The 18STRONG Podcast

Chris Finn owns and operates Par4Success, an incredible golf, and fitness business with 2 locations in North Carolina.  In today’s episode, Chris shares with us the results from an ongoing study he has been conducting with his clients over the past few years.  Chris has been documenting the assessments and training programs of his clients (from juniors to tour pro’s) to determine the effects that they had on specific golf parameters. Whether you are a regular golfer or fitness professional, you’re definitely going to take away from valuable info from his research. The Par 4 Success study has really started to break out the normative values for clubhead speed for demographics other than just tour pros, which is what we have had on rely in past years.  This information is just the beginning stages, but as the data grows, it could be extremely helpful in determining how you should be training for your or your clients’ demographic, or maybe even more importantly, how you should NOT be training based on your golf and fitness goals. Chris Finn’s Background Chris Finn is a Licensed Physical Therapist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Titleist Performance Institute Certified Medical Professional, Certified Precision Nutrition Coach, and trained to perform Trigger Point Dry Needling in North Carolina. He has grown Par4Success, which he started as a 100% Golf Fitness, Performance and Physical Therapy Center, to multiple locations where his team works with golfers of all abilities and ages to swing faster, play better and hurt less. Personally, Chris continues to work with Touring Professionals, elite level juniors & amateurs while also consulting with other Fitness & Medical Professionals about starting and/or growing their own businesses and directing the in-house golf performance research done at Par4Success. Chris is honored to be a two time World Golf Fitness Summit Presenter and has contributed to numerous media outlets including Titleist Performance Institute, Junior Golf Magazine and GolfWRX, is published in peer-reviewed Sports Health Journal, and enjoys continually challenging the status quo to improve outcomes for all active individuals. Highlights from this Episode  Chris Finn talks about his presentation at the World Golf Fitness Summit and the data and research he has been doing on training clubhead speed. He gives us the layman’s version of how he has used different tests to measure the movement of his golfers and what he discovered with his research on the power and speed of the golf swing of different age groups and both the amateur and professional golfers. What training for clubhead speed looks like and how we can use the data that Chris and his team have collected to see what the average speed for your demographic of golfer. Triphasic training vs. normal training: What triphasic training is and the difference that can make in clubhead speed compared to your usual strength training routine. His podcast project “The Difference of 13”, which is not only focused on his work at his facility but helping other practitioners and opening a new conversation to the healthcare system. Follow Chris Finn at: Website Instagram Podcast Research Data To access Chris’ free resource with all of the data from his research CLICK HERE Episode Sponsor: Rad Roller What To Do Next: 1.) Subscribe (Click the blue button below) and Leave a Rating/Review (Click this link) for the Podcast: Subscribe to feed 2.) Subscribe to the YouTube Channel (Just Click the red Button): 3.) Join the 18STRONG Movement Facebook Group:  

This week we are replaying an episode from last year that highlighted the benefits of interval training and covered the contents of the best selling book by Dr. Martin Gibala, The One Minute Workout.  As many of you have seen on My Instagram Page, this month I am doing the #1-minutemaxou challenge.  I have committed to doing at least 1 minute of a maximal effort exercise each and every day for 30 days (and I have to post proof to instagram!). I thought it would be a perfect time to revisit the many benefits of high-effort training (many would call this HIIT or SHIIT), and why just doing 1 minute can make a dramatic impact on your health and fitness level. If you want to join me in the challenge, feel free to simply follow the posts, like and comment, or if you really want to get in the mix, post a video of yourself doing your #1minutemaxout and use the hashtag. Here are the  notes from the original episode: Interval Training has become very popular over the last decade or so in the fitness community, and research is showing incredible results when it comes to the efficiency of this type of exercise.  But even with new research and more popularity, I still find that most people think of exercise as a long, drawn-out workout that they just “can’t” squeeze into their busy schedule. Well, what if you only had to work out for one minute and it was just as effective as a 50-minute workout? I’ve been intrigued by interval training for a while now and recently read Dr. Martin Gibala’s book The One-Minute Workout.  The research results that this book presents are nothing short of incredible in favor of using the interval method for increasing fitness levels.  So I thought this would be a perfect topic to cover in this week’s episode. Interval Training 101 In this show we discuss: The basics of Interval training and the difference between HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) and SIT (Sprint Interval Training) The benefits of interval training Simplify some of the physiology that occurs with this type of training Address a few concerns and misconceptions Lay out several protocols from the book The One-Minute Workout Share my experiences with HIIT/SIT and biggest takeaways from the book Why should a golfer care about any of this Interval Training/exercise: Bursts of intense exercise separated by periods of recovery (either complete rest or a less intense activity) Traditional (Moderate) Training/exercise: doing an exercise over a certain distance or time at a relatively constant pace (ie. jogging, swimming, biking, etc) Improved Cardiorespiratory Fitness can result in: Better/more efficient pumping of the blood by the heart Takes you longer to get out of breath Increases your ability to perform an activity longer (bike, run, swim, etc) Also reduces the chance of developing ailments like cardiovascular disease and diabetes For golfers, increases stamina and longevity of playing the game 2 ways of powering movement: Anaerobic: short bursts of power, quick movements, explosive, only last a couple seconds (eg. sprint, Olympic lifts, the golf swing, etc) Aerobic: Less intense movements for longer duration of time (jogging, swimming, biking, hiking, etc) Mitochondria: The powerhouse of the cell.  These are the cellular bodies that use oxygen to burn fuel. (The mitochondria, the more efficient the body/muscle is at using oxygen) Interval Protocols *The following interval protocols are from The One-Minute Workout book. Each includes a 3-minute warm-up and 2-minute cooldown. Basic Training (pg. 140) Peak Intensity: 7 Duration: 3o min 3 min warm-up Interval: 3 min WORK: 3 min REST Repeat a total of 5 times 2 min cooldown The Fat Burner (pg. 149) Peak Intensity: 6 3 min warm up Duration: 25 min Interval: 8 sec WORK: 12 sec REST Repeat as many times as possible to a maximum of 60 times (or 20 min) 2 min cooldown Ten by One Peak Intensity: 9 (start at an intensity level of 5 and work up) Duration: 25 min 3 min warm-up Interval: 1 min WORK: 1 min REST Repeat a total of 10 times 2 min cooldown The ONE-MINUTE Workout Peak Intensity: 10+ Duration: 10 min (with just 1 minute of hard exercise) 3 min warm-up Interval: 20 sec WORK (*at maximal intensity*): 2 min REST Repeat a total of 3 times 2 min cooldown   Find the Book: The One Minute Workout Book

We’re going to mix it up a little this week and just talk off the cuff regarding a few thoughts I’ve had around this show, golf, and performance. In light of the recent routing of the US team in the Ryder Cup, I’ve been thinking a lot about YOU as a golfer. We talk a lot about what pros, coaches, and trainers we have on the show are doing when working with the professional golfer, but it’s our mission here at 18STRONG to make sure that we’re providing you lessons you can take away week in and week out so you can play a better game.  So you can play the game the way YOU want to play it. Whether that be winning your club championship or breaking 90, we want to supply you with ways to improve that last. So today I want to talk about what I’ve learned and the constant trends I’ve seen from our professional guests on the show. I specifically titled this “5 Things Really Good Golfers Do” because I don’t want to talk about the exceptional, elite athlete, or the professional golfer. I’m talking about you and the golfers you play with that just seem to have it figured out: the really good golfer at your club, on your golf trips, etc. What is it that they are doing that you can learn from to drastically and realistically escalate your game. Highlights from this Episode (5 Things Really Good Golfers Do) The first time I played with a really good golfer was when Dr. Andy Frost (Ep. 200 with Dr. Andy Frost) invited me out to Bellerive Country Club around 2010 or so and I haven’t look at the game the same ever since. I was able to talk to him about how he approaches certain shots, why he made certain decisions and what he would do in from my position on the course. I had always been the guy that simply tried to hit it as far as possible on every shot to get as close to the green as I could and would deal with the repercussions on my next shot.  But, Dr. Frost talked to me about playing the game smarter and to think through my future shots, for instance hitting your second shot with the intention of approaching the green from a better angle. This particular outing was very influential in me continuing the learning process of what makes a golfer better and truthfully, was a big catalyst for the inception of 18STRONG. With our mission of helping you get better, it struck me that maybe we should put together a list of some of the most dominant themes I’ve noticed over the course of 200+ episodes and experience working with some really good golfers. Below, I put together a list of 5 things that I have noticed really good golfers do on a regular basis. . .  5 Things Really Good Golfers Do 1. Practice with Intent – You know as well as I do that practice is the no-brainer to getting better. I’m not just talking about going out and hitting balls around, I’m talking about the great golfers that practice strategically. They work on not just their long games but different specific aspects: their putting, their chipping, they keep score so they can compete with themselves. It’s not just about the repetition; it’s about how they’re using that swing. One thing I have heard from countless coaches and top players is that they play games with themselves and against others when practicing, to keep themselves accountable.  A great resource for this is our episode with Trent Wearner (from Golf Scrimmages) on how important it is to have games as a main component of your practice routine. Ep. 175 with Trent Wearner 2. Personal Fitness – Taking care of your body is not just for playing well, but also for playing well for a long time. I’m not talking about how these people are the exemplar of physical specimens, but they take care of themselves. They are able to play pain-free and with less compensation than those who tend to ignore the impact that your body’s health have your game. If you put a little time and effort into getting your body to the highest of levels for a competition, you’re going to play that much better.  Not to mention the fact that, long-term, this game is one that you can play for a long, long time if you are physically able.  Which means that taking care of yourself today, will make you much happier on the course later down the road! If you need a place to start with your fitness for better golf, our resource below (The Golf Fitness Rollercoaster) is the perfect place to start. The Golf Fitness Rollercoaster 3. Playing with Better Competition – It is pretty well a known fact that most of us tend to play to the level of our competition. If you’re playing with people that are lower than your skill level, you will slowly creep down to their level of play, whereas, if you play with those that are constantly challenging you, you will see yourself rising up. At the very least, make it count for something, even if you’re just playing against yourself.  Who are the people that you’re playing with and how are you going to get better if you’re not playing with someone you can learn something from. 4.They Prepare and Reflect – Good golfers think their way through the course. They plan their swings and shots they’ll need ahead of time.  They visualize the course and where they want to be off the tee. Picking up yardage books at different courses and reflecting on mistakes can be a great way to improve your next game. The Really Good Golfers don’t beat themselves up and dwell on mistakes, but study, reflect, and learn so that their next game is better than their last. 013 with Ellen Reed  Ep. 204 with Gio Valiante 5. They Love the Game – IThe best golfers I know simply love to play the game.  They love the challenge, they love the environment, and they simply love the pursuit of getting better.  I’ve seen so many golfers out on the course getting frustrated, throwing clubs, ruining their mood and I just don’t understand why they play the game?  Yes, golf can be frustrating at times, but that’s the allure, that’s the beauty of it.  You’ll never play a perfect game, so there is always room for improvement.  The guys that are throwing clubs aren’t playing for themselves, they are concerned more with their image as a golfer, not in truly becoming a better golfer. It harkens back to the Master Golfer vs. The Ego Golfer from Ep. 204 with Dr. Gio Valiante. Ep. 204 with Gio Valiante In conclusion, ask yourself which of these 5 things that Really Good Golfers do apply to you and which ones you might need some work on.  None of us will ever be perfect, but striving to get better each time you tee it up is what really counts. Episode Sponsor RadRoller What To Do Next: 1.) Subscribe (Click the blue button below) and Leave a Rating/Review (Click this link) for the Podcast: Subscribe to feed 2.) Subscribe to the YouTube Channel (Just Click the red Button): 3.) Join the 18STRONG Movement Facebook Group:  

Today I am especially excited to bring on our special guest, and brand new PGA Tour Cardholder, Chris Thompson. As the 2017-2018 PGA Tour and Web.com season wrap up, there seem to be plenty of exciting recaps and developments to cover. Last week we talked to Adam Long, one of the Web.com “Top 25” Money list earners and golfer moving on to the PGA Tour. I’m excited to say that this week we have another upcoming rookie on the PGA Tour, Chris Thompson. Chris’ story is very unique in that he is a 42-year-old rookie on the PGA Tour (2018-2019 season) who has been playing professional golf since 1999.  He has been working his way to his PGA dream for nearly 20 years. The road to the PGA tour, as we’ve heard from others on the 18Strong Podcast, is not the most glamorous of lifestyles, as this interview with Chris will reiterate.  In our chat, Chris gives us the details on his journey, including times of doubt, success, failure, and what ultimately led to this momentous upcoming season. Chris Thompson’ Background For nearly 20 years, he traveled the backroads of tournament golf, the mini tours and state opens and Monday qualifiers, always missing the on-ramp to the PGA Tour (and usually to the Web.com Tour, too). He has called his career a two-decade work in progress. Now at 42, an age when established players often see their games begin their descent, Thompson will become a PGA Tour rookie. With a timely boost from a neophyte tour caddie named Chevy, Thompson became one of the Web.com Tour’s most productive players in the last two months, when he had the best three finishes of his career. In succession, he tied for third and fourth at the Price Cutter Charity Championship and KC Golf Classic, and finished third at the Ellie Mae Classic. Thompson finished the Web.com in 20th place overall with $181,738 in earnings and becoming a member of what the tour calls “The 25,” the top money winners who are rewarded for their efforts with PGA Tour memberships for the next season. Yet his support at home—from wife Jessica, who works for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America in Lawrence; son Henry, 10; and daughter Landry, 7; and a group of individual sponsors—never wavered, even when he provided reasons to do so. Maybe not, but a leisurely pace is not in his immediate future. Thompson has the Web.com Tour playoffs on his schedule the next four weeks, followed by a week off before his initial PGA Tour season begins Oct. 4 in the Safeway Classic in Napa, Calif. Highlights from this Episode His turbulent history on the Web.com tour and how he was holding out hope and keeping on the gas for his tour card up until the final event of the Web.com this year. He also goes into what has changed since finding out about his future in the PGA and how he can handle the off the course stuff but must stay constant and steady in the final Web.com tour events. An insight into his “Real world life” and “Golf world life” balance: What the last 12 years have looked like for him balancing his dream of playing on the PGA with being a husband and father of two. He talks about how his wife was his biggest supporter and the faithful sponsors that have stuck with him over the years. Chris credits his caddy, Charles “Chevy” Hartzog, for some of his recent success, how they met, and how his ability to “read the greens” never ceases to amaze Chris. His secrets to still playing and competing against a much younger field on both the Web.com Tour and the PGA Tour. How he deals with the constant travel on Tour and how his workout regiment has helped him stay healthy and fresh. What he is looking forward to with the upcoming PGA tour; from the pampered treatment of the players to the competition; what he thinks will be different from the years on the Web.com tour.  Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Caddy Shack If you could pick a walk up song to the first tee box, what would it be?  Either “Anything Goes” by Florida Georgia Line or “Still the Same” by Bob Seger If you could play 18 holes with anyone, who would it be and where would you play?  Bill Belichick or Brad Stevens at Bandon Dunes What’s the next big goal on your radar?  To retain my card and put myself in contention to win a tournament. Follow Chris Thompson at: Twitter Golf Digest Article on Chris Episode Sponsor SuperSpeed Golf What To Do Next: 1.) Subscribe (Click the blue button below) and Leave a Rating/Review (Click this link) for the Podcast: Subscribe to feed 2.) Subscribe to the YouTube Channel (Just Click the red Button):   3.) Join the 18STRONG Movement Facebook Group:  

This week we’re talking to my buddy, Adam Long, who is recently one of the top 25 money-earners on the Web.com Tour in the year 2017-2018, and is therefor PGA Tour bound in 2018-2019. I can honestly say this is an episode I’ve been looking forward to doing for the last couple years. I first met Adam when we had him on the show (Episode 60) and since then have been working with him remotely with programs for him to continue to do on the road. I’m so excited to see how far he has come and where he is going. In this episode, we talk about the ups and downs of this past year; the emotions of finally earning his tour card and the trials and tribulations that he faced on the way to getting to the PGA Tour. Adam Long’s Background Adam Long grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and from a young age knew that golf was the game he was destined to play. He attended Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, Missouri, where he was a four-time all-state All-Metro selection and ranked 8th in the Golfweek Junior Golf Rankings. From high school, Adam decided to start his collegiate golf career on the Men’s Golf Team at Duke University. He was an All-ACC and Academic All-ACC team selection, and played 11 out of the 12 tournaments his first season, he was a PING All-East Region Selection as well as tying for third at the Big 4 Challenge and ranked 6th nationally and 22nd among all US Amateurs in the Golfweek Amateur Rankings while at Duke. Adam quickly turned pro after graduating from Duke in 2010 with his bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Shortly after he turned pro, Adam played his first PGA TOUR event in 2011 the U.S. Open. In 2012, he joined the Web.com Tour where he played a total of 17 events, and landed in the top 10 for one and top 25 for two tournaments that season. In 2014, Adam played on both the Lationoamérica and Mackenzie Tour’s in 2014, where he played 23 events. In 2015, Adam rejoined the Web.com Tour where he played 21 events, and made top 10 for two and top 25 for five that season. Outside of loving golf, Adam is a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, and loves to watch his alma mater, Duke University, play basketball. When not playing golf, Adam loves to vacation in Northern Michigan and loves to spend to spend time with his family at their cottage there. Adam is engaged to his long-time girlfriend, Emily. Highlights from this Episode Adam gives us a recap of the past year as far as the mental game, where he feels he has excelled, and what he has learned over years of playing in the Web.com tour that helped him really step it up this year and earn his tour card. He explains that one of the differences in his game this past year was feeling more comfortable and confident in the later rounds, and keeping the pedal down throughout. We discuss what the process is looking like for him moving forward as he is gearing up for the upcoming season. He talks about his representation and sponsor, and why he has made the decision to not change much.  He appreciates the people and sponsors that have helped him get where he is, so he doesn’t feel the need to really do anything different in these areas. Adam shares his plan for the last few Web.com tour events shares some insight into the way the final 50 golfers are seeded regarding status based on the finish of the Web.com season and the Tour Finals. Lastly, we touch on what he does to stay fresh when he is playing 11 or 12 straight weeks, and the keys to keeping his peak performance up each week. Parting Questions What’s one thing you are most looking forward to on the PGA tour? I’ve heard you can’t find a bad meal so I’m excited for the food. Anything you’ll miss from the Web.com tour?  The family feel from the players to the caddies, to the management. If you could pick a walk up song to the first tee box, what would it be?  St. Louie by Nelly If in 1 year we are back together, what would success look like to you for this tour? Keeping my card, finishing on the top 125. Follow Adam Long on Social Media: Website Twitter  Instagram Episode Sponsor: Rad Roller What To Do Next: 1.) Subscribe (Click the blue button below) and Leave a Rating/Review (Click this link) for the Podcast: Subscribe to feed 2.) Subscribe to the YouTube Channel (Just Click the red Button): 3.) Join the 18STRONG Movement Facebook Group:  

Today we’re talking to Dan Hellman about the piece of the Golfer fitness puzzle that no one is really talking about. Even in the circles of fitness and strength training, not many individuals are talking about post-round or post-exercise routines. Dan, a licensed physical therapist and owner of Hellman Holistic Health in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is one of the most well-respected medical and fitness professionals in golf.  Dan is a former senior faculty member of the well-known C.H.E.K. Institute and has studied extensively under pioneering French osteopath Guy Voyer, and is qualified as an instructor of Voyer’s SOMA Method. SOMA stresses that training — whether for performance, rehabilitation or maintenance—must begin with an understanding of how the entire body moves and works.  His extensive educational background and experience make Dan Hellman “THE guy” to talk to when it comes to preventative measures to take after the round to keep you strong, healthy, and playing this game as long as you want to play it. Dan Hellman’s Background  Dan Hellman is a licensed physical therapist and accomplished health and fitness professional who is also one of the nation’s most respected experts on golf fitness. He did his graduate work in physical therapy in an osteopathic environment, which fueled a life-long quest to understand the way the systems of the human body work together for performance, healing, and well-being. After graduating from the University of North Dakota with a B.S. degree in athletic training, Dan earned his M.S. in physical therapy at Des Moines University, formerly the University of Osteopathic Medicine and the Health Sciences. Dan is a past senior faculty member of the prestigious C.H.E.K Institute, which educates fitness and healthcare professionals in a uniquely integrated and holistic approach to health, fitness and well-being. He has traveled North America and the world teaching personal trainers, physical therapists, chiropractors and osteopaths the C.H.E.K philosophy. He applies that knowledge to his work with golfers and was named one of Golf Fitness magazine’s “50 Best Golf-Fitness Professionals in America” at the end of 2017. Dan has combined his love of the sport with his in-depth understanding of the human body’s limits, potential and movements to develop Golf Body Pro. This program helps golfers at all levels play better by conditioning the body for the demands of the golf swing or adapting to physical limitations that may affect the swing. He has helped golfers from youth level to the top players on the PGA Tour. Dan is the owner of H3 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida—a center that offers a well-rounded approach to fitness and provides professional education and training to fitness professionals. Before establishing H3, he practiced physical therapy in several outpatient orthopedic centers specializing in sports medicine and spine rehabilitation. Dan has personal clients around the world, including in Kuwait, Trinidad, India, Bahamas, Barbados, Europe and Canada. His motto – – Better Body. Better Golf. Highlights from this Episode How he found himself interested in both osteopathy and golf and how they both fed into each other to blaze the trail for how his career of golf fitness and rehabilitation. The preventative techniques he’s found that both the older and younger generations of weekend warrior golfers need to start focusing on to play the game better and longer, like what some of these recovery symptoms can appear themselves as, such as how in our swing we can twist in a way that demands too much on the lower lumbar spine which can lead to both health issues and swing deterioration over time and where we should go first after we finish our round and before our post-round beer. The “ELDOA”: the magic bullet for back pain that he learned from Guy Voyer. Dan explains how these 1 minutes strengthening exercises can revolutionize your spinal health and golf game. He defines myofascial stretching and goes in depth the importance post-game fascial stretching while you’re body and fascia are warmed up and how these different fascial structures are connected to different organs, bones, and joints to keep you limber, mobile, and moving correctly. Both what the professionals like Tiger and Spieth are doing to keep their body in peak competing condition, as well as what the younger generation should be aware of and focus on so that they can have the body capabilities of the professional golfers at the older ages  Parting Questions for Dan Hellman: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Caddy Shack What would be your walk-up song? Leash by Pearl Jam If you could play 18 holes with anyone, who would it be? The Old Course with Buddha or Tiger Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong Audience? Golf is the greatest game, you are only gifted one body. Better Body, Better Golf. Sources Mentioned: “Strolling Under The Skin” Video His Webinar on Fascia Learn more about Dr. Hellman and his work at: Website Twitter Youtube Find out more about his upcoming course with Guy Voyer and if interested, be sure to email him at info@hellmanholistichealth.com or call his office at 954-566-0585 and mention the 18Strong Podcast to get 20% off! Episode Sponsor SuperSpeed Golf What To Do Next: 1.) Subscribe (Click the blue button below) and Leave a Rating/Review (Click this link) for the Podcast: Subscribe to feed 2.) Subscribe to the YouTube Channel (Just Click the red Button):   3.) Join the 18STRONG Movement Facebook Group:    

Today we are talking training with Dr. Mike Kay from Premier Fitness Systems in Scottsdale, AZ. Training for you, for golfers, for athletes, and the broad spectrum that it can require in order to meet your goals and needs. We are constantly learning new and innovative ways to improve performance.  Our guest today, Dr. Mike Kay, does exactly this on a regular basis with his clients. Constantly trying to find the most effective and efficient ways to reach his clients’ fitness and health goals, whether they are professional athletes (from UFC to PGA players) or the general populace. In this episode, we discuss, about the commonalities between weekend warriors and the professional athletes, what are the basics we all need to be working on, and what are differences between these groups when the goal is to play more efficiently and prevent injury. Mike Kay’s Background Mike is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, working as a director of education and performance specialist at Premier Fitness Systems in Scottsdale, AZ. Michael works with various athletes from PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, MLB, NFL, and UFC. Mike has an extensive background in various manual therapies, exercise approaches, and program design/implementation. This allows his approach to span from rehab to the highest levels of performance. Michael graduated from the University of Nevada in Las Vegas with a degree in Biology and Kinesiology. Michael related to the evidence based, hands on approach in Physical Therapy. He graduated with his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Chapman University in Orange, California. From there he went on to work in multiple outpatient orthopedic settings. Highlights from this Episode Mike gives us insight into both his work at Premiere Fitness Systems, what working with professional and amateur athletes looks like, and common things we can overlook and not put enough attention on when it comes to training like monitoring breathing. We define “The Cannister” and how it affects both our golf swing and our daily lives. “Kangaroos vs.Gorillas” what the heck does this mean and how he uses these categories to best fit people into an archetype to build upon. What he’s seen working with PGA Golfers, what he looks for as far as where to start training (like joint health), finding their baseline and working with his clients to come up with a plan moving forward. The similarities between his programing for us weekend warriors and the PGA professionals. Why keeping things simple and getting the client a quick win early on to keep morale and motivation progressing is so important. The most common injuries and limitations he finds in the amateur golfers, like hip and lower back issues. Parting Questions Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Caddy Shack What would be your walk up song? Even Flow by Pearl Jam If you could play 18 holes with anyone, who would it be? My Brother at Augusta What has you most excited with PFS?  Just excited to learn and discover more. Any last advice for the 18Strong Audience? Don’t stop learning! Learn more about Dr. Mike and his work at: Website Instagram Episode Sponsor RadRoller What To Do Next: 1.) Subscribe (Click the blue button below) and Leave a Rating/Review (Click this link) for the Podcast: Subscribe to feed 2.) Subscribe to the YouTube Channel (Just Click the red Button): 3.) Join the 18STRONG Movement Facebook Group:  

This week, we have one of the biggest names in golf when it comes to the mental game, Dr. Gio Valiante. Dr. Gio is an expert in the area of human performance as it relates to both business and sport. His book, “Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game” is known by many as one of the most influential mental game resources in the game. Fearless Golf continues to be a best seller more than 10 years after it was published in 2005 and his players have won over 50 PGA Tour Events in the past 15 years. We cover a lot in this episode, so you might want to get a pen and paper.  To give you a little teaser, in this interview, we talk about . . . The effects of fear and how it physically impacts several specific pieces of your swing The distinction between a mastery golfer and an ego golfer (and which one you are) The dilemma of when to work on technique vs trusting your swing and focusing on a precise target I’m telling you, there are so many small but insanely powerful pieces of mastery in this episode, that I’m going to venture a guess that this will become one of the most impactful episodes we’ve done in regards to long-term on-course improvement. Dr. Gio Valiante’s Background Dr. Gio Valiante is currently a professor at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He serves as the mental game consultant to the Golf Channel, Golf Digest, and the University of Florida. Some of his accolades and accomplishments include: Clients including Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar, Henrik Stenson, Davis Love III and many others Sports Psychologist of the Year by The Golf Channel Top 40 Under 40 to Influence the game of Golf by Golf Magazine The #2 Sports Psychologist in the world by Golf Digest. He has worked with many of the game’s top players including Justin Leonard, Chris Dimarco, Chad Campbell, Camilo Villegas, Jack and Gary Nicklaus, Heath Slocum, Franklin Langham, Notah Begay III, Charles Howell III, Billy Andrade, Fred Funk, Tommy Armour III, Matt Kuchar, David Duval, Chris Parra, Lori Rinker, Davis Love III and many, many more. His groundbreaking research – sponsored by a grant by Rollins College and the Critchfield Foundation – resulted in the 2005 publication of Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game. Fearless Golf was co-published with Golf Digest and Doubleday and has quickly become the new standard in golf psychology. Endorsed by the game’s top players, Dr. Valiante provides a vision for competitive golf that allows golfers to remain fearless, focused, and committed to each and every shot they hit. Highlights from this Episode What brought Dr. Gio specifically into Golf in terms of sports psychology and how the timing of his career played an instrumental part in why he was drawn to golf. He defines what the title of his bestseller “Fearless Golf” means, and how people often misinterpret it as being reckless. He talks about the books inception and how since it was originally a case study on over 100 professional golfers, the title came after the content. The “feedback loop” of the psychological, physiological, and mechanical that fear can manifest itself as on the course. How the stress hormones like Norepinephrine is what the body uses during “fight or flight” to tighten the muscles and is released under those stressful fairway shots only adding to the pressure, and how we slow down or damper that system. In the book he talks about the mantra and importance of having a “precise target”, and he dives deeper into how simplifying and playing the “Caveman Golf” of “See ball – Hit ball” has you playing better and acts as a buffer to overthinking. How overworking technique and your golf swing is not helping your game like you think it is, and when we should switch from simplifying things and working technique. When your playing for your golf swing, you’re probably going to play worse more often than not. The idea of “Mastery vs. Ego:” The philosophy of how he approaches the game, how you should view the game, and the difference between the two. Mastery golfers are driven by improvement and curiosity while playing for themselves. Alternatively, Ego golfers are competitive; they show extremes of anger or pride depending on how they play.  Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?  Caddy Shack What would be your walk-up song?  Lose Yourself by Eminem If you could play 18 holes with anyone, who would it be?   Bobby Jones Learn more about Dr. Gio Valiante and his work at: FearlessGolf.com “Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game” Dr. Gio on RevolutionGolf.com Episode Sponsor SuperSpeed Golf A glimpse into Matt Ryan, one of the top NFL quarterbacks, using the principles of Overload Underload training. Did you know that Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Andy Dalton, Carson Palmer, Alex Smith, and Blake Bortles all work with famous throwing coach Tom House training with lighter and heavier balls. SuperSpeed is designed to create a similar effect for golfers. A post shared by SuperSpeed Golf (@superspeedgolf) on Aug 17, 2018 at 2:08pm PDT What To Do Next: 1.) Subscribe (Click the blue button below) and Leave a Rating/Review (Click this link) for the Podcast: Subscribe to feed 2.) Subscribe to the YouTube Channel (Just Click the red Button): 3.) Join the 18STRONG Movement Facebook Group:  

This week, Dr. Michael Ruscio takes us on a deep dive into the topic of “Gut Health!”   I know it might not seem quite as sexy as increasing your driver speed or talking about the latest PGATour event, but I think you’ll be surprised at just how much this topic might hit home for you.  Little do you know how much your “gut” impacts your performance out on the course and simplify your life in general. Michael Ruscio, DC is a doctor, clinical researcher and best-selling author whose practical ideas on healing chronic illness have made him an influential voice in functional and alternative medicine. His research has been published in peer-reviewed medical journals and he speaks at integrative medical conferences across the globe. I wanted to bring Dr. Ruscio on to talk about his expertise because “gut health” is a subject that’s interest has recently grown exponentially in regards to research and discovery of its importance.  Dr. Ruscio, being a Functional Medicine Doctor and former athlete, is the perfect person to not only explain the basics and some possible solutions but also why we as golfers, athletes, coaches, parents, etc should be paying more attention to what our bodies are telling us. Michael Ruscio’s Background Michael Ruscio has a diverse training background. His undergraduate studies were in exercise science and pre-med. Dr. Ruscio later decided to depart from his plans of conventional medicine after he was unable to find relief in this system. He decided to pursue alternative medicine because of his positive personal experience with it. During his training in alternative medicine, he became concerned at the level of dogma and lack of scientific rigor in parts of this field. Dr. Ruscio now works to provide what he feels to be an optimal balance of progressive, natural-medicine-focused solutions, applied within a conservative, practical and evidence-based model. His Education and Certifications include: Functional Medicine Practitioner Lead researcher in pending IBS study Post-doctoral continuing education provider Doctor of Chiropractic – Life Chiropractic College West B.S. Exercise Kinesiology – University of Massachusetts Dr. Ruscio’s best-selling book, Healthy Gut, Healthy You, has paved the way for a ‘start with the gut’ philosophy which has enabled doctors and patient to obtain improved outcomes with minimal expense and effort. He is leading the charge to make alternative medicine more affordable, effective and practical, through a pragmatic application of evidence-based therapies. Dr. Ruscio’s ability to objectively analyze medical literature has made him a trusted voice of reason, a voice he shares on his top-rated podcast and website. Ruscio’s mentality: “Functional medicine can lead to miraculous improvements in one’s health. I advocate for a progressive but cautious model that will provide you helpful recommendations for improving your health while also remaining sensitive to cost and practicality.” Highlights from this Episode Michael Ruscio kicks the episode off by talking about when he fell ill during his twenties. He eventually found the cause of his problem was being driven by a gut infection. However, he wasted much time and money treating symptoms with natural therapies. Dr. Ruscio’s hope, in his teaching, is to prevent other patients and clinicians from making this same mistake. He defines both what he means by “Gut Health,” and what Optimal “Gut Health” looks like to achieve optimal performance. Bad Gut Health can even go so far as to how you can be eating a healthy diet, but your body is only absorbing a small fraction of the nutrients, almost like you were eating something that is devoid of nutrition like junk food. How an individuals gut health cause different diets to work better or worse and the 2 types of helpful diets to test out and help towards diagnosing and seeing a response: an Elimination Diet (cutting out certain inflammatory foods) or a Low FODMAP diet (reduces foods that are high in pre-biotics and can feed bacteria.) The connection between the gut and the brain: how they are related, how they communicate and control so many aspects of your body. Some diets can not only have common gut symptoms (aches, diarrhea, etc.) but can also lead to symptoms like joint pain, insomnia, and depression just based off of histamines. We also talk about supplementation: when does he introduce supplements (before or after dietary intervention,) and how heavily should we rely on such supplements? Parting Questions Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Caddy Shack What would be your walk up song? Eye of the Tiger by Survivor If you could play 18 holes with anyone, who would it be and where would you play? Sam Harris at Pebble Beach Last piece of advice do you have for the 18Strong Audience?  “He who has as ‘why’ to live can overcome almost any ‘how’” Learn more about Dr. Ruscio and his work at: Website Instagram Facebook Episode Sponsor RadRoller

Today we’re talking with Mike Dunphy, Player Development Manager for Srixon / Cleaveland Golf.  Mike is in charge of finding, recruiting, and training all the new players that they bring in to the brand of Srixon / Cleveland Golf. From collegiate to WebDotCom, to PGA players using their equipment, Mikes is in charge of it all. It was very cool to pick Mike’s brain and get an inside look at what goes on behind the scenes with player development in a brand like Srixon/Cleveland.  We also discussed what the difference maker is when these players choose Srixon over some of the other larger companies like Titleist, Callaway, etc. Mike Dunphy & Srixon’s Background Mike started coaching college golf at a very young age at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and soon after went to work with Cleveland Golf to create an opportunity for young kids to play golf. Mike helped develop the Ambassador Program between Nextgengolf and Srixon/Cleveland Golf, which is designed to help celebrate collegiate club golf on a national scale. CMike has worked with, recruited and developed some of the top players in the world that have chosen Srixon as their brand to represent.  Players like Keegan Bradley, Russell Knox, and Smylie Kauffman just to name a few. Highlights from this Episode Mike kicks the episode off talking about the expansive growth in collegiate club golf; not only how far spread it now reaches through colleges and universities, but the importance from a branding perspective. He also goes into his past with coaching and how he got in with Srixon / Cleveland Golf, and what his responsibilities are. Mike and I go into the details of what exactly he is looking at when looking for new students to join the Srixon / Cleveland Golf roster, such as what handicaps they look for and between what ages they look for. Mike also talks on how he approaches these players and what is the difference maker that they have over golf companies like Titleist, Taylor Made, and Callaway. When he’s looking for a new player, Mike talks about a “farm system.” (Educating and molding these younger players.) I talk to Mike about what this educating looks like to get collegiate players to work their way up to the PGA tour. We also talk about why Mike and Srixon / Cleveland Golf don’t make a habit of getting their product to the youngest of players due to an unpredictable and often lacking ROI. Mike talks on what we can look at in a golf ball, and better yet the differences between golf balls, why we have to match the ball to our swing speed to dial in control on our swing, and what makes Srixon golf balls different. Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?  CaddyShack (but his favorite golf movie of all time is Dead Solid Perfect) What would be your walk-up song?  Black Cow by Steely Dan  or Stomp by The Brothers Johnson If you could play 18 holes with anyone, who would it be and where would you play? Too many people to name, but definitely playing at Oakmont Any last advice to the 18Strong Audience?  Golf is a game that brings people together so we have to keep it going in the right direction. Mentions: Srixon Cleveland Golf NCCGA Episode 166 w/ Kris Hart from NextGen Golf Episode Sponsor SuperSpeed Golf