Fit for Golf "Science of Speed" Series

[iacas]

Let's start with this related post:

Speed Sticks: Tour Data & How I Use Them to Increase Club Head Speed - Fit For Golf

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Learn how to get the most from overspeed and overload training.

Then, a three-part "science of speed" series. Well worth the somewhat short time it would take to read them.

The Science Of Speed – Part 1 Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber Recruitment - Fit For Golf

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The goal of this series is to provide a summary of the adaptations that occur from maximal effort training at high speeds

The Science of Speed Part 2 – Early Phase Rate of Force Development - Fit For Golf

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The Science of Speed Part 3 – Reduced Antagonist Coactivation - Fit For Golf

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And of course…

We don't talk about speed much per se, but still worth a listen IMO. 😉

[saevel25]

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Most of these adaptations are distinctly different from those that occur as a result of heavy strength training with low reps, and moderate or light load strength training with higher reps. Unless someone is specifically training for speed, they will be leaving these adaptations on the table, which is a mistake.

I agree with this. A person can train for endurance, strength, power, or size. It is known that a person can develop fast twitch muscle fibers. As for the comment regarding losing fast twitch muscles fibers when we age. This makes sense when one of the major safety issues for elderly is falling over. They lost a lot of fast twitch muscle fibers and can not quickly enough extend their limbs to catch themselves from falling. 

Generally, the cutoff from training for strength versus endurance is around 80% your Max Rep 1 load. 

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This is why I believe in striving to get stronger with heavy strength training, and training to produce force as fast as possible against light weights. Examples of this include maximum speed swings, jumps, throws, rapid band work etc. As I have touched on in previous articles, from a training perspective, heavy strength work and maximum speed swings are the most important areas to invest time and energy into. Swing technique is also critical.

This makes sense. Lifting heavy (high weight low rep) will increase your max rep 1. Then training to apply this new strength in a very short amount of time for Power. 

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It seems that light weight high velocity training primarily increases early phase rate of force development whilst not affecting late phase rate of force development (4). Heavy strength training may have the capacity to improve both early and late phase RFD, but it all depends on the intent during the training. 

I think this makes sense since to push your max rep 1, you may have to try to push the weight up as fast as possible. Think of Olympic weight lifters, in the clean and jerk, they are trying to lift near their max rep 1. So, they fling the weight up as fast as possible. It makes sense, pending how you perform your high weight low rep training, it could increase speed. 

Overall, good articles giving a overview of why golf training for speed shouldn't be your typical 8-10 rep weight lifting. Looking at a Max Rep 1 chart, in relation to the reps, 8-10 reps puts a person in the 75% to 80% max rep range. Which would be training for endurance not strength. 

 

[boogielicious]

I get those articles from Fit for Golf via email. I probably should have posted them.

[saevel25]

So, the 1st half of this episode is dedicated to strength/speed. 

Here is the timestamp based on speed/power

He gave a simple protocol to follow. 

3 to 5 method. 3 to 5 x a week, 3 to 5 sets, 3 to 5 reps, 3 to 5 different exercises, rest 3 to 5 minutes between sets. Do these with intent, meaning as fast as possible but still fundamentally sound. You do not get faster by going kind of fast.

Let's say you want to develop bench press for power/speed. You would move it as fast as possible when pushing the bar up. You will need to slightly increase the load overtime, you want to increase the load 3-5% per week. Maybe more so for increasing power/strength. 

Speed work, should not be fatiguing. It is very low work, and very high rest, the goal is just to achieve a new level of speed. 

When training for power, keep it to 30-70% of 1 Rep Max. For the larger the movement, the more weight you want to do. Bench press, is closer to 30%. A squat might be closer to 70%. 

I would say as a golf example. Lets say something like jump squats would be good for improving leg power and speed. Maybe working with the cable machine or medicine ball (throwing) to work on increase upper body power and speed. 

In general, the old adage that you need to go to failure to gain improvements in strength is incorrect. You can do other protocols.,

Note, overall strength does not mean getting huge. You can increase your overall strength and not gain a lot of muscle mass. You will gain some. There are definitely people who are huge (body builders) and they will lack in strength and power because they focused only on muscle size. They never trained to move weights fast, or actually improve their 1 rep max. 

Note, power is just moving heavy things as fast as possible. 

Here is a bit more on power...