3 ways to add more natural power to your golf swing

Welcome to Shaving Strokesa GOLF.com series in which we’re sharing improvements, lessons and tips from amateur golfers just like you—including some of the speed bumps and challenges they faced along the way.

While we all want to hit the ball straight, for so many reasons, every amateur golfer is obsessed with getting more distance on their shots – especially with the driver. Longer shots usually mean fewer shots to reach the green, leading to better scoring opportunities.

But anyone who’s ever grabbed a golf club and been kicked out of their shoes knows that’s not the path to the longest swing. In fact, for medium and high handicappers, the opposite tactic is often more effective.

Since many of us average players lack the basics to increase swing speed and still maintain proper alignment, when we simply swing as hard as we can, this usually leads to a clubface that is anything but square. The key is controlled speed and intentional power avoiding all common swing faults.

How best to execute this? I asked GOLF Top 100 Teachers EA Tischler for three natural movements with power.

3 ways to gain more power in your golf swing

When I asked Tischler about ways to gain more power, he first gave me three natural ways to get that extra firepower, and then he explained how a student of his named John helped him generate extra speed for more distance (see below).

1. Improve your physical strength

Bryson DeChambeau’s physical transformation years ago is a perfect example of this, as he hit the weights and bulked up – with a large part of his plan to try to gain more strength and distance by developing muscle mass.

Tischler said the everyday player doesn’t need to go as far as DeChambeau did, but says there are benefits to improving your physical strength.

“There are many ways to gain more power through athletic training,” he said. “If you want to go that route, I suggest you find a certified personal trainer, conditioning coach, or other expert in the field to help you. Improper training causes injury.”

2. Use speed drills to develop more controlled club speeds

Speed ​​training is a popular trend, with many players looking to gain more club speed to bomb their drives. Tischler said he sees players use a variety of training tools and apps that program a plan to generate more speed and power.

“In my experience, (any training aid or swing trainer) that comes with an app to guide you through the process is the most helpful,” Tischler said. “I’ve had students gain significant speed and power using those integrated plans, rather than just making the wings themselves.”

Tischler also said that every player should set expectations when using any training tool, as not every golfer will see huge gains.

“Some golfers gain a lot from speed training, while others may see very little. “I think it has a lot to do with their body type, athletic condition and overall ability,” he said. “In general, most speed training programs help players who need to improve the transfer of power from their hands to the clubhead, so if you’re already good in that area, you may not benefit much from the fad programs of speed training.”

3. Sequencing can help effectively apply more power and speed

As mentioned above, when a player starts swinging recklessly for added distance, it usually ends badly. This is because their alignment goes out, often costing them every opportunity to frame the clubface and make center-to-face contact.

That’s why Tischler says to focus on yourself order and rhythm it is so important when you want more power.

“If you’re a player who already has power and speed but lacks the distance you’re hoping for, it can come down to your swing technique — which is where ranking comes into play,” he said. “There are all kinds of training aids and drills to help with alignment, most of which are tailored to the individual based on their athletic conditioning, body type and swing mechanics.”

So how does Tischler help his students in this area? He prefers to start with training ropes.

“I make custom speed ropes and basic ropes, helping my students learn the benefits of each,” he said. “We also work on linking the kinetic chain, using drills that help synchronize their ground force pattern, rotation and arm movement.”

Next, Tischler dived into the three power segments he says every player needs to understand (and apply!) to experience the distance gains they’re looking for.

3 power segments

The three power segments, Tischler said, are the lower body power segment, the midsection power segment and the distal end power segment.

How do each work in the golf swing, and how was Tischler able to help his student, John, apply them for more power? He explains below.

1. Lower body power segment

“It involves understanding how to use the body from the waist down, which helps develop a strong ground force pattern,” Tischler said. “We often call the action produced by the lower body power segment ‘Dancing.’

“When you learn your best dance, you find that you really start producing power from the ground up. I use two different types of rope drills to help players get that feel so they can apply it on the course.”

2. Power segment of the middle section

“The power segment of the midsection is what we generally call the ‘Core,’ as it is the segment from the waist to the chest,” Tischler said. “When you use the core effectively, it connects the kinetic chain from the ground (using the lower body) through the midsection and into the arm swing. Simply put, we all tilt and turn during the golf swing. However, some of us are built to lean more, while others are built to turn more horizontally.

“Think of the body as having a continuum in the middle of your body. When you find yourself on the wrong side of the continuum, your joints get stuck or stuck, which is what I call being Stuck 3.0.

“Stuck 1.0 is the classic mistake of throwing the hips and leaving the arms behind. Stuck 2.0 is jamming the lead arm in front of the body as the body outpaces the arms, leaving the hands behind. Stuck 3.0 is locking the joints and prematurely slowing down the spin – which almost always ends up injuring the golfer.”

Distal end power segment

“The distal end power segment is what is commonly known as the ‘Arm Swing’ which involves the arms, wrists, hands and club effectively transferring power through those components to flow as much power as possible on the clubhead,” Tischler said.

“With proper instruction, we typically see students make huge gains in that area as they engage in the distal strength segment during training. By using speed ropes, core ropes, swing whistles or punching bags, we can help students achieve tremendous gains in this area.”

By evaluating how you can effectively use these three power segments, matching them to your specific body frame, and learning to connect them in unison, you can work toward achieving your speed goals. the club.

TheStack Swing Speed ​​Trainer (Hardware Bundle + App)

$314 (was $349)

TheStack Hardware 5 milled Weight Stack enables 30 combinations of weights between 0g and 300g Dual Purpose Weight Box / Phone Stand Multi-Designed Training Club – Adult (41.5″) or Youth (38.5″) Version ( see Speed ​​Radar Youth Assembly). See all compatible devices here. We recommend including the 2-year license of PRGR TheStack Training App, accessible only on iOS. Dynamic speed training formulated by Dr. Sasho MacKenzie Guided workout timer for reps, sets and rest intervals Personalized speed metrics to track your gains Hands-free data entry using voice input technology Includes access to Stack Putting (Beta) – Learn more Includes single user License – Enables training and tracking for up to five local (ie family) users under one login. Multi-user trainer license sold separately. Access TheStack app from the App Store when your order arrives. Requires iOS 15.0 or later.

Buy now

View Product

Nick Dimengo

Editor of Golf.com