How to get some swing speed back?

[Bigwill]

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.

This is the exact kind of thing I did. There's merit to the other stuff posted as well, but I can personally vouch for swinging a normal driver fast as you can in order to gain speed. The radar is invaluable as a tool to monitor progress. It doesn't have to be accurate, just consistent enough to track increases. It also allows you to experiment with different techniques to discover which one generates the most speed in your swing.

 

[Billy McKinney]

I thought this was a legit post until I googled it.

I'm as serious as a heart-attack. It's a high-velocity overspeed trainer. You don't just step, you do kinda pushups on it as fast as you can
and it somehow makes a turn seem like nothing. Out here in California, they're all over the place. Grownups don't sprint any more. I'm talking all out, tiger chasing you acceleration. Get it from somewhere else so you don't think I was selling you something.

 

[Matt 4-L]

I'm as serious as a heart-attack. It's a high-velocity overspeed trainer. You don't just step, you do kinda pushups on it as fast as you can
and it somehow makes a turn seem like nothing. Out here in California, they're all over the place. Grownups don't sprint any more. I'm talking all out, tiger chasing you acceleration. Get it from somewhere else so you don't think I was selling you something.

Billy, I thought you were pulling my chain, I would love to hear an explanation of how it is done. ...I have recieved my swing speed radar and will make some swings today to get a baseline set. I plan to do over speed training by using an old pulled shaft from a driver plus some stretching, I will keep you posted if it works at all.

 

[Matt 4-L]

Ok I have made some swings. My first swing of the day was 97 mph. I have been trying to get my lower body working better and started trying to fire my hips faster and was able to get my swing speed up to 110 mph max. I probably was more like averaging 105-107 mph once I started really firing hips.

I am really liking the swing speed radar device, it gives you an instant feedback if trying something different actually helps or hinders swing speed. I can see how using trackman or flightscope would do wonders during practice.

 

[hp12c]

Ok Matt this will sure increase your swing speed for sure.

 

[hp12c]

Ok I have made some swings. My first swing of the day was 97 mph. I have been trying to get my lower body working better and started trying to fire my hips faster and was able to get my swing speed up to 110 mph max. I probably was more like averaging 105-107 mph once I started really firing hips.

I am really liking the swing speed radar device, it gives you an instant feedback if trying something different actually helps or hinders swing speed. I can see how using trackman or flightscope would do wonders during practice.

Are those speed reading with a clubhead on the shaft?

 

[Matt 4-L]

Are those speed reading with a clubhead on the shaft?

Yes with the clubhead. Without the clubhead just swinging the shaft I could get into the 130s and around 150 with just my right hand...When hitting my regular driver I found that turning my hips fast and feeling like my wrists were severely hinging in the transition got me in the 110 range.

 

[blehnhard]

Matt.

What Swing Speed radar device did you get and where??

Thanks,

Bruce

 

[Matt 4-L]

Bruce this is the radar I got

Sports Sensors Swing Speed Radar:Amazon:Sports & Outdoors

I bought it directly from the distributor but I had to buy three. If your interested in one I will sell you one of the three at my cost, $66 plus shipping.

 

[blehnhard]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the info. I will be happy to purchase one for the $66 plus shipping. Let me know how you want to handle the transaction.

Can you use it both with hitting balls as well as just swinging the club without a ball?


Bruce

 

[Matt 4-L]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the info. I will be happy to purchase one for the $66 plus shipping. Let me know how you want to handle the transaction.

Can you use it both with hitting balls as well as just swinging the club without a ball?


Bruce

Yes you can use it hitting balls or taking just practice swings without a ball. When hitting a ball you place the unit about 6-8" from the ball and turn it approximately 45 degrees toward where the club will be coming into the ball. If you have it facing directly at the ball it will pick up the ball speed and not the clubhead. There are lots of youtube videos that explain how to use it.

We can do the transaction through my golf course so you don't have to send money through the mail we can put it through on a credit card. Just call the pro shop and I will tell our Pro Spring Javor to get your shipping info and we will do it that way.

Mulberry Fore Golf Course, 517-852-0760

Matt

 

[blehnhard]

Let me know when you have spoken with Spring so that he will know that I will be calling. Credit Card works great for me.

Thanks for your help - Bruce

 

[Matt 4-L]

I told Spring, she is waiting for a call.

 

[blehnhard]

Done - Thanks Again -Bruce

 

[Matt 4-L]

No problem, glad to help. I will shoot you a PM with the tracking number.

 

[blehnhard]

Got it, thanks for the prompt service

 

[dschultz6072]

Well you don't have to believe my advice about the lifting regimen. I just know the guy increased his speed by 10 mph from doing it. The way I see it, you can have speed, and you can have strength. The ones who have both are the ones who bomb the piss out of it without much of a sweat.

 

[Matt 4-L]

What I am doing is swinging as fast as I can with just a driver shaft; I am doing 3 sets 10 each with just my right arm, left arm, and both arms. I am also doing isometrics with elastic bands at the top of the swing, half way down and at impact. I am doing these every other day.

I went out and hit some balls yesterday on my rest day and checked my driver speed and 102 mph was my max speed, I only hit a few bit my muscles did seem a little fatigued so I decided to just play nine. I did shoot my lowest nine hole score, a 5 under 31, so I got that going for me.

 

[Erik_K]

Well you don't have to believe my advice about the lifting regimen. I just know the guy increased his speed by 10 mph from doing it. The way I see it, you can have speed, and you can have strength. The ones who have both are the ones who bomb the piss out of it without much of a sweat.

The advice you give is fine and for the most part correct. However there needs to be a balance between strength and skill. Most people think that lifting weights adds many lbs of lean mass and you lose your flexibility and athletic talent. I will tell you that olympic power lifters are among the world's strongest people are perhaps some of the most flexible. But I won't waste time debunking myths about strength training.

I think most weekend golfers can swing the clubhead at 90+ MPH which is plenty of speed - enough to hit the driver 250 at least if you make consistent contact at the center of the face. But if you want more speed and distance - then you need to develop that capacity via strength and also the skill needed to move the object quickly though the hitting zone while staying balanced.

 

[jdish]

Well you don't have to believe my advice about the lifting regimen. I just know the guy increased his speed by 10 mph from doing it. The way I see it, you can have speed, and you can have strength. The ones who have both are the ones who bomb the piss out of it without much of a sweat.

I agree. I did rippetoe's starting strength and made a long linear progression for close to 6 months. I increased body weight by 30 lbs and was dead lifting over 450lbs and benching close to 300. I seriously bulked up and looked like a linebacker. I did hit of further, but just a little but further. Just like Erik is saying also, I think it is a combination of fitness, developing swing speed, technique, solid contact etc.