How to get some swing speed back?

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Matt 4-L

Matt 4-L

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I have had some injuries the last couple of years and have gone from 108 mph down to 100 mph. My wrist has healed and I had knee surgery and physically I am close to 100% but have lost close to 10 mph. I am in my early forties and would like to know how to get back some swing speed, what type of exercises should I do? There is so much conflicting information out there. Heavy weights, light weights, special training devices, chains, stretching? I am looking for scientific information not gimmicks, what say the experts? Thanks, Matt
 
jenhaoyen

jenhaoyen

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Matt 4-L said:
I have had some injuries the last couple of years and have gone from 108 mph down to 100 mph. My wrist has healed and I had knee surgery and physically I am close to 100% but have lost close to 10 mph. I am in my early forties and would like to know how to get back some swing speed, what type of exercises should I do? There is so much conflicting information out there. Heavy weights, light weights, special training devices, chains, stretching? I am looking for scientific information not gimmicks, what say the experts? Thanks, Matt
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2 hours of driving range. Hitting nothing but driver as hard as you can.

that's what i have heard....
 
Matt 4-L

Matt 4-L

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Thanks for the idea Jen I may try that. I think there is no clear cut scientific evidence out there that clearly says this is how you gain more club head speed. Judging by the lack of responses I don't think there has been to much study done in this area. I am thinking about picking up one of those speed radar units that uses Doppler radar and some of the different ideas I have found on the web and see if any of them make a difference. Maybe I will pick out several and do one for two weeks and monitor my swing speed progress.
 
hp12c

hp12c

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Hey matt check out overload and underload training. That technique has been used for olympic atheletes in shot put, javelin, discuss. I also think baseball is getting into it too. From what Ive read the devices used need to be 20% lighter than normal = underload, and 20% heavier = overload. So if your drivers weight is x then u need 2 drivers 1 which is 20% lighter and 1 which is 20% heavier.
 
mgranato

mgranato

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Going through the same thing. I'm still down 10 mph from shoulder surgery late last summer. I think our common denominator (and major factor) is the "early forties" part. :rolleyes:
 
Erik_K

Erik_K

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I think you can easily adopt a blend of several techniques to get more power. If you want to be more powerful, you need to be stronger. That is nearly inarguable. No self-respecting coach, in any sport, would deny this. Since you've had some injuries, clearly you've lost some strength and maybe some flexibility.

Get back out there and start practicing. If you are trying to learn to swing faster and faster, then that's what you need to be practicing. As long you remain balanced, I don't see the problem with swinging a light object faster and faster. Develop the skill needed to whip that sucker around.

IMO, for golf, strength may be a tad over-rated. There are guys half my size who bomb their drivers 50+ yards more than me. They simply swing the club better. Their impact alignments are solid. So don't lose sight of the fundamentals. Picking up 10 more MPH is meaningless if you are 3/4 inch off center.
 
Matt 4-L

Matt 4-L

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I found an article written by Phil Cheetham about overload/underload (o/u) training for baseball, it basically concluded that bat speed increases were gained by using bats that were around 10% the weight of the regular bat weight. I think this is what I am going to try but now I have to figure out how to get a 10% lighter and heavier club, I think I will also add some stretching.

I am sure being in my forties is part of the problem. The local high school golf team plays at our course and I was playing the other day with the number one player who is only in tenth grade and he was blowing it by me with his three wood and he can't weigh more than a buck fifty, talk about depressing. I have been using the left knee surgery excuse but pretty soon their going to see through that and realize I am just an old man.
 
hp12c

hp12c

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Matt 4-L said:
I found an article written by Phil Cheetham about overload/underload (o/u) training for baseball, it basically concluded that bat speed increases were gained by using bats that were around 10% the weight of the regular bat weight. I think this is what I am going to try but now I have to figure out how to get a 10% lighter and heavier club, I think I will also add some stretching.

I am sure being in my forties is part of the problem. The local high school golf team plays at our course and I was playing the other day with the number one player who is only in tenth grade and he was blowing it by me with his three wood and he can't weigh more than a buck fifty, talk about depressing. I have been using the left knee surgery excuse but pretty soon their going to see through that and realize I am just an old man.
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Which club/s are u thinking of using driver, iron. I think an iron would be best, easier to add weight and reduce weight by grinding. Juat my 2 cents.
 
johnnymarlboro

johnnymarlboro

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Persimmon's are pretty easy to add and remove weight too. You can get them for a couple bucks at the thrift store rather than a hundred for a specialty club online. You can even add a lighter shaft, or fill the existing shaft with something to add weight as well.
 
E

earthshine2k

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I would pick up a Momentus 'Speed Whoosh' for your lighter training, and a Momentus 'Power Hitter' for your heavy training. They're each much more than the 10% lighter / heavier idea, but offset each other nicely. As the other guys have pointed out, you have to get faster, but to get faster, you'll need to get stronger. The hands and body have to be able to support the increased speed. My thought is that the key is to develop 'extra' speed so that you can feel like you're swinging at 85-90% but still have acceleration with a consistently controlled club face. If you had decent club head speed before, I wouldn't see any reason you can't get it back. But, if, like me, you never had it over 100 mph, anyway, it might not matter.
 
Matt 4-L

Matt 4-L

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Well I haven't done much yet, I am working a bit on my swing, I developed a slide into the ball with my bad left knee. I was afraid of posting up on it but now that I have it repaired I am trying to get rid of my tendency to do that. I will start an exercise program geared at increasing my swing speed shortly, I will keep you posted if anything is gained.
 
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Billy McKinney

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Fast twitch muscle fiber. Yes, it can be trained. X-iser. A TPI super-guru told me that is really the only tool they need. I can get you a deal if you're interested.
 
D

dlam

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Whenever I had a really good driving day, I felt especially strong over my forearms.
I never felt my body was turning any faster.
My arms seem to torque the shaft more effortless though
 
J

jdish

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I respect everyone's opinion here, but I hve some questions on how some of the previous posts will directly help a golf swing get faster. But please don't take my questioning as insulting.

Dschultz--how does getting stronger and putting on bulk add to swing speed? If it did would all tour pros be drinking a gallon of milk a day a day and doing 20 set breathing squats trying to get has strong as possible like power lifters.

Instead you have guys like rickie who is quite small and bubba who looks like he has never worked out except swinging a golf club.

Also, Billy how does a stair stepper make you swing faster? I know you heard it from this tpi guy but I really just don't get it.

I think there is a lot in common with people who can swing the club fast with arm speed for a baseball pitcher. I'm not saying pitchers swing golf clubs faster, but that generaing velocity wether in golf or baseball is a strange thing that is not fully understood. It is kind of a mysterious ability definitely not directly coorelated to strength. (look at Tim Lincecum)

I think the way to train is how a baseball pitcher learns to throw faster. You have to adapt your body to swing faster. It is a slow progression, but eventually you should be able to maximize speed for your genetic potential.

Here is how I would program it:

1. You need some sort of swing speed monitor so that you have a mechanism of feedback and you know when you have swung fast and push youself.

2. Monday: I would do 8 sets of 3 practice swings on Monday swinging as fast possible (either practice swings or hitting balls, but just trying to get as high a speed number as possible, not worrying about contact or where the ball goes.). Keep track of fastest swing in each set

3. Tuesday: Recover. Eat well, sleep well. Maybe go to the driving range and hit irons or play a round, but realize you will have taxed your muscles and the goal is recovery.

4. Wednesday: repeat Monday

5. Thursday: repeat Tuesday recovery day

6. Friday: repeat Monday.

Hopefully you start to see some progress in terms of your speed increasing. If you begin to stall you can increase the volume of swings Monday. Do a light day Wednesday and then just do a s
5 sets of 2 Friday where you try to reach new speed heights.
 
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