Getty Images: Tiger Woods

There's only one Tiger Woods, and the odds are you're not him. But even if you haven't won oodles of tourneys and bazillions of dollars, you still have hope! The U.S. Open begins on Thursday, June 18 in Bethpage, N.Y. With a well-rounded training routine, you might just be able to improve your golf game enough to score some endorsement deals, or at least a few more birdies, in no time at all.

Having a great swing is clearly a top goal when you hit the green, but you'll also want to spend some time working on your body to make it capable of improvement. Strength is vital, but more important is flexibility. A mobile back, flexible hips and limbs are goals you should strive for to create a more fluid swing and prevent injuries. Taking preventative measures to avoid sprains and strains will allow you to spend your time on improvement instead of in recovery.

Click here to view a superb golf stretching guide published by the Mayo Clinic. Every athlete has a certain amount of sports-specific training he must endure to excel at his game, and adding these moves to your routine has the potential to take yours to the next level. So as our elite golfers show off their best, let them inspire you to be your best as well.

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In your neck of the woods, it might still be a little too cold and snowy to even think about getting outside and hitting the links. However, before you know it, you're going to start seeing that gorgeous spring weather that has you carrying your clubs around in your car at all times, just in case you get a chance to play.

But why wait until it's 70 degrees and sunny to start improving your game? STOTT PILATES® has a Pilates for Golf Power Pack designed to help you prep for Pebble Beach from the comfort of your living room, and I had a chance to check it out.

The Golf Power Pack includes a mat, two DVDs (Pilates on the Green, Level 1 and Pilates on the Green, Level 2), as well as a water-resistant, pocket-sized Warm-up Exercise Guide, so you can take your moves with you to the course. I've done a couple of STOTT PILATES® workouts before, so I was really curious to see how this measured up.

There are many ways to train each muscle. I'm a girl who likes challenging and efficient exercises. This three-part routine, shown here and featuring me and Anthony Field of The Wiggles, not only made my arms shake ... it exhausted my chest and abs and left me breathless in a very short period of time. Looking for something new, challenging and fun? This is your answer.

If you're interested in getting the rings like the one's shown here in this video, visit RingTraining.com and look for Elite Rings. And for more star-studded training videos, fitness tips and recipes, visit Fitzness.com.

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My friend's son is just shy of 3-years-old and his favorite activity is golf. Nearly every Saturday, he goes to the driving range with his dad for some quality time. But that doesn't curb this toddler's craving for golf. Every day, he likes to go in the backyard and swing at his wiffle balls. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen. Here's this tiny little kid who in all other ways is a completely typical toddler -- but when you put a golf club in his hands, he's advanced far beyond his years. He's a natural.

But if you're like me, a golf swing is anything but natural. My son has a newly developed love for golf, so we've been going to the driving range quite often. It's almost inevitable that I'll end up with slightly aching upper body muscles after driving a bucket of balls.

Alive Magazine has some upper and lower body strengthening exercises that will help you put some strength and control in your swing. Tiger Woods strength trains to improve his swing ... if it's good enough for Tiger, it's good enough for me!

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With summer comes swing sets. So get those kids outdoors for some fresh air and physical activity -- let them slide, swing, jump, and climb. Just make sure they're safe as they scoot up and down and all around. Don't know where to begin? The U.S. National Safety Council offers these tips for securing your back yard play things.

• Make sure your equipment is very sturdy.
• Look for sets that can be changed or upgraded to accommodate your child's growth.
• Secure the legs of the set in below-ground concrete. Got anchors that came with the set? Keep them below ground.
  
• Make sure all cables are taut. Cap any screws or bolts.
• Be sure your slide has no more than a 30-degree slope. Your slide must have tall sides to prevent falls, and an area at the bottom where children can regain balance and sit upright.
• Avoid sets with "S" hooks or parts that can pinch, cut, or crush small fingers.
  
• Avoid rings that are less than five inches or greater than 10 inches in diameter.
• Equipment should not be higher than eight feet tall.
  
• Be careful with metal equipment. It can lead to burns when used in hot weather.

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Before jumping into your daily resistance training workout, it's always best to perform a total body warm-up of some kind. In most cases, this can be accomplished with a low- to moderate-intensity session on an elliptical. However, to really prime your muscles, you may also want to include a simple move known as the kettlebell swing.

First -- what the heck is a kettlebell? It's a type of weight that's a bit more unbalanced than a traditional dumbbell. Believe me, you've seen them before -- most likely in grainy, black and white or sepia-toned photos of YMCA gyms from the 1930s. The problem is, many gyms still don't have kettlebells. Does that mean that you're out of luck? Not at all. A dumbbell can work almost just as well for this exercise.

To perform the swing, stand with your feet wider than your shoulders and hold a light kettlebell (or dumbbell) in your right hand in front of your hips, arm straight and with your palm facing your body. Next, squat down, shifting your hips back, as you lower the weight between your legs. Then, swing it forward to chest level as you rise up from your squatting position. Continue in this manner for many reps and then switch arms. Believe me, after a few minutes you'll feel more than just warmed-up.

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It's spring and in my Northern Virginia neighborhood that means kids and parents are hitting the playgrounds again. Kids are flocking to swings and slides while parents, mostly moms, sit on benches and gossip, read or do some crafty thing with their hands. Well, here's a novel idea. Get up and get moving with your kids because it's a good chance to get some exercise.

My daughter often yells, "Your turn, Mommy!" after her spins on the slides. Climbing the steps and going down the slide over and over has got to be worth something. Then she runs over to the swings and I run after her. Then I push her hard because she wants to go "super high." At one of the bigger, more elaborate playgrounds there's a zip cord. And it's a big hit. My little one isn't quite big enough or strong enough to do it herself, so I prop her up on one arm and run back and forth with her holding on. Believe me, it's a workout.

So put away the phone, reading material and knitting and shut your trap and get moving next time you take a trip to the playground with your kids. You'll be the "cool mom" in your kids' eyes and your body will thank you.