Getty Images
Leona Maguire wakes up in a different bed nearly every week.
Such is life when you’re a rising star on the LPGA Tour and the MVP of the Solheim Cup, setting a new record for points earned by a rookie in your first appearance on Team Europe.
Despite the constant travel, the 26-year-old Irishwoman from County Cavan always manages to maintain her routine, especially when it comes to working out in the gym.
“Routine is a big thing for me.” Maguire said in a KPMG video. “No matter where I am in the world, I get into the same routine.”
A self-professed early riser, Maguire goes on to explain her gym routine in the video, and more importantly the underrated reason she is so consistent when it comes to her workouts.
Working out helps you avoid injuries
“A typical day when I’m not competing, I usually do a workout in the gym — four times a week in an off-week,” she says. “Yes, to hit the ball further and get the swing speed up, but also to prevent injuries.”
And there it is. One of the most underrated and often ignored benefits of working out regularly.
We all hear so much about how you should work out so you can build muscle and increase your power so you can swing the club faster and hit the ball farther. It’s become one of the biggest focal points of the modern game in terms of how people think they will get better at golf and shoot lower scores.
The real benefit of working out regularly for most average golfers isn’t that it will help you make remarkable distance gains and transform you into a Tour level golfer. It’s the fact that it will help keep your body in shape so you can play golf as much as your heart desires while staying injury free.
It’s not rocket science — the better you treat your body now, the better you will feel and play later.
To hear Maguire tell it, her time in the gym is the most important thing she does for her golf game. The best part is your gym routine doesn’t have to be complicated.
“Even just going for a swim or something light in the gym like stretching to keep the body loose” will do.