Power Output
We understand that strength with the ESD has a limiting factor in potential clubhead speed. Getting Big and strong is very important but will not bring the same returns with each successive cycle. That's where the ESD equation comes into play, meaning we want to improve the total amount of force we can use in the time constraint of their performance. Meaning a golf swing is very fast, and their maximal force will not be able to be applied. Which would be an improvement in rate of force development or commonly referred to as power development.
We know that strength and mass have a correlation to clubhead speed, but what about power?
Let's take a little dive into the research before jumping into the mechanisms to understand better the correlations of Clubhead Speed and Power movements. In (Hellstrom 2008), we see a moderate correlation of mean power in the 10 meters and 20-meter sprint test and clubhead speed, with an R=0.49 - 0.53, respectively (9). Jumping all showed moderate correlations, but the stronger was in the Countermovement Jump and Standing jump Peak power with clubhead speed with both values R=0.61 (9). This data has strong evidence that power production is strongly correlated to clubhead speed and something that you should be training.
The analysis concluded that there was a moderate correlation between up the per (r=0.51 and lower body (R=0.38) explosiveness (1), which continues the train of evidence that producing a lot of power is essential to clubhead speed. We see further evidence in (Oranchuk 2009), who concluded that “The purpose of this study was to examine if an eight-week strength and power resistance training program would result in greater increases in CHS compared to a generic resistance training protocol in collegiate golfers” (13). Which also showed strong correlations in power output and clubhead speed. With strong evidence across multiple studies, we can see that you need to be powerful or have a high ESD if you want to swing fast.
The weight of evidence is on the side that power/rate of force development is essential to clubhead speed, but why might that be?
With this information, you might think, why don't we just train for power/rate of force development, Well that would be a mistake because the more we can increase total force, and the more significant % of that force we can use, then the higher the force applied in a movement, which means hitting a bomb.
Mass helps improve Muscle mass, which now helps improve strength, and now we come down to training for speed. Explosive Strength is the ability to exert maximal forces in minimal time, and based on that definition; you can understand the importance. When sports improvement improves, the time of motion turns out to be shorter. We know that body weight, muscle mass, and strength help enhance the amount of force you can improve. But we now need to understand how to produce maximal force in the shortest amount of time, which happens in rotations sports. The higher level the athlete, the more significant the role of rate of force development in achieving high-level performance.
Let's use an example comparing an athlete with a Clubhead speed of 140 MPH vs. 100 MPH. The athletes might have similar total forces; however, it is unlikely. The person swinging 140 MPH obviously can produce that force faster, and that is why they swing the club more quickly. Hopefully, that is simple enough for you to understand. Total force improves speed to a point, but it is essential to produce as much force as possible in a short amount of time to improve. Below is a graph to illustrate this phenomenon. Athlete A can make force much quicker, and in a fast sport like a Golf swing, he will have a fast clubhead speed compared to athlete B. Athlete B can produce greater force; however, it takes a while for that athlete to produce his maximal force, in turn, he either needs to train RFD or pick a different sport.
Experiments done on single muscles in laboratory settings have given us the force-velocity curve known as Hill's Equation. Below is that equation, F is force, and V is velocity. Remember, this is a relationship in which you will not produce the highest forces in very fast movements such as throwing or swinging. Our aim at looking at this in these fast movements is to have a higher ratio, in which we can produce more significant force in a shorter amount of time.
On the extreme ends of these graphs, maximal force and maximal velocity are not correlated as these are different motor abilities. Getting stronger will not improve the maximal velocity of a movement, only the force you can generate. With rotational sports, the velocity is high-speed, so we need to train these motor abilities. However, as we have already learned, Strength/hypertrophy is fundamental to speed.
However, we are trying to improve the rate of force development, not total force, as we define this athlete as producing more than enough force by this point in their athletic development. This is because an athlete with a fundamental level of strength on a fast movement (like swinging or throwing) can already produce enough force, and they need to be training their ability to enhance RFD.
It is impossible to change any point on the force-velocity Curve without altering the entire curve’s position, which gives us four variations to improving the Force-velocity curve.
The first way in mostly young athletes would be to improve the entire Force-velocity curve. Meaning, for example, if you were to measure the distance of a throw, the athlete would improve on all of the different weighted implements. This is an ideal way to enhance because both high speed and high forces improved; however, it is rare to see this in an elite athlete.
The next improvement would be seen if you were to train in high resistance and low velocity, meaning high forces. You would then see improvement in the “heavy implements,” while the high velocity would barely change. This is a very common way to improve results, as creating higher forces for most athletes can be easier than improving high velocities.
The next would be the exact opposite; if you were to train with a “light” implement, you would see improvements in the low resistance, high-velocity part of the curve.
Training with an intermediate of the two, you would see a straightening of the curve. Performance would improve in the intermediate of the two. This curve can not become convex and would only see a slight straightening of the curve.
The critical thing to remember about this curve is not that one improvement is better than another one. You need to conduct a needs analysis to understand where you or your athlete is on their journey. A more qualified athlete will be unlikely to see gains across the entire Force-velocity curve, while young athletes will be able to see these improvements.
Why does this matter? Great questions, as I can see how this could be confusing. From our learning of strength work and being able to produce higher forces, we would change the fat left of the curve and possibly the right. As we get stronger and stronger, this will stop improving their velocity in a movement, which means improving the velocity of a movement we need to train for “Speed” or rate of force development.
Most importantly, if you are not strong for your sport, this is where you need to be focusing your efforts. If you look at Newton's Second law of motion: ”states that the acceleration of an object is directly related to the net force and inversely related to its mass. Acceleration of an object depends on two things, force and mass.” If you want to increase the acceleration of an object, you must be applying greater force. An increase in Acceleration results in an increase in Velocity, which means it is easy to conclude that a high strength level is needed to achieve high velocities.
A needs analysis needs to be conducted, and I want to state this again so that random programs are not given to the athlete. Someone already weighing 230 pounds, with high strength/force output, does not need to spend time getting bigger and stronger. You might enjoy this type of training, but it will fundamentally be a waste of time. Not that it will “hurt” you, but you only have so much time in the day and training regarding fatigue management. You need to pick wisely what will improve your performance the greatest if your goal is to be the best athlete. The next question is, how do we know when strength/hypertrophy is no longer improving performance, that question will be answered later on.
Citations
1. Alex Ehlert (2020): The correlations between physical attributes and golf clubhead speed: a systematic review with quantitative analyses, European Journal of Sport Science, DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2020.1829081
2. Institute of Sport and Recreation Research New Zealand, School of Sport and Recreation, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand; and 2 Centre of Physical Education Across the Lifespan, School of Exercise Science, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne Campus, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
3. Lovera and Keogh. “The Anthropometric Profile of Powerlifters: Differences as a Function of Bodyweight Class and Competitive Success.” The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. (2015).
4. Brechue and Abe. “The Role of FFM Accumulation and Muscle Architecture in Powerlifting Performance.” European Journal of Applied Physiology. (2002).
5. Stone, Michael & O’Bryant, et al. “Using the Isometric Mid-thigh Pull in the Monitoring of Weightlifters: 25+ Years of Experience”
6. Stone, Michael & O’Bryant, et al. (2019). “Using the Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull in the Monitoring of Weightlifters: 25+ Years of Experience”. 19-26.
8. School of Health Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia. 2Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Victoria, Australia. 3NSW Injury Risk Manag
9. Hellström, J. (2008). The Relation between Physical Tests, Measures, and Clubhead Speed in Elite Golfers. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 3(1_suppl), 85–92. doi:10.1260/174795408785024207
10. Elizabeth J. Bradshaw, Justin W.L. Keogh, Patria A. Hume, Peter S. Maulder, Jacques Nortje & Michel Marnewick (2009) The Effect of Biological Movement Variability on the Performance of the Golf Swing in High- and Low-Handicapped Players, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 80:2, 185-196, DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2009.10599552
11. Keogh, J. W., Marnewick, M. C., Maulder, P. S., Nortje, J. P., Hume, P. A., & Bradshaw, E. J. (2009). Are Anthropometric, Flexibility, Muscular Strength, and Endurance Variables Related To Clubhead Velocity in Low- And High-Handicap Golfers? Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(6), 1841–1850. doi:10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181b73cb3
12. “Zatsiorsky, V.M. (1992). Intensity of strength training facts and theory: Russian and Eastern European approach. National Strength and Conditioning Association Journal, 14 (5). 46-57.” States that there are two mechanisms to becoming strong:
13. Oranchuk, D. J., Mannerberg, J. M., Robinson, T. L., & Nelson, M. C. (2018). Eight Weeks of Strength and Power Training Improves Club Head Speed in Collegiate Golfers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 1. doi:19/jsc.0000000000002505
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