players . Scand J Med Sci Sports". . In addition to the sporting activity itself (a 9-hole course will make you walk around 6km and an 18-hole course around 11km) and the cardiovascular benefits, the study highlights the fact that players play by level, and often by fitness class. age, which means a certain leveling of physical conditions, which would explain that as soon as a player feels in difficulty compared to his colleagues, he will more easily consult a health professional to find out why he is more out of breath, why his concentration crumbles, why his vision drops on par 5s...Golf, an individual sport, practiced collectively, would therefore allow a certain prevention of illnesses.

2 – Positive impact on the cardiovascular system. Several studies have demonstrated a significant improvement in the HDL cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio, as well as an improvement in aerobic capacity by practicing golf twice a week.

3 – Positive impact on the osteoarticular system. On this benefit, we find in the bibliography many publications with mainly 3 positive effects for health: more strength, better flexibility and improvement of motor skills/proprioception (balance and sense of position). Furthermore, apart from possible back problems and possible tendinitis on the motor arm, golf is a sport with a low risk of joint trauma. Like any sport, there will be less trauma with a controlled warm-up (mainly shoulder and back)

4 – Positive impact on the neurological system. Several studies have demonstrated, through brain activity (notably via electroencephalogram control), the fact that golfers develop and maintain mental reactivity compared to non-golfers, which would tend to prove the positive impact of playing golf on brain aging, and the ability to stay focused more often and for longer.

5 – Positive impact on stress management. Here we are simply analyzing the context of sporting practice, generally with a calm, pleasant environment. The rhythm is also very interesting, since it alternates short phases of concentration at the time of each shot, swing or putting, and time to relax attention between shots. It is therefore not a sport that requires the mind over the 11km of the course, even if it is always necessary between each shot to evaluate the best strategy for the next one.

These different elements tend to prove that Golf is really beneficial as a sporting practice but also as an ally for your health, not to mention that it can be practiced at all ages, and that fortunately, its practice tends to become more democratic with prices more accessible to all. Right-handed or left-handed, iron or wood enthusiast, active or retired, you will inevitably find multiple benefits from playing golf, and if you practice other sports at the same time, you could quickly see an improvement in your performance on these other activities, thanks to the contribution of the little white ball.

For Golfers, several products from the Stimium Range will prove extremely relevant and complementary to their practice on the green:

Stimium GABA , which will notably allow an increase in cardiac output, but also more strength and improved memory. Even if golf is less physical than home cardio exercises, the fact remains that you can go beyond 140 quite easily at the end of the course, between the walking distance, the context of a fight with other players, and the concentration required for hours.

Stimium GINGKO , which in addition to improving circulatory functions, stimulates sports performance, via an increase in blood flow allowing an increase in nitric oxide (NO) concentrations – for those who complete the entire journey on foot, this product will have a real interest, especially if you fight the wind and rain on Saint Andrews type coastal courses!

Stimium® Mc3 or Stimium® Mc3 powder to better prepare and recover after your trip, especially in parts of the world where the climate is hot and humid.

Stimium Ashwagandha , the most powerful natural physical anti-stress, with antioxidant properties, restoration of physical energy, improvement of endurance and resistance, so as not to tremble when putting like a tiger woods at the Augusta masters!

Stimium® Joint Flex as a treatment to relieve joint, muscular or tendon stiffness problems, because we must not forget that golf puts severe strain on the joints with ever more rigid clubs.

It's time to get started, there is bound to be a golf club near you, and keep an eye out, there are often welcome offers and/or the possibility of coming for a test, it's a sport which has nevertheless become more popular in France in recent years. Take a deep breath of fresh air, walk several kilometers, test your concentration, you will find a lot of advantages in hitting the little white ball, with rather simple rules compared to certain sports, no offside here! Without aiming for the Ryder Cup, without becoming an excellent golfer, without making a hole in 1, playing golf will have an overall positive effect, on physical condition, on concentration, even without competing or aiming for an ambitious handicap.