Number of reps need to become habit

[AbsoluteTruths]

I had a golf instructor tell me that he had read a study that said that you have to do 300 repetitions a day for two weeks to make

something a habit. He gave me this assignment to stop my all arms swing and to learn to turn my body. It worked.

Has anyone ever heard of anything like this?

[DrvFrShow]

It takes about 100 consecutive successful repetitions to break a habit. The key words there are consecutive successful. How long this will take will depend upon the complexity of the task. This is why it may take hitting 1000 balls to prevent your bad habits from creeping back in. Then another 2000 repetitions to establish correct procedural memory for the task. Of course this does not mean you won't hit bad shots in the process. It means correct swing. Even the touring pros with the established procedural memory hit bad shots.

I'm not a professional golfer, but I did study at one time to be a concert pianist. I didn't make it. The same work theories apply.

[iacas]

I think things like this are so dependent on the situation, etc.

I put my right shoe on first. If you told me tomorrow that I had to start putting my left shoe on first, it would take 0 repetitions. I can change that "habit" incredibly easily.

Changing your golf swing often takes much more than 3000+ swings.

[mvmac]

I had a golf instructor tell me that he had read a study that said that you have to do 300 repetitions a day for two weeks to make

something a habit. He gave me this assignment to stop my all arms swing and to learn to turn my body. It worked.

Has anyone ever heard of anything like this?

It depends on the piece and how you go about making the reps. A grip or an address change won't take 300 reps and making a full motion swing "thinking" about your swing piece isn't a rep.

To change something in your swing and make it stick I would say it takes thousands of quality reps.

[DrvFrShow]

A grip change took me a bucket of balls to get used to. A swing change? I've hit 5.5 jumbo buckets and I'm still not used to it.

Task complexity.

[Hammer 4]

I think it depends on exactly what it is your working on. Changing my grip took very little time. Changing your swing, imho tales much longer, heck I'm still working on priority pieces from last April..so they become habit, I know, I'm probably slow to some of you. But those drills paid off today. Played the best golf since I started back in Oct. 2013..worst shots were with my putter...

Anyway, I think what ever you want to ingrain, takes time, and also how fast, or in my case how slow you pick things up.

[Shorty]

I think things like this are so dependent on the situation, etc.

I put my right shoe on first. If you told me tomorrow that I had to start putting my left shoe on first, it would take 0 repetitions. I can change that "habit" incredibly easily.

Changing your golf swing often takes much more than 3000+ swings.

You would be surprised how hard it is to change behaviours like this.

You would need a note tied to your shoelaces reminding you.

It's long term memory stuff.

As for the OP - I agree with you, Iacas, regarding thousands of swings. Coaches who make comments like "You need 300 repetitions..." have been to some silly seminar and they have been fed junk science.

It's as nonsensical as the 10,000 hour BS.

[AbsoluteTruths]

So I get that it depends on the task and the individual. But it looks likes some of you missed the "for two weeks" part of the OP.

That adds up to 300x14=4200 reps. So that seems consistent with what some you are saying that it takes thousands.

So when I get to 4201 I will have it ingrained into my swing

[iacas]

So I get that it depends on the task and the individual. But it looks likes some of you missed the "for two weeks" part of the OP.

That adds up to 300x14=4200 reps. So that seems consistent with what some you are saying that it takes thousands.

So when I get to 4201 I will have it ingrained into my swing

No, we didn't miss that. Even 4000 things done properly could be a) massive overkill, or b) not nearly enough.

Who the hell has time to do something 300 times a day for 14 days in a row?

Not to mention the fact that time #267 is NOT going to be done nearly as well as time #1 (I almost said time #300 but you might re-focus on the last ten or so…).

[newtogolf]

Even if it becomes a habit I'm not sure that means the old "habit" is erased from memory or won't creep back in over time or under pressure situations.

[jjwoodgolf]

Slow repititions with a heavy club, without hitting a golf ball is the best way to improve technique. Try to do it for 15 min per day in doors when you can't get out to the course.

[Patch]

Slow repititions with a heavy club, without hitting a golf ball is the best way to improve technique. Try to do it for 15 min per day in doors when you can't get out to the course.

I do this every so often. I have  an old 5i I filled with BBs for the added weight. Helps me to keep my arms, and back muscles lose.

[saevel25]

I had a golf instructor tell me that he had read a study that said that you have to do 300 repetitions a day for two weeks to make

something a habit. He gave me this assignment to stop my all arms swing and to learn to turn my body. It worked.

Has anyone ever heard of anything like this?

I think it depends on what you are working on. I am sure some pieces in the swing might be something you never get over, or might have to continue to work on just to maintain what you want it to be. Others might take maybe a few instances to get, like changing the grip.

Really, how you practice is more than volume of practice. I've improved more over the past two years then I have in the previous 10 years before that. I could practice more. My quality of practice, and the method in which I practice is head and shoulders above what I was previously doing.

[Lihu]

Slow repititions with a heavy club, without hitting a golf ball is the best way to improve technique. Try to do it for 15 min per day in doors when you can't get out to the course.

I'm starting to do this to work the sores out of my healing muscles.

I've also heard that you need to practice with a super light shaft to build muscle memory that helps increase swing speed?

[Ernest Jones]

Slow repititions with a heavy club, without hitting a golf ball is the best way to improve technique. Try to do it for 15 min per day in doors when you can't get out to the course.

I do this every so often. I have  an old 5i I filled with BBs for the added weight. Helps me to keep my arms, and back muscles lose.

I'm starting to do this to work the sores out of my healing muscles.

I've also heard that you need to practice with a super light shaft to build muscle memory that helps increase swing speed?

Yeah, just be careful you're not training yourself to swing slowly. I read an interesting article a few years ago about that. Weighted clubs are fine as long as you use them for the right training, speed training is not a great idea for weighted club use.

[Lihu]

Originally Posted by Lihu

I've also heard that you need to practice with a super light shaft to build muscle memory that helps increase swing speed?

Yeah, just be careful you're not training yourself to swing slowly. I read an interesting article a few years ago about that. Weighted clubs are fine as long as you use them for the right training, speed training is not a great idea for weighted club use.

That's kind of my gut feeling. Thanks.