The modern golfer is powerful and athletic, spending as much time in the gym as they do on the driving range. This holds particularly true to the current World Number 1 golfer, Rory McIlroy. His dedication to his fitness has made him one of the fittest players on the PGA TOUR. Fitness combined with one of the best swings in the sport of golf, allows Rory to be one of the longest players on TOUR.
Fitness was not always a priority for Rory though. His training regime began as a necessity to strengthen an ailing back. When he started working out, he could barely balance on one leg and could not stand on one leg for the length of time it takes to drive a golf ball. His workout routine was limited to, as he put it, “not very much.” He simply didn’t have the muscle strength or stamina to sustain this simple move.
“I had huge amounts of mobility and flexibility — that’s never been my problem, but I couldn’t stand on one leg for more then 10 seconds. I couldn’t hold a plank for more than 30 seconds,” said the 25-year old McIlroy.
Four years, 14 tour wins — including four Majors — later, McIlroy has transformed his game and his body with the help of his team that includes instructor Michael Bannon, caddie JP Fitzgerald, and exercise physiologist Dr. Steve McGregor.
“Rory has come a long way for an individual who couldn’t stand on one leg,” said McGregor, whose background includes work in professional golf, soccer (football), and basketball. “He’s doing some really high-end functional work, and that’s all credit to him.”
McGregor has been working with McIlroy since late 2010, implementing a progressive program of stability, strength and power. That’s when the transformation began. Over the past four years, the two have developed a close working relationship.
What started as a necessity has now become a lifestyle and an obsession. Rory’s love for training is grounded in a few motivations – to prolong his career by staying healthy or to help him gain shots during a round, whether that’s due to his mental focus, fitness or confidence. Spending time in the gym allows Rory to feel that he’s giving him the best possible chance to go out on the golf course and perform to the best of his ability – this will be important heading into Augusta National this year for The Masters as Rory hopes to capture the career grand slam.
In the video above, watch the first installment of the Inner Strength Documentary Series by Nike Training that captures the inspiration, and motivations that drive Nike athletes in their training. Their journeys vary as do their goals, but they share a common obsession with athleticism.
Source: Nike Inc.
