Exploring Tiger Woods' workout regime following his comeback to competitive golf

Tiger Woods has previously said that he's not much into lifting weights, but focuses more on tone and strength than building mass instead. Over the years, there has been quite a change in Woods' physique. When he entered the professional scene, he was a tall, lean boy. Gradually he gained muscles, and most recently, he has been looking all bulked up.

Earlier this month, Woods returned to action after a seven-month hiatus following subtalar fusion surgery on his right ankle. He looked fine at the Hero World Challenge and the PNC Championship. The 47-year-old revealed that he was pain-free in his ankle and credited his everyday training regime for the quick recovery.

This is not the first time the 15-time major champion has returned from injury. He has faced numerous injury setbacks in his almost three-decade-long career. Every time, he has worked hard on his body and returned stronger.

Let's take an in-depth look at the golfing icon's exercise regimen:

Woods' exercise routine comprises stretching, core strengthening, cardio, and weight sessions. He begins with a 40-minute stretching session to improve the motion range of his joints and also promote blood flow during exercise. This also helps achieve a tension-free golf swing, as it is one of the most prevalent reasons for injuries in games.

After the stretching, Woods engages in core muscle training that helps him gain more power while striking the ball without much strain on the back. The cardio session can be either running or biking. While sprinting, he aims to run at three miles per hour, with endurance running being as high as seven miles. This helps in building both slow and fast-twitch muscle fibers.

It is then followed by weight training, which can last as long as three hours. Tiger Woods clarified in his blog that he doesn't believe in lifting a lot of weight. He was quoted as saying by Express:

"The idea is to build the strength I need to crush a golf ball rather than develop big muscle volume.

"I lift sub-maximal weights at higher reps, sometimes 25 to 50, because I’m going for tone and endurance instead of bulk. Bodybuilders usually lift heavier weights in sets of six to 12 because they’re going for mass. Sometimes, I add plates to break up the routine and challenge myself, but I rarely lift a lot of weight.”

While Tiger Woods engages in a full-body workout, his primary focus is on his back, shoulders, and legs. This emphasis is aimed at gaining more lower body strength, as the power of golf swings comes primarily from that region.

After hardly competing in the last two seasons, Woods is looking to play more actively in 2024. A good fitness routine will play a vital role in his desire to play more next year.

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What is Tiger Woods' diet?

Tiger Woods starts with an egg white veggie omelette as breakfast. He then prefers to eat salads, lean meats, seafood, and vegetables for lunch and dinner. For carbs, he consumes fruits, vegetables, and sports drinks during workouts.

For snacks, the American is often seen eating an apple, banana, or energy bar during the rounds.