So, although I am going to discuss the best supplements to use during your speed training, I will also note that prior to supplementing anything, having a discussion with a medical professional is important. This is not medical advice but is written assuming the individual is generally healthy enough to attempt speed training in the first place. Another point to mention, as you should have read in my previous posts, is that if you are not physically prepared to speed train and are just assuming that you can jump in and gain lasting results, I strongly encourage anyone to prioritize physical fitness first to be able to handle the intensity that comes along with speed training. This will do a few things.
First, there will be less chance of being hurt, injured, or fatigued too quickly. Second, if you can manage to stay physically capable during your speed journey, you won't have to jump back and forth time and time again, which is what I see consistently across the board. With a large percentage of individuals - by large, I mean almost everybody - if you go through a speed training block and have a new best, that is great. But just like anything else, if you don't keep at it, it will fall off. No different than working on your putting: you work on your putting for some time, it improves, you stop practicing since you are now better, then you stop making putts and go back to practicing - it's a vicious cycle. Dieting is no different; we have all seen the yo-yo and ups and downs of it from someone we know or have seen. Heck, I'm just as guilty of it as the next person.
But with all that said, let's get into the supplements and which ones I truly believe have been shown in studies to make a difference in athletic performance. Now, some of these aren't here because they build muscle or make you lose weight or anything like that; they are here for the purpose of your speed training journey and how to maximize all the work you are putting into it.
1- Creatine: The Ultimate Supplement
Increased ATP Production: Creatine enhances the availability of phosphocreatine, which helps regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary energy source for short bursts of intense activity.
Improved Strength and Power Output: Supplementing with creatine can lead to significant increases in strength and power, allowing athletes to lift heavier weights or perform explosive movements more effectively.
Enhanced Performance in High-Intensity Exercise: Creatine is particularly beneficial for activities that involve repeated short bursts of high-intensity effort, such as sprinting, weightlifting, and team sports.
Increased Muscle Mass: Creatine can promote muscle hypertrophy by increasing water retention in muscle cells and enhancing protein synthesis, leading to gains in muscle size and strength.
Improved Recovery: Creatine may help reduce muscle damage and inflammation following intense exercise, potentially speeding up recovery times between training sessions.
Increased Anaerobic Capacity: Creatine supplementation can improve performance in anaerobic activities, allowing for longer and more intense training sessions.
Enhanced Cognitive Function: Some studies suggest that creatine may have positive effects on cognitive performance, especially in tasks requiring quick thinking or reaction time.
Reduced Muscle Fatigue: By buffering lactic acid buildup, creatine can help delay the onset of fatigue, allowing athletes to maintain high performance for longer periods.
Better Training Adaptations: Enhanced performance during training can lead to improved overall adaptations, including strength gains and muscle endurance.
Convenience: Creatine is easy to supplement, often available in powder form that can be mixed with water or a shake.
Now, this has been the most studied supplement to date, with so many studies done from muscle building to cognitive function benefits. But the real benefit for us here is explosive power output numbers and restoring ATP quickly. It works well with high-intensity intervals, so to ignore this one would be foolish, as all the testing done has shown time and time again that it's safe and it works. Obviously, when we speed train, what it is is explosive bursts over a short duration leading to a longer duration over time (hitting capacity endurance), especially if you are reading this as a Longdrive competitor hitting 6 ball sets multiple times in a competition over the course of a few hours, including warm-ups. This one really is a no-brainer. Now, as of late, the cost has risen on creatine, and the basic forms will do. Creatine Monohydrate is the most affordable and most studied. What you likely won't see these days in creatine is being included in pre-workouts as it used to be in the early 2000s through the late 2018-19 era. Obviously, the supplement industry is a business, and when the cost rose, most, if not all, companies removed it from the pre-workout supplements. Just something to be aware of. The recommended dose is 5g daily; some included a loading phase, but if you're patient, 5g daily will do over time. This one is a must!
2-The Impact of Caffeine on Health and Performance
Now, caffeine comes in many forms and has its benefits along with side effects as well. I wouldn't take it in the evenings to disrupt sleep patterns, as those are very important for proper recovery in the speed training regimen. However, caffeine has shown time and time again its benefits for performance when it comes to power and speed athletes. Here is how I will break it down.
1. Enhanced Focus and Alertness
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, leading to increased alertness and improved cognitive function. This can help athletes maintain focus during training and competition, potentially improving decision-making and reaction times.
2. Reduced Perceived Effort
Caffeine can lower the perception of exertion, making physical tasks feel easier. This psychological effect can encourage athletes to push harder during workouts or competitions, leading to improved performance.
3. Increased Endurance
Research shows that caffeine can enhance endurance performance, particularly in activities lasting longer than an hour. It can help athletes sustain higher intensities for more extended periods, benefiting long-distance runners, cyclists, and swimmers.
4. Improved High-Intensity Performance
In short-duration, high-intensity activities (Speed training), caffeine has the capability to increase power output and performance. It may enhance the capacity for repeated high intent swings or intense bouts of exercise.
5. Faster Reaction Times
Caffeine may improve reaction times, making it advantageous in sports requiring quick reflexes and responses, such as speed training.
7. Increased Motivation
The stimulant effects of caffeine can enhance motivation, making it easier for athletes to train harder and stay committed to their workout routines.
So, as you can see, when it comes to the performance benefits of caffeine, it would only make sense to consume it prior to speed training in golf. Many times, caffeine can be found in pre-workouts, energy drinks, standalone pills, coffee, and many other natural forms. My suggestion would be to start low and find an effective dose of your own, as over time there is obviously a tolerance build-up in the system where we can likely become numb to it and inadvertently crash other systems by overstimulating the energy system. Just be smart about it.
3-The Power of Beta Alanine in Speed Training:
So the only reason I am listing Beta Alanine as number 3 behind caffeine instead of before it is simply the research thus far behind it. Beta Alanine is a newer supplement with a history from the past 10-15 years, but here's the breakdown of how Beta Alanine, as a non-essential amino acid, can be beneficial.
1. Lactic Acid Buffering
Beta-alanine works by increasing the levels of carnosine in muscle cells. Carnosine acts as a buffer against hydrogen ions produced during high-intensity exercise, which helps mitigate the drop in pH that leads to muscle fatigue. By buffering lactic acid buildup, beta-alanine can delay the onset of fatigue, allowing athletes to train harder and longer.
2. Improved Endurance
Research indicates that beta-alanine can enhance endurance performance, particularly in activities lasting from 1 to 4 minutes. By reducing fatigue during these efforts, athletes may be able to sustain higher intensities for more extended periods, improving overall performance.
3. Enhanced Exercise Capacity
Supplementing with beta-alanine has been shown to increase total work done during high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and other demanding workouts. This can lead to greater training adaptations over time, including increased strength and endurance.
4. Delay in Fatigue
Athletes often experience a decline in performance due to muscle fatigue during prolonged or intense exercise. Beta-alanine can help push back this fatigue threshold, allowing for more effective training sessions and improved performance in competitive scenarios.
5. Muscle Mass Gains
While beta-alanine is primarily known for its effects on endurance and performance, it may also contribute to muscle mass gains indirectly. By enabling athletes to train harder and recover better, beta-alanine can support the conditions necessary for muscle hypertrophy.
6. Versatility Across Sports
Beta-alanine is beneficial for various sports that require bursts of high-intensity efforts interspersed with periods of lower intensity. This includes activities like sprinting, cycling, swimming, and team sports, making it a versatile supplement for many athletes.
7. Cognitive Benefits
Emerging research suggests that beta-alanine may have potential cognitive benefits, such as improving mental clarity and focus during high-intensity exercise, which can be advantageous in competitive settings.
8. Safety and Side Effects
Beta-alanine is generally considered safe for most people. Some may experience a harmless tingling sensation known as paresthesia, which can occur at higher doses. This sensation is temporary and usually subsides within an hour.
Daily dose recommendations range from 3-6g per day and can be found as a standalone product or in many pre-workouts. Since this is a supplement that needs to be integrated into the system to have its most beneficial effects, what is noticed might not truly be noticeable at first. However, as you continue to use it, the synergistic effects of being able to endure higher speeds over a longer duration, allowing the brain to recognize that you have the ability to keep going with less breakdown, are key.
Now all three of these supplements can have a synergistic effect on your journey. Alone, they are great, but synergistically, they can make a large impact not only on your total ball count (how many balls you are able to hit before exhaustion) but also on your recovery and total power output. Are there more? Sure, there are many different things out there to support a speed journey, as I covered in my top 5 list. I could go on and on with the benefits of vitamins, minerals, hydration products, and so forth. But bang for your buck when it comes to strictly power and speed performance for speed training in golf, I would never skip out on these 3.
RG
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