We are pleased to announce that Sean Cochran, a nationally renowned golf fitness instructor and the personal golf fitness trainer to 2005 PGA Champion Phil Mickelson, has joined PGA.com as a fitness advisor. Cochran, who also has served as strength and conditioning coach for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres major league baseball teams, will write a weekly fitness blog that will appear exclusively on PGA.com. He'll update it a couple of times a week, telling you about how to achieve better fitness, life on the road -- and in the gym -- with Lefty, plus answer your questions about fitness and how it can help you play better golf. More of Cochran's articles and his acclaimed fitness aids are available at his web site, www.bioforcegolf.com.
Speed in Your Power Golf Exercises
I tip my hat to the Europeans and their win at the Ryder Cup. As a whole they put on quite a performance at the K Club in Ireland. It was nice to see Darren Clarke play well after the death of his wife from cancer five weeks ago, and the support he received from both teams.
Power has been the discussion of our previous articles. Clubhead speed, power development in your body, and how golf fitness exercises can increase have been discussed. This week we will cover the topic of speed. Yes, speed is a critical component of increasing power in your golf swing, and directly related to all of your golf fitness power exercises. Remember, power is the ability of the body to create the greatest amount of force in the shortest amount of time possible. (Vladimir Zatsiorsky, Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Penn State Univeristy)
If we take this piece of information, the additional information we know about golf fitness training, and incorporate them into our exercises. The exercises within the power development section of our program must be executed at a high rate of speed.
This accomplishes over time the ability of our bodies to generate more force in the shortest amount of time possible. This allows our body to generate more power within the mechanics of the golf swing. The end result is increased cluhead speed, and when the clubhead is traveling at a faster rate at impact with the golf ball. The golf ball has the potential to travel a longer distance (remember swing mechanics also play a part).
A simple concept once broken down step-by-step but let's make sure we all understand how to implement speed into our golf fitness exercises. Take the example of the Medicine Ball Side-to-Side Exercise discussed in a previous article. Speed of movement is a very important component of this exercise.
Most importantly is to learn the correct technique of the exercise. Once this is accomplished increasing the speed of the exercise is key to enhancing the power development effect of this execise.
The Side-to-Side Medicine Ball Rotation requires you to rotate back and forth maintaining the "athletic position" of the exercise. In order to induce a power developing effect the exercise should be executed as fast as possible. This elicits the development of power in the muscles of the core. If-and-only if the form of the exercise is maintained. If you find yourself loosing your technique as you increase the speed of the exercise. Slow it down a little and increase the speed as your body becomes stronger.
Remember, power outputs from the body have a direct effect on clubhead speed. Increase the power outputs of your body and you can drive the golf ball farther. And remember speed is a component of power and must be a principle involved in your golf fitness power exercises.
Previous blog entries:
08/15/06 Develop Strength the "Right Way" for Your Golf Swing
08/08/06 Want to Maintain the Angles in Your Golf Swing?
08/01/06 Utilize Strength Training to Maintain Your Spine Angle
07/24/06 Strength in Your Core to Drive the Golf Ball Farther
07/11/06 Use Progression to Keep Improving Your Golf Swing
07/04/06 Dynamic Balance Exercises
06/27/06 Two Types of Balance are Key to Your Golf Swing
06/20/06 Balance in Your Golf Swing Leads to More Power
06/13/06 Getting Yourself Ready for a Round of Golf
06/06/06 Joint Range of Motion and a Fluid Golf Swing
05/29/06 Flexibility Exercises to Help with Those Tight Muscles
05/23/06 Guidelines for Your Golf Flexibility Program
05/16/06 Assess Your Flexibility First
05/09/06 Better Golf Exercises to Improve Your Swing
05/02/06 Developing a Repeatable Golf Swing and Your Body
04/26/06 Increasing the Clubhead Speed in Your Golf Swing
04/18/06 How To Prepare for Your Round
04/17/06 Swing Faults are Not Really Swing Faults
03/27/06 You can improve balance in your swing
03/24/06 Improve Your Flexibility and See Results in Your Swing
03/20/06 Your Body is the Foundation of Improving Your Golf Swing
