Calvin Nii is a high-performance tennis specialist with a hard science PhD from one of the world's leading universities. Currently, he is coaching two male transition pros and he is also a high-performance consultant for TWO Top 20-ranked NCAA D1 Men's tennis programs. This is he testimonial…

SATURDAY, APRIL 07, 2007

My Own SpeedChain Testimonial

Maybe you guys would like to know how I got involved with the revolutionary SpeedChain in the first place…

It all began innocently enough with me trolling the mighty Internet for information on speed training, specifically for ideas and methods for increasing racket speed in tennis.

You see, coming from an academic background (I’m a trained, published scientist—my doctorate is in biology, if you’re wondering), I have a very empirical approach to virtually everything I do. My brother calls me a “professional deconstructionist” as I want to analyze, breakdown and question every idea that attracts my interest.

So, when in late 2005, I happened onto a link that led me to an online column written by a Hawaii-based golf teacher who claimed to have invented the ideal golf training aid—a training aid that supposedly delivered unheard of improvement in clubhead speed in a very short timeframe—it dawned on me that I might have stumbled onto something promising.

As I read that first column, two things occurred to me right away.

First, the scientific concept behind the training aid, called the SpeedChain, was dead on correct. Second, because the concept was so sound, this meant that some layman (not one of the “esteemed” sports science minds of our day) had solved one of the long-standing challenge of sports conditioning.

What this golf teacher did was find and develop a training method (and device) to increase the speed at which the human body performs complex movements that involves the coordination of multiple body parts moving in a complex sequence through multiple joint angles and planes. Sports science has long acknowledged that no known conditioning methods have been proven to increase the throwing, swinging and kicking speeds of athletes from all levels of sport.

So, in essence, this layman, golf teacher has effectively solved the “holy grail” of athletic conditioning that has eluded the so-called “experts” in sports training and conditioning.

About 5 seconds after I came to this realization, all the alarm bells and red flags in my mind went off about how what I had just read was simply “too good to be true”. That is what we are conditioned to think, after all, when we run into something that promises and claims to deliver the solution to a problem that supposedly the best minds in the world haven’t been able to solve.

How could some golf teacher with no real scientific training have come up with the solution to one of the challenging questions of sports science?

Well, as the weeks passed, I got over those prejudices and realized that this longstanding challenge of sports science could only have been solved by an outsider who wasn’t biased and brainwashed by the so-called experts. And, believe me, there is a ton of bias, prejudice, dogma and ego that lurks in the sports science and conditioning community (as it does everywhere!).

Finally, I decided to call up the golf teacher and made an appointment to demo his invention called the SpeedChain. And once I put the SpeedChain into my hands and began to swing it and tried the special exercises that can only be done with the SpeedChain, it became obvious that the SpeedChain was going to deliver on its promise of improving racket speed…Or bat speed, or golf clubhead speed, for that matter.

Once anyone who has been any background or experience as a competitive athlete puts the SpeedChain into their hands, they will “intuitively” understand why the SpeedChain will deliver on its promise to make them swing faster than ever before.

The only question was, how well was it really going to work? As the golf teacher had no quantitative information on how much racket speed improvement was possible by training with the SpeedChain, the scientist inside me led me to propose doing a pilot study where together we would study the effects of SpeedChain training on two, young (a 13 and a 14 year old) tournament players I was coaching at the time.

We decided to follow the changes in the boys’ serve and groundstroke speeds over a 10 week long training program using the SpeedChain. Outside of interval running over the same 10 week period, the boys performed no other conditioning exercises outside of training with the SpeedChain. As the boys trained only with the SpeedChain, whatever speed improvement they would show would have to be due to the effects of SpeedChain training.

The results of this pilot study were nothing short of remarkable. Both boys increased their 1st serve speed by over 25 MPH in 8 weeks. One started at in the high 60s and ended up hitting regularly in the low 90s, and the other started in the middle 70s and ended up in the low 100s.

And for you skeptics, there were no major technical adjustments to their service motions involved, only training with the SpeedChain: no plyometrics, no medicine balls, no resistance bands, and no strength training was performed during that time. None.

So, guess what? I’m a believer. Theory is one thing, hard, quantitative evidence is another. SpeedChain training works. Training with the SpeedChain more than delivered on its promise to help players increase their racket speed. The evidence doesn’t lie. Both boys increased their racket speeds significantly on both serves and groundstrokes.

Does my story seem to be “too good to be true”? What I’m actually finding out is that the results for the boys in that pilot study may not be at all exceptional. Those results may represent average improvements given what I’ve observed with the college players and touring pros I’ve introduced to the SpeedChain. Some of those players improved 10 to 15 MPH on their serve after their FIRST WORKOUT ever with the SpeedChain.

So, what’s the bottom line?

1) SpeedChain training increases your racket speed (and more).

2) All other training methods don’t increase your racket speed, and many of them will make you swing slower instead.

Theory and reality are one and the same with the SpeedChain.

I know that many of you out there are thinking that the SpeedChain is "too good to be true.

Well, I used to be just like you until I found out the real truth with my own hands and eyes.

If you want more racket speed, there’s only one answer. Train with the SpeedChain.

Testimonial: Richard Dizon

“Throughout my life I’ve played many sports, from baseball and basketball to tennis and martial arts, and, most recently, golf, Since training with the SpeedChain, I’ve noticed a dramatic improvement I my overall fitness. But more so, in my agility, muscle tone and speed—and that’s just in four months. As someone in his early 50’s, I never thought I’d get my quickness back and improve my golf swing this fast. My drives are about 20 yards longer. And if someone like me can improve, the SpeedChain can help any athlete to get faster and better.”

The Speed Chain has helped women’s javelin thrower Karyn McCready set a new school and conference record throw of 164 feet to win the 2004 NCAA Division II women’s javelin national title. She also placed 13th overall at the U.S. Olympic Trails.

“I’m absolutely sold on the speed chain training. Thank you for all your help.”

Mark Hannay - Javelin Throws Coach of Slippery Rock University

“I’ve been training for long drive competition for about 5 years now. I’ve been looking for different swing specific exercises in the weight room and also with training aids. In my opinion, your variable weight chain system might be the best training aid that I’ve come across. It allows me to train specific muscle groups not only for strength, but also most importantly, for speed and explosion at the right time in the swing. These are exercises that cannot be duplicated in the weight room or with any type of bungee/rubber band device. Since training with your system I’ve noticed a dramatic increase in my swing power and swing speed (close to 140 mph and ball speed 190 mph).

 

I wanted to take a moment to inform you of my progress, and most importantly the progress of my students as a result of utilizing speed chains.

Upon receiving the speed chains I quickly implemented the prescribed workout program into my practice regimen and the regimen of my students. The results have been fantastic. Concerning myself, my clubhead speed increased from an average of 108.7 mph to 115.2 mph after using the speed chains for 2 months. Not only am I longer, I am more accurate and in control of the additional speed as the chains are developing my acceleration and deceleration muscles.

As indicated, more importantly, I have implemented use of the speed chains into the development of the players I coach with great success. Yes, the speed chains assist with developing increased speed and power, but I feel the real benefit is in the improved swing technique which results. The players quickly understand use of the big muscles andsustaining lag. The speed chains force the player to utilize the proper muscles in the correct sequence. As you are aware, this sequence is rhythm - which is timing. In my years of teaching rhythm is the hardest aspect of golf to teach, but is probably the most important.

Thank you for developing speed chains. As a result of my own increased power, I believe I have moved beyond the level of the strong set of chains. Therefore, please send me a set of the XX Strong chains. I will utilize the strong set for the players I coach as they develop in addition to the standard set I previously purchased.

Respectfully,

Bob Sloan
Director of Instruction
Olympia Fields Country Club

Since using the chains, I've increased my swing speed from 107mph to 113mph. Using thechains with different swing drills has also gave me a greater feeling for the correct swing, which lasts longer than other swing trainers.
- Ivan

Testimony: Golfer

My teacher, years back, taught me the correct way to swing the golf club. You have brought to the table the best way to seriously bring speed to an all time high. I just hope now we all can stay consistent with how to train, so all can be fully invested in speed and game.

Chaz

Testimony: Golfer

I have been training with the SC for nearly 18 months and with the TB for 13 months. My club head speed before I started training with Golf speed chain was 113 MPH - 115 MPH max. The last time I calculated club head speed average I was at 122.5 mph. Last night I maxed out at 129 MPH. My ball speed is in the 170’s

B

Testimony: Baseball

This training has helped me a lot. It has increased my bat speed and also it has increased the velocity in my ball. It really works. These chains have taught me how to use my hips more. Also it has increased my running speed. I would definitely recommend this to all my friends. If you haven’t joined you should. It’s a guaranteed success.

Frank Wilhelm III
14 yrs.

Testimony: Baseball

Our homerun hitter Dustin used the speed chain for the first time and when he went up to bat on his second round his first pitch that he hit sailed over the left field fence. Was unreal and his dad was there to witness that.

Dean Sato
Head Coach
Team Hawaii USA Junior Olympic Baseball

Testimony: Softball

Most of the items that you are using are state-of-the-art and have filtered into the collegiate ranks in one form or another. I know our strength coach employs the chains with our pitchers & catchers in the weight room. They are an integral part of developing leg strength & explosiveness.

Coach Bob Coolen
UH Softball Head Coach