“If you add speed to crap, it’s still crap” ~Anonymous
We know you’re ready to swing faster. It’s perfectly natural. Nearly every televised golf shot these days features launch monitor data on club and ball speed. You see club head speeds in the 120’s and you say, “I want that. I need to do some power training.”
That’s true – power training will help you get faster club head and ball speed, but your’e probably not ready for it. You’ve got to prepare the body for real power training. It takes time, a few months anyway. Let’s take a look at how to do it properly.
This article is part of our Going Full Dechambeau series. For more on what it means to Go Full Dechambeau click here. Briefly – it means getting longer, stronger and faster by three methods:
1. Power Training
2. Swing Technique
3. Club Fitting
So let’s talk about power training. First we should define our terms.
Power = Force x Velocity.
Another way to say that is to say that power is a mix of strength and speed. Golfers of all ages and abilities can benefit from power training, but if you try to get fast before you get strong, the only you’re gonna do is hurt yourself. So, how do I prepare myself?
Great question, glad you asked. The most efficient way to train an athlete is called, periodization. This means you train a certain way for a month or two, and then you change it up to keep the body adapting. If we look at a measurement of training time, say anywhere from 4 – 8 weeks – we’ll call that a cycle. When training athletes for power, the most effective method is a 3 Cycle System. It looks like this:
- Cycle 1 – Basic Strength
- Cycle 2 – Balance / Core training
- Cycle 3 – Power / Sport Specific
So, a cycle can last anywhere from 4 – 8 weeks. So, if you have a 3-4 month offseason in the winter, you can set it up so that you finish Cycle 3 right as your season begins. That way, you’re as powerful as possible going into your season. Once the season begins, then you just need to maintain, which takes a lot less effort. We will follow up with an article on in season power maintenance.
So, what do we do in these cycles? Let’s take a closer look
Cycle 1.
Basic strength and mass exercises. 75% of max. 3 x 8-12 repetitions.
The Big 5
- Squat
- Hip Hinge
- Chop
- Push
- Pull
For more information on the Big 5 golf power moves, click here.
Cycle 2.
We take the same Big 5 movements from Cycle 1, but we take away stability, which strengthens the core and improves balance. Examples could include a squat on one leg, or doing pushups on a fitness ball. Pushing and pulling can be combined, with arms moving in opposite directions and the core working hard to stabilize the body. Our site is full of Cycle 2 exercises.
Cycle 3.
Power training, at last! Finally, we get to throw heavy medicine balls, swing kettle bells and jump onto boxes. Yes, Cycle 3 is the fun part, and we promise to give you a very special article very soon on ideas for Cycle 3. But if you don’t start in Cycle 1, you’re just adding speed to crap.
A special note. Make sure you practice swinging both right and left handed. This will balance out the body and make you faster in both directions!
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