The Stack System - A Conversation on Gaining Swing Speed

[klineka]

13 hours ago, DeadMan said:

I am now on full speed spectrum. Glad to be done with lead arm enhancer. That said, lead arm enhancer worked:

I’m curious if I dislike full speed spectrum as much as @klineka

Also, I’d like to file a formal complaint for my grit score going down to 97% because I started the program a day after it was suggested. Normally, there’s a range for that, so I’m annoyed. Oh well.

It was fine, it just got repetitive in the 3rd and 4th sections, but I'm sure that's by design. And it was also my second straight time running Full Speed Spectrum so that was probably part of it too.

I'm doing Neural Drive right now and it is nice to mix it up a bit.

[DeadMan]

1 hour ago, klineka said:

And it was also my second straight time running Full Speed Spectrum so that was probably part of it too.

Oof, yeah, I don't think I want to repeat any of the programs right away. 

Also, wanted to share something that might help others. I have been doing the programs with golf shoes in grass whenever it's possible for me. I'm finding an extra couple mph when I do that vs. being on concrete. I also like that it feels a little more like a golf swing with grass and spikes. It also probably gives me a better grip on the ground, leading to those few extra mph. I do find that I need to move around on the grass between sets to avoid tearing up my grass too much.

[Carl3]

Maybe I am just too relaxed on the course. A good drive for me is usually 250 yards with most of the ones feeling solid ending up in the 235 to 240 yard range. This is based on my Garmin watch and not on tee box signs and yardage markers. I don't put much confidence in tee box markers. That is where I think people go wrong when they estimate how far they hit the ball.

Well, the other day I played 9 holes with a couple of nice, older men who then took off and I then, when I made the turn, I ended up playing with two other men who had been behind us on the front 9. They warned me that they played fast and then criticized the two slow pokes I had been playing with. All the while there was a group in front of us on the tenth. Well, this got me a bit upset I guess, and I hit one off the tee that went 287 yards. The next tee I clobbered another that was slightly over 280. Then there were some par 3's and a couple dog-leg holes, but I did manage another over 270 before the round was done.

To get this on topic, I was concerned about myself and others who may be somewhat couch potatoes who all of the sudden start speed training. The concern is over injuries. Work on getting the body ready for this type of activity.

 

[StuM]

2 hours ago, Carl3 said:

Maybe I am just too relaxed on the course. A good drive for me is usually 250 yards with most of the ones feeling solid ending up in the 235 to 240 yard range. This is based on my Garmin watch and not on tee box signs and yardage markers. I don't put much confidence in tee box markers. That is where I think people go wrong when they estimate how far they hit the ball.

Well, the other day I played 9 holes with a couple of nice, older men who then took off and I then, when I made the turn, I ended up playing with two other men who had been behind us on the front 9. They warned me that they played fast and then criticized the two slow pokes I had been playing with. All the while there was a group in front of us on the tenth. Well, this got me a bit upset I guess, and I hit one off the tee that went 287 yards. The next tee I clobbered another that was slightly over 280. Then there were some par 3's and a couple dog-leg holes, but I did manage another over 270 before the round was done.

To get this on topic, I was concerned about myself and others who may be somewhat couch potatoes who all of the sudden start speed training. The concern is over injuries. Work on getting the body ready for this type of activity.

 

I’ve not done The Stack yet but I think with a short warm-up should be fine since already used to doing a golf swing.  I do not think it would be like trying to lift heavy weights the 1st time ever in a gym. 

Also, you need to get pissed off more often if it adds 30-40 yards to your drives!

[Carl3]

1 hour ago, StuM said:

I’ve not done The Stack yet but I think with a short warm-up should be fine since already used to doing a golf swing.  I do not think it would be like trying to lift heavy weights the 1st time ever in a gym. 

Also, you need to get pissed off more often if it adds 30-40 yards to your drives!

I am thinking that playing pissed might be a precursor to me doing speed training. Be careful out there Stu. Maybe you should start with some yoga or find a cute Pilates instructor before you embark on vigorous speed training😂

[klineka]

Hit a new single rep 195g PR tonight of 120mph, with eSpeed of 130mph for that swing.

Hit balls outdoors on Saturday in ~45 degree temps and I averaged 118mph and peaked at 121mph so I think I'm right on track for my goal to be cruising at 120mph next spring.

 

[Darkfrog]

Last week I developed some soreness in my right elbow and a mild lower back strain, both injuries dissipate with some ibuprofen, and don't manifest in regular golf swings, but still planning to take a week or two off speed training and lighten up the fit for golf program and restart mid-December.

Kind of a bummer because aside from one storm, it has been a dry first month of rainy season, in spite of the el nino prediction, and I feel like I am losing my momentum with The Stack program.

[ChetlovesMer]

39 minutes ago, Darkfrog said:

I feel like I am losing my momentum with The Stack program.

Do you mean just because of the injury? 
Or did you plateau before the injury? 

[Darkfrog]

18 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Do you mean just because of the injury? 
Or did you plateau before the injury? 

I know from the few Stack workouts I have done in the last few weeks I have lost a bit of speed, but it's more mentally losing momentum with the time change (dark when I do the programs now), colder (but at least dry) weather, and now injuries.

I finished foundation program mid-October and then I stopped for 3.5 weeks; I don't think I meant to take that long of a break, and I can't remember exactly why, but there was a vacation, maybe some sick kids, and busy period at work. Resumed with some "return to form" Stack workouts and was getting ready to move onto the Neural Drive program, and then recently picked up these minor injuries so having to pause again is a bummer.

Edited November 27, 2023 by Darkfrog

[klineka]

After tying my previous 195g set PR multiple times at 113mph, finally broke through tonight with a new 195g set PR of 114mph and either a new (or maybe tied) single rep 195g PR of 120mph. 

For the set my eSpeed was 124mph.

I'm about halfway through the Neural Drive and it's been fine, it has kept my attention without feeling boring or repetitive thus far.

[Clemsonfan]

Finished my 4th session and 2nd consecutive Full Speed Spectrum.  I am scheduled to do Full Speed Spectrum again when I restart in a few days.  I dropped 4 mph this session. It has been colder at night and i haven’t been able to play due to a kidney stone and some family issues.  That said, when I played Saturday I did hit the longest drive I have ever hit on the par 5 ninth, which I birdied for the first time. Surprised me because it was raining and the grass was a little longer than normal.  I have felt that my PRGR was not measuring my speed accurately, but am sure that I am wrong!

[DeadMan]

A fun personal data point: I started stack in July. I did a trackman session yesterday. Before starting stack, I was in the 100-102 mph range for swing speed on trackman. Ball speed of around 150. At this session, I was in the 106-110 range for swing speed, and getting over 160 in ball speed. I could get to 108 mph pretty comfortably, too.  Would like another few mph, but this is very good progress. I’m only on my third stack program, so hoping I can get a few more mph sticking with it. 

Edited December 18, 2023 by DeadMan

[klineka]

Did my testing tonight after finishing Neural Drive a few days ago. 

Hit my goal of 120+ with driver, managed to clock in at 122mph for the set and had a 123mph and a 124mph as my fastest. Quite pleased with that.

For whatever reason I didn't find myself getting as bored of the Neural Drive as I did the Full Speed Spectrum. I'm leaning towards trying Neural Overdrive next to see how similar/different it is from Neural Drive. 

I know the speed gains are going to continue to get harder to come by but I think my new goal will be to have a 125+ swing in the tank when I need it and have the smooth gamer swing be 122+.

[DeadMan]

A few notes to add here:

• I tested out my driver swing speed at the range a few days ago. I was 111-113 mph swing speed, which is great. My eSpeed on stack hovers around 110, plus or minus a few mph. It is below my baseline test with driver, which was 116. Putting this all together, this is about what I expected. This is roughly 10 mph faster than I was before I started stack late last summer. 
• There's been some discussion of warm ups here. Last 2 sessions, I've warmed up by doing 5 minutes of jump rope. That has really helped at the beginning of the sessions. I feel much warmer and looser with my first swings.
• I messed up pretty bad last night during my stack session:

• Smashed the crap out my radar. Whoops! No hope in saving it. The stack club was mostly fine - I had to glue a small plastic piece back on to the butt end of the club. I ordered a new radar and will be more careful with it. This one lasted 5 years with both super speed and the stack, so I guess not bad. But be careful!

[iacas]

@DeadMan did you get the same one or did you switch to the PRGR?

It may have been a good time to buy one of my Mevo+. 😀

[DeadMan]

43 minutes ago, iacas said:

@DeadMan did you get the same one or did you switch to the PRGR?

It may have been a good time to buy one of my Mevo+. 😀

I just bought the same one. It's the cheapest, and it's accurate enough for what I need.

I still have my Mevo from the Newport Cup. I wish I could use it for this like a Mevo+...

[klineka]

1 hour ago, DeadMan said:

A few notes to add here:

• My eSpeed on stack hovers around 110, plus or minus a few mph. It is below my baseline test with driver, which was 116. Putting this all together, this is about what I expected. 

 

My driver (especially when hitting a ball) is faster than my eSpeed too, by ~5mph on average and sometimes pushing 7-10mph quicker. 

 

On 1/23/2024 at 8:32 PM, klineka said:

I know the speed gains are going to continue to get harder to come by but I think my new goal will be to have a 125+ swing in the tank when I need it and have the smooth gamer swing be 122+.

I guess I need to update this again, hit balls outdoors on Saturday and over 15 drives my clubhead speed averaged 121.9mph, with 4 swings being 125mph+, peaked at 127.5mph, and only 3 swings under 120mph.

Starting to think that averaging 125mph might not be out of the question. 

 

[StuM]

6 hours ago, DeadMan said:

A few notes to add here:

• I tested out my driver swing speed at the range a few days ago. I was 111-113 mph swing speed, which is great. My eSpeed on stack hovers around 110, plus or minus a few mph. It is below my baseline test with driver, which was 116. Putting this all together, this is about what I expected. This is roughly 10 mph faster than I was before I started stack late last summer. 
• There's been some discussion of warm ups here. Last 2 sessions, I've warmed up by doing 5 minutes of jump rope. That has really helped at the beginning of the sessions. I feel much warmer and looser with my first swings.
• I messed up pretty bad last night during my stack session:

• Smashed the crap out my radar. Whoops! No hope in saving it. The stack club was mostly fine - I had to glue a small plastic piece back on to the butt end of the club. I ordered a new radar and will be more careful with it. This one lasted 5 years with both super speed and the stack, so I guess not bad. But be careful!

I do not have The Stack yet but curious.  Do you need the monitor super close which may cause an impact or was that just a crazy swing?