Who wouldn’t want to be the best? There is probably no one on this earth who would not want to be the absolute best at what he does or is interested in. Even though it is chasing an ideal that does not always come true or become realized, at least there is a goal that is worth chasing in front of everyone. That alone would push and motivate any individual to try and become the very best at something; it won’t matter if he is facing an uphill climb that might seem insurmountable at the beginning. While it is indeed challenging, the experience of being in the moment of trying to improve and be the best would only do wonders for him. It could very well change his whole life and go beyond his initial goal and objective.
The very idea of striving to be the best can be linked to almost anything in our lives, but it is perhaps best associated with sports. Having been directly linked with sports has good reason, since the concept of having the desire to be the best and going through the struggles while trying to achieve it is very real. Each sporting event or game has the object of finding or coming up with a winner and also recognize someone or some team as being the “best”. Many revel and thrive in the process of competing and struggling to become the best, finding that the experience alone is already satisfying to them.
Those who indulge in playing sports for competitive reasons enjoy the competition and struggle. To many it does not even matter if they are not of the highest level, or worthy of playing like professional athletes. What matters to them is that they are able to be the best during the individual games that they play, by winning and beating their opponents. It might be at little league baseball, some pick up basketball game, or even a friendly game of golf between friends, playing for some small stakes that would still be good enough to brag about. When someone is able to do that, he feels and he knows that at that moment, he is the best.
I have been thrilled countless times by the sheer joy and excitement of competition. The sport that I was not playing didn’t matter, as long as I find myself triumphant in the end. Although that has always been that way for me, there are also times when it crosses my mind of how great it would be if I could play just like my sports idols, like a professional at the top of my game. I’m sure that everybody else thinks or dreams about that, and it’s perfectly fine especially if it can contribute to the player giving a better and more inspired performance. Now whether being inspired actually allows a player to have a performance that approaches that of his idol or not, the important thing is that he is able to go to another level.
It is like being able to play like Michael Jordan on a basketball court, or Tiger Woods on the golf course. To actually be able to do that, and also have a shot at being the best, one need to practice as much as possible. You need to spend time and really focus on training and practicing, in order to even get near that level. Sure, you might not get there, but experiencing the whole process of trying to be the best is something that you’ll get to cherish for the rest of your life, and you’re sure to enjoy it immensely along the way.
Now I am in that process myself, and I am applying it in golf, the game that I am putting my focus on right now. And just to have a little more assurance that I am going to have a chance at succeeding, I am taking lessons from the master, Tiger Woods himself. Well, not exactly taking lessons from him personally, but I am using and trying to learn the techniques that he has used to help him achieve his current lofty status.
Lessons from the Pros: Swinging Like Tiger
Who wouldn’t want to swing their golf clubs like the pros and give themselves a chance at being the best? The following instructions will give an idea of how Woods is able to do what he does, although it would also be good for everyone involved to just remain realistic while following these instructions. Without necessarily becoming as great as Tiger Woods, those who follow these instructions would at least be equipped with the techniques of not just an ordinary pro golfer, but one of the all time best of his sport.
• The first thing that you need to do is to head to the nearest gym. Hitting the gym should not be a surprising thing to do for a golfer, especially if you consider that Tiger Woods spends about four hours each time he goes there, and that is usually around five times each week. Having a well trained and conditioned body will no doubt help improve your game. It is a definite advantage over a body that is not able to perform at its peak because it is not in shape. Go for about half an hour of stretching, half an hour of cardio, and then you could finish things off with strength training before cooling down with some stretching once again. Always give emphasis to the muscles that you use whenever you make your golf swing.
• Head to the driving range with your driver and hen do some warm ups until you feel that you ready to do some playing. Once you got the feeling that you are ready, you could either place a tee in the ground or make use of the rubber tee on the mat. When addressing the tee with the club in your hand, just make sure that your body is lined up perfectly with the tee and with a target that is on the range. Then straighten your arms, aim to form a triangle with it and your shoulder and arms. Make adjustments with respect to your alignment to your tee.
• Turn your shoulders, but also keep in mind to keep the form of the triangle. As the club reaches waist height, your arms should be straight and the golf club needs to be parallel to the ground and pointing right towards the target. Continue doing the backswing by turning the shoulders, with the left arm straight and bending the right elbow and until the hands are higher than the right shoulder. The hips should not turn as much as possible during the backswing.
• The downswing should be done with the shoulders turning towards the ball. Left arm should be straight, with the right elbow tucked into the body. Before hitting the ball, unhinge your wrists as the shoulders continue turning. As the ball is hit, drive with your right knee and turn your hips. Do a follow through by allowing the club to pull your body towards the left. Remember to go through with swing slowly, before gradually gaining speed. Continue practicing your swing.