Question for you fitness experts

[tony@CIC]

As I'm getting ready to shut down our season I'm also ramping up my exercise routine. One of my goals is increasing swing speed so for you exercise experts is there a particular muscle group that accomplishes this?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

[yungkory]

As I'm getting ready to shut down our season I'm also ramping up my exercise routine. One of my goals is increasing swing speed so for you exercise experts is there a particular muscle group that accomplishes this?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

 

I'm not an expert, but I have sought out professional advice from a friend of a friend. He's one of those Titleist certified fitness instructors. I didn't want to go full out and get his entire program for free the night I met him, but he was kind enough to give me some insight. Most power is generated from your core: abs, hips, glutes. There are an infinite amount of videos you can watch on core strengthening, but whatever you choose I would mix some yoga into it. Yoga is amazing for building core strength, but also for elongating your muscles - which leads to more longevity and less injury.

 

You can also get weighted swing trainers. I think Sadlowski does that at the beginning of their season. I saw a video where his coach said he starts out the season around 140 mph, then over 2 months builds it back up to his 153 speed. He also hits 300 drives a day

[Big money]

Im different.I believe any type of fitness at the gym is good for your health-well being-and golf game.I personally enjoy lifting free weights and working my whole body.There isn't one exercise out there that is bad for you.Only thing bad for you is not caring for your health

[Undershooter]

If you wanting to build speed than its mostly explosive movements you need to work on along with legs/ core.

 

Box jumps, power cleans, flipping a tire, hitting said tire with a sledge hammer if its available to you to do that. Slam ball throws into the ground would be effective as well.

Then some general strength training after your explosive work is done. Explosive work is always first thing to do post warm up. Then move on to the strength training.

[Kkaw1988]

So I think to start you need to make sure you know where you are at athletically as a baseline. Second you need to build your goals based on that. I agree legs, core, and explosive exercises. But also you have to be able to move functionally. So yoga as was mentioned, stretching, flexibility type stuff. If you get too bulky thinking muscle equals speed(yes and no) then you will lose that flexibility. Specifically as Tiger has mentioned if your glutes aren't firing you have a problem.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[cksurfdude]

In addition to *all* of the above really excellent suggestions, especially related to core strength and to flexibility ... Another golf-specific training idea is Light-Heavy ... you need two training clubs (can be improvised)...

1. a speed stick (basically a shortened driveway marker with a grip on it),

and

2. a weighted club (could be a training weight stuck onto an old club .. eg. lookup "IGotchaReady"; or I have the Sklz version of the Orange Whip)

 

Start out with slooow swings with the heavy club to loosen up, then some slow swings with the light club .. then alternate back and forth between the two while gradually increasing your speed with each.

[CFrazier]

Swing speed is a combination of a couple different major muscle groups working together to accomplish the task of clubhead delivery to the golf ball. Of these, the best "single" group to target is the core. Flexibility is also key in this region so you'll need to incorporate that as well.... that will give you a better range of motion which allows for a more efficient transition which translates to increased swing speed. I shifted one day per week of my weightlifting routine to golf-specific training and got my driver clubhead speed to a comfortable and easily maintainable 118mph. I can go up to 130mph but then I'm spraying golf balls all over the place.

Do a google search for golf core exercises and see what comes up. My favorites are weighted cable rotations, machine hyper extensions, and dumbbell side bends. There are tons more but much of it only adds variation so you don't get bored.

-Cliff. (Exercise Physiologist)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[ddryan]

I'm not an expert, but I have sought out professional advice from a friend of a friend. He's one of those Titleist certified fitness instructors. I didn't want to go full out and get his entire program for free the night I met him, but he was kind enough to give me some insight. Most power is generated from your core: abs, hips, glutes. There are an infinite amount of videos you can watch on core strengthening, but whatever you choose I would mix some yoga into it. Yoga is amazing for building core strength, but also for elongating your muscles - which leads to more longevity and less injury.

 

You can also get weighted swing trainers. I think Sadlowski does that at the beginning of their season. I saw a video where his coach said he starts out the season around 140 mph, then over 2 months builds it back up to his 153 speed. He also hits 300 drives a day

 

 

Swing speed is a combination of a couple different major muscle groups working together to accomplish the task of clubhead delivery to the golf ball. Of these, the best "single" group to target is the core. Flexibility is also key in this region so you'll need to incorporate that as well.... that will give you a better range of motion which allows for a more efficient transition which translates to increased swing speed. I shifted one day per week of my weightlifting routine to golf-specific training and got my driver clubhead speed to a comfortable and easily maintainable 118mph. I can go up to 130mph but then I'm spraying golf balls all over the place.

Do a google search for golf core exercises and see what comes up. My favorites are weighted cable rotations, machine hyper extensions, and dumbbell side bends. There are tons more but much of it only adds variation so you don't get bored.

-Cliff. (Exercise Physiologist)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

 

Core strength is the base- get it through kettlebell workouts, deadlifting and back squats, accompanied by flexibility work like yoga.  There are lateral weighted ball throwing exercises (twisting high left to low right, high right to low left, etc.).  Biggest factor for those of us over 50 is preventing loss of muscle mass and bone density- and there is only one way- through weight bearing exercises- in other words, picking up heavy things.  Not crazy heavy, but should be work...  and absolutely check with your dr, and work with a certified trainer to get started so you don't hurt yourself. 

 

[mooremikea]

If you want to increase swing speed I highly recommend the Super Speed system.   The strength training and stretching is really good for you and could help support more speed but it won't generate it.  The best way to swing faster is to swing really fast....  Last winter I picked up between 15 and 20 yards on my average drives and my longest drives were 50 yards past the previous year.   The people that developed the system have put in a ton of research and it has really worked for me.  

[tony@CIC]

If you want to increase swing speed I highly recommend the Super Speed system. The strength training and stretching is really good for you and could help support more speed but it won't generate it. The best way to swing faster is to swing really fast.... Last winter I picked up between 15 and 20 yards on my average drives and my longest drives were 50 yards past the previous year. The people that developed the system have put in a ton of research and it has really worked for me.

So super speed is a 'device' type vs an exercise 'type' ?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

[mooremikea]

So super speed is a 'device' type vs an exercise 'type' ?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

The Super Speed system is three driver length shafts with weights on the end.  I can't exactly remember the percentages but the the light one is about 75% of an average driver weight, the middle one is around 90% and the heavy one is about 105%.  

 

They have a couple of "protocols" for training with the clubs.  Basically you go from light to heavy swinging as fast as you possibly can.  I have a SSR (swing speed radar) to see how fast I am swinging.  When starting the program it is very interesting to see that sometimes a swing "feels" really fast but is slower than average.  It took some time for my body to learn what is fast vs what "feels" fast.  

 

Google to find their web site. There a YouTube videos with the training protocols as well.   I would post links but don't know if the moderators like links to non sponsored web sites.  

 

Over the years I have done all sorts of physical training.  Nothing helped me swing faster.  This system did.  

[AH1980MN]

What were your results? From what speed to what? Also- this seems kind of dangerous without the necessary core strength and flexibility...

[Fireinthehole]

As I'm getting ready to shut down our season I'm also ramping up my exercise routine. One of my goals is increasing swing speed so for you exercise experts is there a particular muscle group that accomplishes this?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

I went to a Tpi physical therapist and he gave me some exercises I was able to incorporate and get more stability in my swing and distance came back pretty quick.

Also it was very helpful to get the print out of the results of my evaluation. I got to see how certain restrictions or imbalances effect the golf swing

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[chemclub]

Squats. Deep squats under a bar bell, not a smith machine.

 

You swing with your whole body so you use all of your muscle groups. 

[Canucklehead]

Glutes, hips, hamstrings, and core are some muscle groups to work to accomplish your gial

 

Personally I'm like Big money and prefer to work my whole body

 

Sent from my E6853 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[mooremikea]

What were your results? From what speed to what? Also- this seems kind of dangerous without the necessary core strength and flexibility...

I don't have any hard number but my best guess is I went a driver swing speed in the low 90s to closer to 100.  There was a huge difference where my drives were ending up on my home course.  In 2016 my longest drives were about 260 and average drives closer to 230.  In 2017 my average drives were close to 245- 250 with my long drives over 280.  

 

This is not the only working out that I did.  I also run twice a week and try to do strength training 3 to 4 times a week.  The strength and flexibility training is important for health and injury prevention.  At least for me, strength does not equal any additional swing speed.  For others that might not be the case.  

[KCLeo12]

Not a fitness expert but I follow a lot on Instagram I usually pull a few of my workouts from there. I do a lot of core and stability workouts. I like to do explosive workouts for my lower body. I try to do half of my workouts in the a golf swing motion. I have started using the PowerUpWedge and the SuperSpeed trainers and in the first 2 weeks I picked up 5 mph. I went from 117 to 123 on average and one swing at 126mph when I went as hard as I could.

[cksurfdude]

Tony, all -

FYI, here's what I see as a useful and informative article on golf fitness .. they show some basic exercises you can do at home and emphasize fitness and flexibility as a prerequisite to trying to build speed.

 

It's from Plugged-In Golf at....

https://pluggedingolf.com/how-to-get-started-in-golf-fitness/