The Need for Speed
This year's newsletter campaign is all about POWER! Each month I have shared stretches, strengthening exercises and swing drills all designed to help you hit the ball further. The idea of strengthening the core as well as focusing on flexibility in the hip and shoulder areas have been hot topics and u
sing the Boditrak pressure mat has allowed us to add valuable data to our Facebook video accompaniments. For this month the theme is speed, and yes, speed can equate to power!
Check any physics book and you will find that:
F=Ma
(Force equals Mass times acceleration)
Now, simply put, if you want more power you need more force. Applying this formula to hitting a golf ball, the Mass is the club head and begs the question, how fast can we move the mass? Speed, which is measured in miles per hour, is the interchangeable term for acceleration. Therefore, if you increase the speed of the club head, you increase force!
Whoosh it Late to Whoosh it Great!
Here is an awesome drill to help accentuate speed. It does not require strength but merely technique and an understanding of acceleration;
it is like cracking a whip. Check us out on Facebook and listen to the whoosh!
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While holding an alignment stick like a golf club, my objective while standing over a ball will be to feel as though I am moving the stick faster post impact, or past the ball. (See Picture #1 for late whoosh.)
Effort is not the answer, and you must soften up the arms and relax the shoulders so your extremities have a chance to move faster. Fast twitch muscles, as opposed to strong muscles, are the requirement this month.
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Tension or tight muscles will create an early whoosh and therefore, signify a loss of power. (See Picture #2 for the undesirable early woosh!)
The louder the sound and the later the sound, the more speed you are creating.
All year long we have been doing core exercises for strength. Now for this month, simply relax the hands and arms and consciously accelerate them through the ball and BUST IT! Next month is all about the need to hold the finish...with a smile.
