Cristie Kerr
Fitness Fore the Fairway
written by Wendy Friedman
When she is out on the green, 29-year old Cristie Kerr stands lean
and fit. One of the top-rated LPGA golfers, Cristie’s rank has been steadily
improving since she turned pro in 1997.However, early in her career, Cristie
battled a serious weight problem. Determined to change her ways, Cristie changed
her lifestyle and lost 60 pounds over two years, making
fitness an
integral part of her life. Lifestyle Magazine talked with Cristie to discuss how
she lost weight, her training regimen and the charity work that is her passion.
LM: Over the past few years you have transformed your figure. How did you
accomplish this?
CK: I lost a total of 60 pounds over the course of two years.
I was a size 14, went down to a size two and am now at a size four. I used a
combination of diet and exercise, the old fashioned way. I saw a
nutritionist
who taught me about portion sizes and healthy food choices and I kept a
journal of everything I ate and all of my exercises. Journals are great
because
they force you to be honest with yourself.
LM: How have you been able to keep
the weight office?
CK: It is never easy to keep it off considering our hectic
schedule on tour, lack of good gyms and food choices, but I have made diet
and exercise part of my lifestyle. When I slack off a bit and my favorite
clothes get tight, I double my efforts to get in the gym. I also try to change
up my exercise routine so it doesn’t get boring. When I am home, my husband and
I cook a lot which helps us to make sure the ingredients we use are healthy.
Restaurant food has a lot of hidden calories.
LM: That being said, what is your diet like?
CK: I like to eat a lot of small
healthy meals throughout the day to keep my metabolism up. I stay away from
simple carbohydrates as much as I can.
LM: In addition to keeping fit as
a woman, you are also a professional athlete. What type of workouts do you do
for strength, conditioning, and balance to succeed at golf?
CK: I do strength
building, Olympic type work in the off season and basic strength maintenance
during the year. I do cardio work in three different zones: low intensity
and long duration, medium intensity and mid duration and high intensity
and short duration. I vary this depending on where I am in my season
and practically what I can do.
LM: How does strength training complement your
golf training?
CK: My strength training absolutely affects my practice and
vice versa. I added 10 -15 yards to my driving distance and felt more fit on
the course. That is a big advantage in competition.
LM: Who do you train
with? How often? How much time do you spend with each?
CK: I work with my husband, who was a physiologist in his former life.
(He is
my manager now). I also have my own program for when I train alone. I train
for as little as 20 minutes if time is tight or as long as two hours. I train
five days a week when possible.
LM: What sport specific movement do you do
during training to ensure you are in top shape for tournaments?
CK: Cardio and
weight training five days a week. Most of my golf specific work is done in the
preseason and off weeks, mostly rotational core work and power moves like
squats, dead lifts, bench press and pull ups. During competition weeks I
specialize in small muscle groups for injury prevention, like shoulder
stabilizers.
LM: Having a strong core is essential to an effective
"stable "golf swing. What type of training do you do to strengthen the
core area?
CK: I do a lot of rotational core work, with medicine
balls, cables and body weight resistance. I am starting to do some yoga and
Pilates as well.
LM: Golfers need to have a lot
of flexibility in their backs and
sides. How do you train for this?
CK: We need a balance of strength and flexibility. I stretch a lot, at least30 minutes every day. I
also have "ART sessions” or Active Release Therapy, as much as I can. I
prefer dynamic stretching like active isolated stretches as opposed to
passive stretches.
LM: What toll does touring take on the body?
CK:
Touring makes training more of a challenge. We are on the road 30 weeks out of
the year and we are playing six days a week during those times. The golf swing
is an unnatural, repetitive stress on the body which has negative
results sometimes. Travel is also an added stress. The more positive things we
can do with our lifestyle to counteract those stresses, the better we can
perform.
LM: How do you find time to hit the gym on the road? Does the
LPGA provide a gym for
you when traveling?
CK: We have a traveling medical fitness trailer and I make sure to stay in hotels with gyms. Our
tour schedule coupled with sponsor obligations makes it tough, but for me it has to be a priority and
part of my life. There are times when I need to take days off to focus on my golf, but I am getting
better at being at peace with that.
LM: How do you eat healthy on the road?
CK: It’s very hard but I am fortunate enough to be able to stay in nicer
hotels with kitchens, and closer to better restaurants so I’m able to make better choices. I do as
much research as I can to put myself in better situations to be able to get
what I need to perform. In a way, it is a constant battle. I also have found great products that help
me get what I need. I use a new meal product called MIX 1 as a nutritional
supplement on the course.
LM: What type of meals do you eat before a long day of golf?
CK: I try to eat my calories the night before a morning round, and eat
complex carbohydrates the day of a round. I drink MIX 1 and eat fruit or peanut butter sandwiches on
the course. Our rounds last for hours and we need to eat while we play.
LM: Are there any differences between the workout regimens for female versus male
golfers?
CK: I don’t know, maybe in weight and intensity a bit, but we work out
pretty hard. I only compare myself to where I want to be. I think people
like Tiger Woods have raised the bar for all golfers, regardless of sex, to
add conditioning to our schedules.
LM: Do you have any pre-golf rituals?
CK: I try to do the same pre-round ritual, same stretches, same preparation, and I like to
wear certain colors on certain days…strictly fashionably speaking.
LM: Another one of your passions
is supporting breast cancer charities.
In 2006 you were the recipient of
the LPGA Komen Award from The
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
Foundation, and you founded Birdies
for Breast Cancer. How did you get
involved in breast cancer activism?
CK: My mother was diagnosed with
breast cancer in 2003 and I wanted
to do something personally to
contribute. I started by contributing
money for every birdie I made, and
through my sponsors and friends we
have built that into Birdies for Breast
Cancer raising over $450,000 to
fight the disease.
LM: Any notable charity events
planned in the near future?
CK: We do an event each year
that involves golf, poker and dinner.
People can also pledge money on
our Birdies for Breast Cancer website.
LM: What is your favorite course to
play on?
CK: My home course in Arizona is
Mirabel. I love that course for a lot of
reasons, particularly because it is home,
my sanctuary. When I travel east I like
the Trump courses, Deepdale and
Sleepy Hollow in New York.
For more information on
Cristie Kerr’s breast cancer charity,
or to make a donation, visit
www.birdiesforbreastcancer.com