Build in muscle memory

[drawboy]

I have a very flat swing, my poor shot is a big draw. I've had lessons that has given me the basics of a better on plane swing. How long will it take to change my swing and build my muscle memory so it becomes honed in and second nature?

 

[fundy]

pretty sure i read one of the pros say it takes them approx 10,000 balls before it feels natural, not a great stat for those of who like to ingrain a swing change with 4 or 5 buckets in the evening each week lol

 

[Scouser]

I have a very flat swing, my poor shot is a big draw. I've had lessons that has given me the basics of a better on plane swing. How long will it take to change my swing and build my muscle memory so it becomes honed in and second nature?

If I remeber from my coaching days (cricket) its around 10,000 repetitions.

Of course 9,999 wrong ones and one correct dont count

 

[fundy]

If I remeber from my coaching days (cricket) its around 10,000 repetitions.

Of course 9,999 wrong ones and one correct dont count

yep, the damn left elbow still thinks its hitting an off drive when I chip lol, think I went way past 10k with that one though lol

 

[Scouser]

yep, the damn left elbow still thinks its hitting an off drive when I chip lol, think I went way past 10k with that one though lol

In that case play a sweep!

 

[fundy]

In that case play a sweep!

think id get some strange looks if i went down on one knee to chip, maybe no stranger than when people watch my current short game though lol

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Quality and not quantity. I think it is unrealistic for most of us included those dedicated to their practice to be able to hit that many balls and train muscle memory. I'm not even sure muscle memory exists. During that process other errors and faults at our level will creep in and many will need attention so what you were initially training your body to repeat will change

 

[Scouser]

think id get some strange looks if i went down on one knee to chip, maybe no stranger than when people watch my current short game though lol

A weep wouldnt make you look stupid.....unless it was a reverse ...then you would look a knob lol

 

[Scouser]

. I'm not even sure muscle memory exists.

How do you explain every movement the body does then????????????????????????

 

[Scouser]

During that process other errors and faults at our level will creep in and many will need attention so what you were initially training your body to repeat will change

And that sentence means your body has learnt/remembered the wrong movement

 

[Hobbit]

Muscle memory is just a fancy way of saying it 'feels' right. When you try something new it doesn't feel right but if the outcome goes in the right direction your brain tells you it is right...it becomes the new right feeling. Bit simplified but practicing the new right feeling develops the muscle memory.

 

[Andy808]

When I'm learning something new I spend alot of time in the back garden practicing the change in slow motion. I don't know if it actually helps but it seems to help me get a new move ingrained alot quicker than just range time on it.

 

[Alex1975]

Quality and not quantity. I think it is unrealistic for most of us included those dedicated to their practice to be able to hit that many balls and train muscle memory. I'm not even sure muscle memory exists. During that process other errors and faults at our level will creep in and many will need attention so what you were initially training your body to repeat will change

I agree with the first bit, you practice has to be quality! However I will have hit 10k balls this summer working on my plane and for the most part it is now natural. I have the odd bad one but I am a club golfer. Now I have my plane sorted and no more slice it time to hit another 10k balls to get rid of the hook.... Na I am joking but ye it took me a long while and a lot of work... I sometimes think that I am a bit slow in the head as it takes me a while with some things in golf but this post helps a little with that and I can make a grip change in an evening if needed so not tooooooo slowwwwwww.

 

[One Planer]

How do you explain every movement the body does then????????????????????????

Synaptic response to given stimuli

 

[Swinger]

Synaptic response to given stimuli

Thats crazy talk!!

Are you suggesting your muscles can't remember what you did last Saturday?!?!

 

[One Planer]

Thats crazy talk!!

Are you suggesting your muscles can't remember what you did last Saturday?!?!

My muscles can't remember what I did this morning!!

 

[Scouser]

Synaptic response to given stimuli

Wasnt really what I was looking for.... every move the body does is learnt.... you dont forget how to ride a back your muscles learn your muscles remember

 

[One Planer]

you dont forget how to ride a back your muscles learn your muscles remember

Not strictly true.

Your muscles don't "remember" anything as such. They can't. If this was the case, people with serious spinal injuries could still walk as their legs "know" how to walk.

When you learn, to use your example of riding a bike, your muscles don't do the learning your brain does.

It learns how to balance the ride through thousands of micro-movements that you aren't even aware you make. How to turn and steer without the bike falling over. The ability to judge speed, how to increase and decrease it (pedaling) and stopping distance before it hits an obstruction.

It's the same with everything in life. Golf is no different.

When you learn or change an aspect of your swing, it's not the muscles learning the move, it's your brain. When you learn something or in the case of golf, change something it takes time for the brain to create new synaptic connections that enable you to perform the correct action. Repetition of the an action ( Riding a bike, kicking a ball, etc) helps your brain form the connections required to perform the action and become "natural".

After all, you don't just unknowingly swing a club at a ball, well some of us do <SMIRK> you know what you're doing because you want to hit the ball a given way. Hitting the ball is the stimuli, the brain sending the correct signals to move the musculoskeletal system is the synaptic response.

The same as typing on my keyboard now.

 

[RGDave]

Muscle memory = Procedural memory.

Procedural memory is created through procedural learning or, repeating a complex activity over and over again until all of the relevant neural systems work together to automatically produce the activity. There are no set times. Everybody varies.

Sadly it's often quicker to learn something completely new than change something already existing.

In golf terms, I would guess at a minimum of 1,000 reps. Ideally 3 or 4 times that amount.

 

[Scouser]

Gareth you are very true I was putting it in very simplistic terms....

It is your brain that remembers and your brain does control the movements. It is your body working as one that allows an operation to be carried out but your body does learn the movement.

2 examples ....


Close your eyes and touch your nose you will probably be able to do it if not dont open your eyes and try again you will again probably do it....muscle memory? or the brain adjusting?

Second

Can you take your stance and hit a ball with your eyes closed??? again muscle memory?

But again I do agree that muscle memory is used by coaches as I have done to simplify the process for students...