Sports injuries can be very frustrating to the over-zealous player who is in a hurry to improve his/her level of play. This type of behavior can bring results. Unfortunately, results of the wrong type. Trying to do too-much too-fast can lead you down the fast-track to what is commonly known as 'over-use' injuries.
It is generally considered safe to increase one's amount of play or practice by five to ten percent a week in a limited way. The factors to consider are frequency, repetition, and resistance, and only ONE of them may be increased at a time. Let's look at a scenario for a weight lifter first, and then translate that into what it means for a golfer.
Joe, who works out at the gym, can bench press one hundred pounds, but would like to do more. In order to build up his muscles beyond their current capacity, there are several avenues Joe may take. He could increase the weight per lift (resistance) to 105 pounds (a conservative 5% increase), do 3 sets of 11 lifts instead of 3 sets of 10 (a 10% increase in repetitions), or he could go to the gym 11 times a month instead of the 10 he goes currently (an increase in frequency).
What would happen if Joe tired to increase both the number of lifts plus the weight per lift? Chances are, the only thing that Joe would be lifting for the next few weeks is a can of beer as he plays armchair quarterback until his injuries have healed!
Okay. Now how do we, the golfing public, do a safe increase in our favorite obsession? First of all, golfing practice is quite different from weight or endurance training. True, we must be fit enough to do our sport. But the acquisition of skills required of the golfer come about as a result of the right type of practice, as opposed to an aerobic or muscular build-up. Still, we must set limits and a reasonable schedule in order to both practice safely, and to be able to practice all the shots that we need.
For the wintering golfer who has now thawed out for spring, for the returning golfer who has been in hiatus, and for the beginning golfer, the recipe for success is the same; start out slowly! Limit your first session to a small bucket (approximately 30 balls) on the range, or a romp around your local pitch-and-putt or executive course for the first week.
Do try to pace yourself at the range. Instead of firing out ball-after-ball in rapid fire succession, slow down to a ball a minute, only use short to middle irons, and don't try to kill the ball. This will not only allow some recovery for your body between shots, but will give you time to analyze the flight path and then prescribe corrective measures for your next attempt. After your session, and for the next day or two, pay attention to your body and be aware of any soreness. A small amount might be acceptable, but if you feel any real pain, a consultation with you local physician would be in order.
Now how are we a week later? If you feel that you body was not complaining about how it was treated, let's do it again. Eventually, you may switch to a larger bucket on the range (increasing repetitions) by using some balls for additional full shots, and the remainder for chipping practice. Yes, you can chip out on the range, but you may want to be on the bottom level if it's multi-tiered!
Eventually, after a number or sessions, start working with fairway woods (increasing resistance), and then the driver. After a while, visit the range every sixth day (increasing frequency), then every fifth day, and eventually get it to twice a week. Just work up to it. You'll be glad you did!