“To add distance & accuracy to your drives, you must get into a routine and remain consistent. To do that, you must understand how to hack your habits…”

One day in the early 1900s, an American executive named Claude C. Hopkins was approached by an old friend with a new business idea.

It was a toothpaste, a minty, frothy concoction he called “Pepsodent”.

It was no secret that the health of Americans’ teeth was in steep decline.

When the government started drafting men for World War I, so many recruits had rotting teeth that officials said poor dental hygiene was a national security risk.

Hopkins was known for turning products into household names and initially was not interested in the Pepsodent campaign.

However, he eventually agreed to undertake the campaign and it would be the wisest financial decision of his life.

Hopkins turned Pepsodent into one of the best-known products on earth, and in the process, helped create a toothbrushing habit that moved across America with startling speed.

A decade after the first Pepsodent campaign, pollsters found that toothbrushing had become a ritual for more than half the American population.

Hopkins had helped establish toothbrushing as a daily activity.

So how did he do it?

And how can we use this insight to increase our distance & accuracy?

He did it by taking advantage of the habit loop, and we can do the same…

The habit loop consists of 3 components…

First, a cue or trigger.

Second, a routine.

Third, a reward.

In Pepsodent’s case, the cue or trigger was tooth film.

The routine was toothbrushing with Pepsodent toothpaste.

And the reward according to Hopkins was a prettier more beautiful smile.

Although it was later argued that the reward was actually the tingling feeling people got after brushing their teeth.

To ensure you don’t procrastinate on your golf-specific exercise & stretching routine, you can take advantage of this same habit loop like so…

First, identify a cue or trigger…

This can be as simple as waking up in the morning or coming home from work.

It can be whatever you want.

Second, attach your routine to the cue.

For example… “When I wake up, I do my 15 min exercise & stretching routine.”

Or… “As soon as I get home from work, I do my 15 min exercise & stretching routine.”

Third, identify a reward.

This can be an extrinsic reward, like getting a massage or watching some guilt-free tv right after.

Or an intrinsic reward like telling yourself something you noticed that made you feel good like this…

“I was so stiff before I did my stretching routine, but now I am relaxed, limber, and pain-free!”

The reward you pick is up to you, and your inner-dialogue can be whatever you want.

But can it really be that simple?

Yes! Give it a shot and see for yourself.

It takes some trial-and-error but once you’ve identified the right cue + reward combination…

Your procrastination will melt-away…

You’ll have a consistent exercise & stretching routine…

And as a result, your distance & accuracy will naturally go up!

So what’s next?

In Chapter 1, we discussed how we get stiffer as we age, but that we have power and control over choosing to move or not. Increasing your flexibility & strength to improve your golf game IS still possible — even if you’ve been sitting on your backside for decades, don’t have the energy or feel like it’s too late for you already. “It’s never over until it’s over.” – Charles Eugster

In Chapter 2, we discussed functional flexibility and how you can get that with dynamic stretches instead of static stretches.

In Chapter 3, we revealed how to achieve a more powerful, efficient, and consistent golf swing by fixing tight hips… specifically the psoas major muscle.

And today in Chapter 4 we discussed how to hack your habits to make it easier to get into a routine and remain consistent… so that you can increase your distance & accuracy.

The only thing remaining is to answer the most commonly asked question we’ve been getting throughout this series…

“Ben, what exercise & stretching routine should I do?!”

I’ve designed a routine that will help you…

Reduce or even eliminate pain & stiffness…

Increase your strength and flexibility for more distance & accuracy…

AND will keep you playing golf for years to come…

All in just minutes per day.

No gym, no equipment, no weight lifting required.

Click Here To See The Routine I Recommend

-Benjamin Arnold M.D.
Founder of GolfBodyRx

A graduate of University of Texas Medical Branch
TPI Certified Professional Level One
& TPI Certified Medical 2

P.S. A great book I recommend…to go deeper with habits is…

“The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business” by Charles Duhigg. You can find it on Amazon.

Have you read it?

Have questions? Send an email to support@golfbodyrx.com to let me know!