Today we’re talking to professional golfer Scott Stallings, who has three PGA Tour wins. Stallings may be one of the golf world’s elite, but he’s also been making waves in the fitness community for his physical transformation. About two years ago, Stallings made a commitment to lean out in order to boost his longevity in professional golf. Since then, he’s trained with some of the fitness and CrossFit world’s best, including 4-time CrossFit Games champion Rich Froning. (They’re both Tennessee residents, which has become a sort of new epicenter of functional fitness and strength sports.)
We chat about how strength training impacts golf performance, the movements Scott actively AVOIDS as a professional golfer, and the complex training schedule Stallings and other golfers have when active on tour. Ever wondered if professional golfers lift before or after rounds on the course? How does their travel schedule impact training? We chat about all of that and much, much more.
In this episode of the BarBend Podcast, David Thomas Tao talks to Scott Stallings about:
- Tracking fitness and progress through quarantine — and why golf wasn’t a huge priority (2:30)
- Scott’s unique workout group from across different sports (4:40)
- Movements Scott tends to avoid as a pro golfer (7:50)
- The fitness schedules of PGA Tour golfers and when they work out: Before or after a tournament round? (11:06)
- Scott’s fitness and weight loss journey, and being a good steward of your talent and body (14:00)
- Trends in fitness among professional golfers (14:50)
- Single arm kettlebell work, landmine presses, belt squats, and isolation movements: Scott’s training bread and butter (20:00)
- Finding forgotten pieces of equipment at Rich Froning‘s CrossFit Mayhem (23:50)
- Scott’s dream of making a combination fitness and golf “camp” (25:30)
- The athlete Scott would most like to work out with (who he hasn’t already trained with) (26:20)
Relevant links and further reading: