Hex-Bar Deadlift as a Post Activation Performance Enhancement Warm-up Strategy for Golf Club Head Speed

Club head speed (CHS) is a key determinate of golf ball carry distance. Greater carry distance correlates with greater skill. The aim of the present study is to investigate the acute effects of using the hex - bar deadlift as a post activation potentiation enhancement for improving CHS in collegiate golfers. Sixteen (n= 8 females, age: 19.5 ± 2 years, weight 68.66 kg ± 8.6kg, height 168.4 cm ± 12.7 cm, n=8 males, age: 19.75 ± 2 years, weight 70.0 kg ± 9.5kg, height 178.1 cm ± 12.7 cm) division 2 collegiate golfers participated in this randomized crossover study during the off-season. The study was divided into 3 sessions on 3 separate days. Players reported to the training facility and completed a one-repetition maximum (1RM) hex- bar deadlift on day one. Sessions 2 and 3 included two CHS assessments, one with the PAPE protocol and one without. Each session was 5-7 days apart. One CHS test was preceded by a standardized warm-up, while the other was preceded by the same standardized warm-up with the inclusion of the hex - bar deadlift PAPE strategy (3 reps at 60%, 3 reps at 70%, and 3 reps at 85% of 1RM). A paired two-sided t-test revealed an increase in CHS with the PAPE strategy resulting in a mean difference in CHS of +0.8325 mph (p = 0.02447, d = 0.625). In conclusion, the hex- bar deadlift was shown to provide enough stimulus to elicit a PAPE effect and increase CHS in collegiate golfers.