RD McAvoy

Disagree if you want but that doesn't make anything I've posted inaccurate. BTW, I think you completely misunderstand what I'm saying and I've never heard Sasho mention lifting while he is Stacking. So here are some fun facts: Weight training is primarily aerobic in nature.... the opposite of the purpose The Stack is intended to do. Weight work CAN also be non-specific anaerobic in nature if done in burst modes. Fast twitch muscles possess a finite energy capacity stored within the muscle fibers themselves and even the highest trained individuals (Olympians) have merely 6 - 8 minutes IN TOTAL capacity. Once human anaerobic energy stores are consumed the body switches to aerobic muscle energy (glycogen from fat) and the fast twitch muscles are done as they no longer have an energy source. Approximately 24 hours is required to replenish anaerobic energy. (Gee, wonder why the Olympians take full days off during the games after a competition? Why MLB pitchers run out of gas? Boxers lose their punch velocity / force? Etc.) This is simple and basic human physiology. Further, as to the time length of training, a total Stack workout may require 30 minutes but the actual Stack exercises (swings) themselves require only about 1 second each. There's plenty of unused anaerobic capacity for the fast twitch muscles to consume during Stack training.... so long as one hasn't previously used up their anaerobic capacity lifting weights or in a gym beforehand! Finally, aerobic activity will not recruit switchable fast twitch type B or X fiber. That's an indisputable fact and that is exactly what The Stack System is coaching users to do. I began studying this topic in 2004 and ALL of these facts are out there in numerous scientific articles, research, journals, and books dating from the 1950's.

The Stack App. A person training MUST have a way to quantify their results. Period. I've trained for speed in the past using static devices with varying workout protocols. I really prefer the variety of The Stack protocols as it guides you along. Plain and simple it's the best out there.

A user of any speed training protocol MUST have feedback else how would one quantify if their training is effective and producing the desired results? How would one be efficient with their training? Gotta have a way to measure speed and there's no way around it.

Friendly pointer: ALWAYS be aware that you can injure a shoulder at anytime or age. It's vital to warm up the shoulders properly before speed training as they are pretty fine fibers. They can and do tear even with mild use. I've had three rotator (2 on Rht, 1 on Lft) / and bicep repairs on both to prove my point. Interestingly the shoulders can actually have LESS pain during activity v resting. You'll know if a shoulder is injured if it is painful during sleep or first thing in the morning. I use Therabands regularly to keep my shoulders strong and safe. Ice is your friend. All the best.

Divorce. Just kidding. Message Sasho from within the app and he can fix it for you.

Apologies for the length here. So I was only referring to weight work mentioned in the replied to thread not general exercise. High paced aerobic fitness activities like walking, running, skipping rope, etc. are fine especially on off days... actually full body burst training is Ok as well (like box jumps, skipping rope, etc. post Stack sessions or on off days) I use an older Nordic Track Skier every day or sometimes walk for 20 min prior to a Stack session to loosen up. Physiology: Fast twitch muscle energy is stored within the fast twitch fibers themselves unlike slow twitch muscles that utilize energy from breaking down fat into glycogen (sugar) for energy. There are two types of fast twitch fiber: A and B or often referred to as X. Those A/X specific fibers are uniquely switchable and will behave as slow twitch if not retained or recruited in a burst training method or continually used in a burst format. Fast twitch muscles are anaerobic and have only approx 5-8 minutes / 24 hrs or less of energy storage. Once anaerobic capacity is exhausted the body shifts into aerobic training mode and begins recruiting slow twitch muscle. This is the exact opposite of what we want. This recruitment of A/X is what’s really going on with speed training, as well as laying down neural pathways, as the human doesn’t really increase the volume of fast twitch fiber. We're trying to turn aerobic behaving fast twitch fiber off and train it behave as fast twitch. Think of a pitcher losing ball velocity in late innings as they exhaust their fast twitch muscle energy. We want a full energy tank when we train to maximize results. Advise not to hit golf balls before a speed session. You can afterwards but limit it to approx 25 balls. Again, you do not want to do anything that retrains the type B/X muscle to act as slow twitch once the anaerobic energy stores are degraded. Limited pull-ups or push-ups on off days are Ok but done rapidly (bursts) as described. Low weight (6-10 lbs) one or two 8 rep Wall-ball sessions are my favorite off day training as it addresses all of the same muscles groups plus balance work as in the golf golf swing. Not a fan of swinging a heavy or weighted clubs as it’s critical to allow the shoulder rotator cuffs and upper back muscles to rest and recover between sessions. That’s what the Stack session is for. Last thing: I’ve recently become a big fan of StickMobility. Been very surprised at the increases in range of motion, less post workout aches, and ease of use. I tested / used a closet rod for a few weeks before buying the Sticks (use the purchase code: on the mark for a couple of free golf training classes) and you can also find bamboo sticks, used for centuries in Asia, on Amazon. Been all around speed training for 16 years and happy to share what I’ve learned but new things are discovered every day. Hope this helps. All the best.

I never said you "can't"; I said you shouldn't because once anaerobic storage capacity is exhausted — approx 6 minutes worth over 24 hours, with 24 hours to fully recover —- you’re in an aerobic state…. actually training slow twitch muscles v recruiting fast twitch. The very first energy stores the body uses up is the anaerobic stores. The main issue is, unless one keeps very close track of the time element most folks will be totally unaware they've shifted into aerobic work... until they notice fatigue which is way, way too late for speed training. There IS some anecdotal evidence that power lifting can benefit speed training but I'm unaware of any professional org that advocates that for speed work. Aerobic work of any type is the exact opposite intent of the specificity of speed training. Not saying you aren’t supporting improving speed or your body overall or adding slow twitch muscle or strength as there are overlaps in any non-isolated muscle training. It greatly depends on individual PHYSIOLOGY prior to speed training. If one is highly athletic or in great shape some differences may not be readily apparent. I think jumping or wall-ball is not aerobic in general but If you’re doing free weights, which are generally aerobic in nature, you're likely to degrade speed training results. Doing everything in bursts is the best general policy. All of my knowledge is based upon work done by the USOC commonly referred as “The Bat Speed Study” and well documented in numerous academic publications. The Institutes of Sport in Australia and Sweden have years of data as does the old East Germans and Russians who did this in the 1950's. Kelvin Miahira in Hawaii was a brilliant source from his studies at the U. of Ha. Plenty of other sources if one seeks them out. All the best.

Everyone slows with age because that's what humans do. Yes, one can add back speed at any age (I have) but there are physiological issues that cannot be overcome no matter what. It also takes longer to achieve speed results as well. That said adding strength BEFORE speed training OR in between Stack / lengthy protocols is fine... just not during. Speed training is pretty simple... it's max effort swing reps with alternating over-speed and under-speed aids of some form. In 2007 I used a blank shaft and SwingChains to gain 19 MPH. Today there are a variety of things out there. The Stack is the best because of the app and support not necessarily for the actual regimens. NOTE: When speed training, one SHOULD NOT combine ANYTHING that is not done as bursts either (i.e. reps as many as possible in 30 seconds or 8 - 10 reps in 8 seconds or less), other than flexibility training. Proper speed work as The Stack is doing two things: Laying down neural pathway to fire / sequence the muscles and recruiting Type B or X fast twitch muscles as well as overall strengthening. Lifting or weight room work that requires slow twitch muscles or is aerobic only teaches going slow and doing such will degrade the speed training. One CAN do small parallel things as a few reps of 8 - 10 lb wall ball tosses on an off day or flexibility at any time as tai chi, pilates, MobilityStick work (my personal favorite), yoga. High speed games like ping-pong boxing speed bag prolly won't hurt. Another is swinging a blank shaft 8 - 10 times on off days and this totally supports what The Stack is doing... just don't do more than about 10-12 reps. Avoid any other activity no matter how much sense it might make as It'll just slow progress and results. Have been there since 2007. I can attest that John Novosel Jr's training works. The Stack does also. Baseball training group Driveline.com is going to get into golf and they have years of training big league hitters / pitchers. Mark Immelmann did a podcast with them in December I believe and it's worth a listen. All the best.

The first time I trained for speed in 2007 I failed to see ANY improvement for the first 6+ weeks. Morale: We're all different. While I've no idea your baseline stuff, your swing, heath, history, based on my experience here is what I think could help you. 1) In the APP go into the courses and do the Neural OverDrive course. Do not care about the speed results. 2) Get just a blank drive shaft with a grip preferably a driver or 3 wood shaft without the hosel to attach the clubbed. Cut about an 18" piece of flexibility tubing and slip if over the head end of the shaft so you have sort of a whip. It'll give you just enough resistance to activate your fast twitch muscles. Now, swing this a dozen times as absolutely as fast as possible then hit 10 range balls with your regular driver as fast as possible(do not care where the balls go). Repeat the session three times 3x a week for 3 weeks. Then go back to the Stack and see if you've made any gains. If Yes then continue with the Stack. If No go back to the shaft and driver protocol. Lastly hit your driver at the range as much as possible just as Karl Berkshire says. Eventually you'll improve but you first have to overcome either your mental or physical roadblock. All the best.

No! If anything take another day off. The body and brain need the downtime to recover. If you can't find the time to do a complete workout then get a blank shaft and swing that as fast a possible 2 sets of 10 - 12 swings. OR use the Stack with no weights in the same manner. Laying down the neural pathway to fire the fast twitch muscles is actually more important than brute strength. All the best.

Overdoing it physically and training to go slower by hitting a lot of range balls at targets. CHS training has zero to do with accuracy… that’ll come later and besides your swing is changing. Must have adequate recovery time for fast twitch muscles to store anaerobic energy… about 24 hours of rest / non-anaerobic activity. (Think days off for MLB pitchers) Focus on Stack on alternate days and hitting only a few range balls afterwards if you want. No more than a handful of full out rips with driver. Cut down to 24 or so shots in other range practice sessions. Practice in uber slow motion at home in front of a mirror if you wanna work on your swing. All the best.

Mine doesn’t. Grit varies. Sending Stack an email.

Keep going!!! Totally normal “progress” and you’re just getting started! I lost 1 MPH after Foundation; now up 10 MPH at end of Neural 1. Trained for CHS in ‘07 (high teens eventually) and saw very nearly the same pattern. It just takes effort over time. Gaining CHS can take several days / weeks / months+ depending on age, overall physical condition at start, height, swing technique, etc. Just Ask DeChambeau. We are not at all the same so guard against giving up way, way too soon. Do not hit balls before a Stack session …. evuh. That wastes anaerobic energy from the fast twitch muscles we’re trying to recruit. Scale way back your range practice sessions… especially with the driver. I’ve added some TRX / wall ball / slam ball exercises to improve strength / power / conditioning post Stack workouts and it has helped me gain CHS. I was a sloth. Good info inside the app on blending Stack with other stuff. You can email McKenzie and get a reply as well. All the best.

Product sounds interesting and 15 years ago I had a Sunto watch for clocking club speed so things have progressed. Can a user establish swing "baselines" for the dewiz to metric against or is it merely capturing wrist location data from the current swing only? Will dewiz provide the angles of a swing plane backswing v through swing? Will dewiz provide data in a vertical plane such as at start of downswing as the hands should start down essentially vertically or through impact as the lead arm begins to elevate into the followthrough? Regarding hand speed, does dewiz have the capability to provide data for a specified location in the swing? (i.e. Is it a user decision to view their hand speed 1/2 way down or 1/4 of the way down, etc? I may have missed this but will dewiz capture arm / forearm rotation? All the questions I have at the moment without actually seeing dewiz person but sounds like a useful tool. Thanks!

Over/under training goes back to an US Olympic study for women’s softball. That study revealed hitting 10 ball sets 3 times a week with max effort using a bat 10% heavier, 10% lighter, normal bat, increased bat speed considerably. Sooooo, based on the bat speed study, my Ping driver weighing 328gms, thus the max speed training weight would be 360gm. Of course it’s fluid and student dependent which is where the app comes in. I’m confident Sasho has more science than me but this is the basics.

I'm no Phd but I've trained for CHS and have had superb gains in the past. The answer to your question is it's pure biomechanics. The early 1070's US Olympic blue ribbon study committee referenced the "Bat Speed" of female softball players. They discovered that swinging a bat 10% heavier v normal, 10% lighter v normal, normal bat ten reps each / three - 5 days a week, as fast as can be done, consistently elevated bat speeds for all players. This training is referred to as "overweight/underweight" burst training. MLB has used similar training for years. BUT it's not about the training "club" weight necessarily as it is how it's applied. You train for speed by going faster.... in everything! In other words, 1st because the brain has no reference and lacks knowledge it has to be taught what speed really is. As training moves along a player lays down a new neural pathway to fire/sequence the muscles/motions to generate increased velocity. Humans LEARN that fastest while using a lighter weight training object. At the same time we are trying to recruit a subset of fast twitch muscle fiber named Fast Twitch B or X. This portion of overall fast twitch fiber is unique as it will behave as true anaerobic fiber (energy stored within the muscle) OR it will "switch" and behave as slow twitch which is not switchable. We are by nature a sedentary creature conserving energy and thus prone to using / recruiting fast twitch B/X as non-fast twitch fiber. Think of a marathoner trying to run a 60m sprint. Or the inverse of a sprinter trying to run a marathon. Two completely different training approaches though both are running. This is similar to what happens in golf. So how does one recruit fast twitch B/X muscle? 1st, everything must be done in bursts; as fast as possible; even to the point of losing stability and control. We learn best while "over training & failure.” Think High Intensity Training.... as many reps in 8 seconds or 8 - 10 reps with minimal rest between reps as fast as possible. 2nd, Using a lighter/heavier/normal "club" (over/under training) and something that replicates the same general motion. 3rd, players brains must have feedback to verify that performance in improving thus speed radar is essential. Final thoughts: With speed training sometimes "less is more" as rest is essential for both the brain and the muscles. (Humans only have about 7min of anaerobic capacity stored within fast twitch muscle fiber. It takes about 24 hours to replenish it so don't hit a bunch of golf balls before/after speed training.) If one wants to swing slow(er) then train slow… use primarily a heavier driver v normal or lift weights. (Speed is not the same as power. Think whine RPM v engine torque.) It's why The Stack System has a wide range of weights to zero in on the most effective mixture. Having trained for speed in the past, the SS software is intriguing and makes perfect sense. All the best. Addendum: The many variable weight combinations of the SS are brilliant as not every user has the identical strength / speed demands or will develop at the same rate over time, have like gains. Having a handy piece of software do all the results tracking is far easier and effective than manually as I've done in the past.