high reps low weight, or low rep high weight?

[ferrispgm]

Want to settle the dispute

Ok so i know that for golf you need fast twitch muscles in order to create clubhead speed. And i've always heard that to build your fast twitch fibers you should do heavier weights in like 3 sets of 6 or 7. But yet there are a large amount of people saying and have said that you need to do light weights in reps of 10+ and move fast. So which is it? I really don't see how the bulking up can be an issue if you aren't consuming a large amount of calories.

So what's the answer?

[JDorfler]

You should try doing both. It's better to develop fully for health reasons. Do one week to hit your fast twitch, then the next week for your slow twitch.

[6t4gt0]

You can also vary the workout with medium weights but explode in the initial movement and bring it down SLOW.

[ferrispgm]

So then how do you build the fast twitch muscles for the golf swing? I'm just looking for some straightforward answers to clear up this confusion.

 

thank you

[titleistnutter]

if you want to hit a golf ball a long way then strength training is required, ie 1-4 reps

 

someone like camilo would be more in the 6-8 range I would imagine, as would woods as theyre interested in building muscle too. High reps are for women

[beachgrovejunior]

if you want to hit a golf ball a long way then strength training is required, ie 1-4 reps

 

someone like camilo would be more in the 6-8 range I would imagine, as would woods as theyre interested in building muscle too. High reps are for women

 

 

Amen, Go big or Go home

[Bay1524]

Let's not totally dismiss high rep training. It seems to have worked for at least one 14-time major winner:

 

The regimen Kleven developed for Woods uses different “systems” (free weights, machines, balls, and rollers), and it has two specific components: Manual Therapy: A system of extensive stretching (34 to 40 minutes before each workout) and manipulation/mobilization of Woods’ muscles and joints. “This involves everything from his cervical spine to his toes,” says Kleven, adding that this element is essential for allowing Woods to maintain the kind of flexibility throughout his body that allows him to release his trademark power. “We make sure to release the joints and at the same time strengthen the tissue and produce balance and freedom of movement.” High-Rep Weight Training: This program features higher reps (often 25 to 50) and submaximal weights, rather than the sets of 6–12 reps with heavier weights favored by bodybuilders and others trying to add size. “We’re working for balance, control, endurance, and speed,” says Kleven.

 

http://www.mensfitness.com/exclusives/185?page=3

[labillyboy]

I do a lot of work on balance and weight training exercises specific for golf; I base what I do now on what I used to do through Centinela Hospital here in LA years ago. I was lucky to have access to a program there for a few years that focused on Sports in my case specifically golf... they put out a book eventually, the method is basically strength training using movements that mimic or support the golf swinig and flexibility development.

 

Some of the posts above touch on this same methodology which I am told is part of what Tiger does... I have also read a couple articles talking about Tiger's routines and they sound a lot like what was developed at Centinela....

 

The other thing I would highly recommend for overall fitness, building hand speed and mental toughness is martial arts... I have been doing Tae Kwon Do since I was in high school and believe it has a lot to do with my ability to generate some pretty high clubhead speed numbers... It works on balance, speed and mental focus all things that help your golf swing...

[tofur99]

yeh i think that that tiger article pretty much cleared this one up, its what ive sworn by for awhile now and Im hitting it anywhere from 290-310. Gotta get the lean muscle mass, only way to do it is with high rep, low weight.

[progolf4life]

I haven't posted on these forums for awhile now but I feel the need to.

 

Low Reps - More Weight

You guys keep bringing up that size would be an issue..ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? If it was so easy to bulk up don't you think more people would look better?... And maybe then the U.S. wouldn't be the most obese country. You don't have to worry about getting too big, because to be brutally honest most of you won't actually devote the time, effort, and study to develop a proper routine. Your gains aren't made in the gym, they are made in the kitchen. The only way to gain weight is to take in an excess of calories that your body doesn't need. They have products that determine the number of calories you burn per day on average and you can figure out your meal portions from there.

 

You could work out three times a week and start off at a 100lb. bench, and in a few months you could be up to 200+lbs. and not have gained a single pound. DIET is very important...

[evathomas]

Once you have the stance and the tilt of your body correct, the next step is perhaps one that most golfers relish: the actual swing. You'd be hard pressed, I'm sure to find a golfer that doesn't get at least a small amount of satisfaction in a well made swing that sends the golf ball spinning down the fairway toward the green.

[armydiver]

I do a lot of work on balance and weight training exercises specific for golf; I base what I do now on what I used to do through Centinela Hospital here in LA years ago. I was lucky to have access to a program there for a few years that focused on Sports in my case specifically golf... they put out a book eventually, the method is basically strength training using movements that mimic or support the golf swinig and flexibility development.

 

Some of the posts above touch on this same methodology which I am told is part of what Tiger does... I have also read a couple articles talking about Tiger's routines and they sound a lot like what was developed at Centinela....

 

The other thing I would highly recommend for overall fitness, building hand speed and mental toughness is martial arts... I have been doing Tae Kwon Do since I was in high school and believe it has a lot to do with my ability to generate some pretty high clubhead speed numbers... It works on balance, speed and mental focus all things that help your golf swing...

 

 

This sounds like a program I learned in the military called funtional fitness i.e. the excercise should mimic in some ways what you are calling on your body to do. As a diver we do things like haul on lines to lift things off the bottom, carry heavy objects around the dive side etc. We try to tailor our work outs to mimic the actions we commonly do (as well as the combat related stuff) If my main priority were golf I would definitely devote my time more to excercises that would do this vs. bench and curls etc. If your main goal is to be sexy (like me) then that stuff would be great. :tongue: BTW I am only this cocky online.

[mkrolewski]

Personally, I think golfers need a certain level of muscle strength, and joint tension.

 

You do not need tremendous muscle mass to this muscle strength. But you do need muscle mass. Strengthening the tendons around any joints to improve motion and consistency of motion. As an older player, I notice the lack of muscle tone.

 

To that end, to prevent damage and allow for steady development, high rep and low weight. High reps is generally the 3-4 sets 10-20 lifts, with a short rest ( 30 sec ) between sets. One could do other variations like a complete circuit of 15 reps at each station 3 times. The rationale is to work muscles at a level that causes you to run out of energy at the end of the last reps. As you develop strength, increase the amount that one is lifting.

 

In my personal experience, I like the weight machines -- they isolate the muscle groups more cleanly, and stabilize the specific motion. As you get stronger, corded weight machines and free weights become more feasible.

 

One does not have to specifically do weights. General aerobic exercise eg running, swimming or biking work the largest muscles -- heart, thighs and calfs. There is lots to be said for getting in daily 30-60 minutes per day at a high level of excursion (150-170 beats per minute ) That level of exercise really works the body. Most of these aerobic exercises strengthen and tone the whole body.

[tigerphan]

I say if your a committed builder towards golf, then low weight and low reps, this is becasuse I work out alot, and try to be more fit/lean then bodybuilder.

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

Plyometrics, as well as lifting.

 

When the weight goes up, the reps go down. When the weight goes down, the reps go UP.

[gotcho]

I haven't posted on these forums for awhile now but I feel the need to.

 

Low Reps - More Weight

You guys keep bringing up that size would be an issue..ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? If it was so easy to bulk up don't you think more people would look better?... And maybe then the U.S. wouldn't be the most obese country. You don't have to worry about getting too big, because to be brutally honest most of you won't actually devote the time, effort, and study to develop a proper routine. Your gains aren't made in the gym, they are made in the kitchen. The only way to gain weight is to take in an excess of calories that your body doesn't need. They have products that determine the number of calories you burn per day on average and you can figure out your meal portions from there.

 

You could work out three times a week and start off at a 100lb. bench, and in a few months you could be up to 200+lbs. and not have gained a single pound. DIET is very important...

 

I have been lifting for this season since October. I agree diet is everything. I have not gained a pound since October yet I am lifting 50% more in weight. I'll find out when the snow melts if "Low Reps, More Weight" actually works.

[mossman]

I've done all these workouts over the years. First off, you don't "need" strength to hit the ball far. You need speed.

I am 6' 4", 240 and could play any sport with the best of them. My forearms look like Popeyes and biceps like Brutus. But in golf, u need good legs and solid core muscles. I have played against guys who never worked out a day in their life and can still get the ball out there. They have speed and flexibility.

You can achieve the speed through high reps, 10-20, making sure you burn out at the last one everytime. Low reps with high weight will make you stronger,it will make some muscles bigger, but wont help u when it comes to hitting it further. The club doesnt care how strong u r, how fast can u get that head going?

Now if you mix the 2 workouts, thats great. But if you want the speed, which gets you the distance, focus on stretching, staying limber, and doing the fast pace, low weight, burn em out excercises. Make sure you work on your core muscles too. These are the most impotant for developing a quick turn and creating the coil u need to explode into the ball.

I'm lucky enough to have both and all i work on these days is toning. Good luck.

[shoot54today]

I guess we all know now that it doesn't take brute strength to hit a golf ball 400 yards as two of the semi-finalists in the Open Division of the REMAX LongDrive this past year weighed less than 170 lbs.

 

Since November 1, I have followed the routines in Ten Weeks to Ultimate Golf Conditioning, authored by TPI certified trainer Mike Romatowski and Dr. Neil King. The year-round program consists of Off-season (Nov.-Feb.), Pre-season (March -April) and In-season phases (May-Oct.).

 

The Off-season phase is the strength building phase and consists of some exercises like pushups, pulldowns, seated rows, DB squat and press, side-bend presses all for at least 15 reps. This period also includes other exercises without weights like overhead squats, side bends, and some other movements. I asked Mike why the emphasis on side bends and he told me that TPI has tested pros and amateurs, and one the most noted deficiencies in amateurs was side bend flexibility. Whoda thunk that?

 

The Pre-season phase gets into some medicine ball work and other movements for mobility. Stuff like these Statue of Liberty Sweeps:

 

http://golffitnessproducts.net/increasing-back-mobility.html

 

Also do stuff like holding a club out in front of the chest and then lunge forward and rotate to the forward leg side. Lunge laterally and rotate in the opposite direction.

Also do lots of shoulder stability movements with 3 lb. dumbbells.

 

The In-season phase gets into the nuts and bolts of speed work and impact utilizing the Speed Chain and an Impact bag. Also do a smattering of exercises from the Off and Pre-seasons sessions.

 

I am pushing 58 years old and when I started the workouts on 11/1/08, I could not break 109mph Swing Speed with my driver. Following the above routines faithfully, and doing some Speed Chain work 3X week, I now average 120mph with my driver and have reached as high as 131mph for one swing. I have done this with low weight and high reps.

[slim16er]

Your gains aren't made in the gym, they are made in the kitchen. The only way to gain weight is to take in an excess of calories that your body doesn't need. They have products that determine the number of calories you burn per day on average and you can figure out your meal portions from there.

 

You could work out three times a week and start off at a 100lb. bench, and in a few months you could be up to 200+lbs. and not have gained a single pound. DIET is very important...

 

EVERYONE PLEASE RE-READ THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER!!! (All Caps for emphasis) Diet is 60% Working out hard 40%

[swanry30]

synergy training - briandevlin.com. check out youtube as well.

 

nothing will kick your Word not allowed like this workout. i mix these exercises with my normal lifting routine. takes strength to a new level....

[nospinmaniac]

Really low rep 1-5 , high weight ...end of story...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m080...n25358360/pg_6/

 

Now remember this is just for speed...Not for endurance...which is equally important for golf...hence why tiger does alot of high rep training. Lets think about it, Tiger has been driving the ball along way for a while, before his weight training. He does high reps for the endurance required for 72 holes.

[Shanks For The Memories]

Unfortunately, I used to be friends with a Mr. USA, and several other professional bodybuilders.

 

But I do remember the rules:

 

Bulk = Low weight, high reps.

Strength = High weight, low reps.

 

And the 6/1 rule is in effect, it should take 6 times as long to lower the weight as it did to lift it.

[J13]

I used to be a full time Personal Trainer. I worked with many golfers including professional athletes. The answer to the original question is for golf and just about every other sport you want to build functional strength, keyword is functional. Whether your doing weights, plyo's, ect.... it can all be used to achieve the desired effect.

[GolfChannel]

Really low rep 1-5 , high weight ...end of story...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m080...n25358360/pg_6/

 

Now remember this is just for speed...Not for endurance...which is equally important for golf...hence why tiger does alot of high rep training. Lets think about it, Tiger has been driving the ball along way for a while, before his weight training. He does high reps for the endurance required for 72 holes.

 

Tiger and his trainer have said that he does the high rep to maintain the strength and muscle he built when his only focus was strength gain. He will occasionally go high weight low rep if he feels like pushing himself. I really wish peole would stop using Tiger as an example because most of you only know his current workout that was published, but his trainer has stated in interviews that Tiger used high weight and low rep in order to gain the 30lbs of muscle he put on. Also, the gentleman a few posts above was correct that he did this in a way that was functional to the golf motion.

 

Either way just get in the gym and do something, because just being in the gym puts you ahead of 99% of the golfers out there.

[yoonie]

Really low rep 1-5 , high weight ...end of story...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m080...n25358360/pg_6/

 

Now remember this is just for speed...Not for endurance...which is equally important for golf...hence why tiger does alot of high rep training. Lets think about it, Tiger has been driving the ball along way for a while, before his weight training. He does high reps for the endurance required for 72 holes.

 

Zuback is training for a competition where he hits maybe 10 balls all day. That's fine for him, but most golfers need other kinds of conditioning too, like core training to maintain posture through 18 holes (or 72 if you're Tiger)- or maybe even just for one swing, depending on what your faults and weaknesses are.

 

To answer the question, working out is not that simple. There are fast twitch AND slow twitch muscles involved in golf, and they have to be trained differently, as well as muscles with different recovery rates, resistance to injury, etc etc.

[wolfpackblack]

I haven't posted on these forums for awhile now but I feel the need to.

 

Low Reps - More Weight

You guys keep bringing up that size would be an issue..ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? If it was so easy to bulk up don't you think more people would look better?... And maybe then the U.S. wouldn't be the most obese country. You don't have to worry about getting too big, because to be brutally honest most of you won't actually devote the time, effort, and study to develop a proper routine. Your gains aren't made in the gym, they are made in the kitchen. The only way to gain weight is to take in an excess of calories that your body doesn't need. They have products that determine the number of calories you burn per day on average and you can figure out your meal portions from there.

 

You could work out three times a week and start off at a 100lb. bench, and in a few months you could be up to 200+lbs. and not have gained a single pound. DIET is very important...

 

Dead on. I've seen friends from high school weight training class all the way up to D-I football blow their goals for desired body composition because they do not control what they eat. Protein, carbohydrates and fat all play their separate roles in muscle rebuilding, which i won't get in to; its imperative you balance your diet based on your desired body composition, your workouts, and your current dietary needs and restrictions.

 

 

Unfortunately, I used to be friends with a Mr. USA, and several other professional bodybuilders.

 

But I do remember the rules:

 

Bulk = Low weight, high reps.

Strength = High weight, low reps.

 

And the 6/1 rule is in effect, it should take 6 times as long to lower the weight as it did to lift it.

 

That runs true if you're doing really high weight and really low rep (like 95% for 1-2 reps in 6 sets) ; however, your best core strength and size gains come from 75-85% of your max at 4-6 reps for 3-6 sets. 6 and 1 is a great rule of thumb to have.

 

 

As far as a weight plan that will work for you, it's all about what you want to accomplish. You have to make it work for your body style and your swing.

 

For instance, I personally am 6'4" and weigh about 280 right now with 16% body fat, as I've been a defensive end most of my life. My core concern with working out now that I'm not be playing football anymore is to cut excess fat weight, move away from mass building, and work on my core flexibility and spine rotation. As a result, I've moved away from low rep workouts and I've began higher rep toning exercises intended to target my weaknesses and even my composition out.

 

If you're trying to focus on generating more clubhead speed, I don't think you can go wrong with an intensive core workout seperate from a lifting regimine that adds agility to your core movement and a 5x5 lifting regimen; the 5x5 is a simple but effective plan that can add or cut mass depending on how you manipulate your weight, intervals, and caloric intake. There are a ton of articles on bodybulding.com and other sites online if you're interested.

 

Ultimately, the best thing you can do is pace yourself, try a few different things in moderation, and find whichever workout feels the best for your body and your swing.

[blueacepits]

Do what John Daly does, high reps of 16oz curls. Try that. You don't need strength to hit a golf ball. Its about club head speed. Just practice swinging your club over and over listening to the sound it makes. The louder the faster. I play with an overweight, short, non-athletic guy who drives the ball over 300 yards consistently, probably because he has no tension in his hands, arms and shoulders.