Montauk Pioneer - July 25, 2008

Golfers are all looking for that magical tip that will improve their swing-and give them the cutting edge over their competition. Now you can improve your swing with two valuable new workshops, coming soon to Montauk and also surrounding areas.

These new classes have to do with using the popular yoga positions, Pilates moves, and the trendy "Gyrotonics" and "Gyrokinesis" methods-all being taught by fitness expert Pamela Warshay of Sage Fitness studio in Manhattan. While she is out and about touring the country, and also abroad, she is traveling to Montauk and the Hamptons this summer to help give that extra edge to the many avid golfers here.

She will be teaching the first workshop on August 9, at the Body Tech Gym at the Montauk Playhouse, called, "Pilates For Golf: Core Strength and Balance." Also that day, she will teach another workshop at the Body Tech gym at the Montauk Playhouse called, "Gyrokinesis for Golfers: Hip and Shoulder Turn-Increasing Your X Factor."

Warshay, who has trained numerous golfers around the world in her 20 years of fitness work, said that "Pilates For Golf" teaches golfers to develop strength in their abdominal and back muscles.

"They learn how to increase their range of motion using these muscles, so their golf swing will have more stability and mobility. These are specific exercises that golfers can take home with them to use as a pregame warm-up and overall maintenance program."

Warshay explained that Pilates is also known to improve posture because it targets the core muscles of the torso. This exercise has been around since the 1940s when it was founded by Joseph Pilates, but it has really grown in popularity over the last 10 years. Although Pilates is taught on equipment, it is also taught on mats and Warshay will be teaching these mat exercises at Body Tech. She has the Pilates equipment available at her Manhattan studio on West 11th Street and Broadway.

The "Gyrokinesis For Golfers" that she will teach at Body Tech is part of the Gyrotonic System that uses the full range of motion while working on strength training.

"It's a great way to help increase rotation and mobility, and it's perfect for golf," she said. The class addresses spinal rotation, shoulder range of motion and hip rotation.

"When you put all these together, you get a better pendulum effect, and a bigger range of motion for the swing," Warshay said. "Golfers can take this home with them as a nice handful of exercises they can do on their own."

For information or to register for these classes, call Laura at Body Tech in Montauk at 631-902-2742.

On Sunday, August 10, Warshay will also be teaching "Yoga For Golf" workshops at Sangha Yoga in Montauk. From 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., she will teach, "Core Strength and Balance: Reducing Sway," and from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., she will teach, "Hip and Shoulder Turn: Increasing Your X Factor."

Yoga for golfers is becoming increasingly popular amongst serious golf players. Warshay trained with Katherine Roberts who came from a golfing family and first made the connection between yoga and golf.

"One day she was playing golf with a woman who just blew her away, and she asked what the secret was, and this woman told her she studied yoga," said Warshay. Roberts developed a Hatha-based yoga system that addresses specific needs of golfers." She said yoga techniques can get golfers to be stronger and more flexible.

"The thing I love about yoga is that it's so portable, and different people benefit depending on their particular golf issues. If they do their first hole warm-up before they play, it will help them with hip and shoulder issues."

Janine Logie, owner of Sangha Yoga, said she is excited to be having these golf-oriented classes at her studio. "Yoga can enhance any athletic endeavor, and by combining yoga with golf, I think people will have a better idea of how it can help their game," she said. "With so many golfers in Montauk, we thought this would be a great summer workshop to offer, and we hope all the golfers take advantage of this opportunity."

She added that yoga also teaches golfers about body awareness and added grace in movement. For information or to register for these classes, call Janine at Sangha Yoga at 631-238-5450.

On August 2, Warshay will also be teaching "Hatha Yoga For Golfers" at Lululemon at 35 Main Street in East Hampton, at 9:30 a.m. She will be available for questions and advice later, upstairs in the boutique.

Also on August 2, she will be teaching two "Pilates/Gyrotonics for Golf" clinics at Symmetry Studio in Southampton, from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., and from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. She is also available to teach golf foursomes at The Body Shop in East Hampton. For a full list of workshops and updated times, check the website at www.sagefitness.com