[YodasLuke]

My improvement has been achieved via the following methods:

a) Strength and Conditioning: I have embarked on getting stronger and more flexible in what I believe to be the key muscles groups for golf power: Posterior Chain (Hips, Hamstrings, lower back), Core, Upper back/lats, triceps and forearms/wrists. My training focusses on speed of movement against resistance rather than maximal weight lifting.

b) Teaching my neuromuscular patterns to swing faster: This basically involves doing dry swings as fast as possible. Making the club "whoosh" as loud as possible through the impact area.

I've had reasonable success with the long drive guys. I've had a couple of guys in the 145-150 mph range. So, I saved some important things from your quote that I like. You're doing some good things, but I'll add a little...

I was on a full scholarship for running, when I was in college. And, we knew not to train for a marathon if we were training for a mile. Long driving is a specialty, and it requires specialty training. Hours and hours of grinding out drives on the range can lead you down a slower path.

Fast twitch muscles need to be trained. You need to train at speeds that are faster than you're able to attain with your normal club. But, you also need the strength. I would say that the ideal would be to train with a club that was 15% lighter than normal and one that was 15% heavier. When you train on both sides of the weight that you use in competition, your competition speed will increase.

I would never have you max out your speed more than 8 times, without having about a 5 minute break. Hitting 100 balls without a break will not make you faster. The fast twitch muscle fibers will exhaust themselves and the slow twitch fibers will complete the task.

If you run, you should do short sprints with rest between them. If you train in a gym, you should spend time doing quick bursts with medicine balls, lighter weights, or resistance bands. When you're hitting balls, make it quality versus quantity.

If you train with the speed of a hummingbird, you'll swing with that kind of speed.

There's plenty of good info on the web. Here's just one link:

www.athleticquickness.com/page.asp?page_id=15