Client Case Study - Chris J

Client Case Study - Chris J

Profile

Name - Chris J

Age - 45

Height - 6 ft 3

Weight - 192 lbs

Location - Wisconsin

Client Status - Online

Profession - Geological Engineer

Lifestyle - Busy and active

 

Golf History

After maintaining a 4 to 5 handicap in high school and college years, golf became more and more elusive as Chris tried to balance work, volunteer and family life following college. Less golf translated to higher scores but with just enough flashes of his old game to keep him engaged in the sport.  After golfing more in 2020, Chris’ game started to show good signs but he was still having 8-10 awful golf shots in rounds that were costing him 10-12 strokes and resulted in a 13.6 handicap.

At the end of 2020 Chris went for a lesson with a local golf pro - Sue Shapcott of Change Golf Instruction - and her analysis revealed some technical flaws related to alignment, setup, and overall golf swing due in large part to a perceived deficit in core strength, leg strength and flexibility, along with some past physical ailments. 

 

Chris' swing before starting the 4 month golf fitness program

 

Initial Goals

  • Strengthen Core
  • Improve Flexibility
  • Improve swing mechanics through better movement patterns

 

Fitness Experience

Chris had undertaken a variety of workouts regimes over the years including basic strength training since age 17, insanity workouts (high intensity cardio based training) since 2012 and running for most of his life.

 

Available Equipment 

Basic home gym with light dumbbells, medicine ball, bosu ball, fit ball, resistance bands, treadmill and a 20ft x 10ft area for exercise.

 

Available Time 

5 x 40 minutes per week.

 

Initial Golf Fitness Assessment

Chris’ initial video assessment revealed some interesting findings, confirming some of his thoughts regarding areas for improvement but also identifying mobility and posture factors that needed addressing.

Interestingly, the majority of Chris’ physical limitations could have had a potentially limiting effect on what Chris is aiming to achieve in his golf swing from a technical perspective. Good news is that I expected to Chris to make rapid improvements if he stuck to the training program and was diligent with intent and technique during the training sessions.

Below are Chris’ scores from the assessment, along with the specific areas highlighted for improvement within each testing category.

 

Graph of Chris' initial golf fitness assessment results. The wider the data points in the graph, the better the score.

 

Basic Strength - 34%

  • Legs and core strength

Stability - 44%

  • Foot / ankle stability and general balance

Mobility - 74%

  • Shoulder flexion and external rotation
  • Thoracic flexion and extension
  • Hip flexion and internal rotation (left side)

Movement Patterns - 25%

  • Pelvic control
  • Upper / lower rotation separation
  • Efficient rotation from T-Spine

Posture - 85%

  • Head and shoulder positions are presenting forward

 

Initial Training Program

Chris’s initial program was very simple; aiming to reintroduce him back to basic strength and stability training whilst specifically targeting the mobility and movement pattern restrictions identified during the assessment.

Strength and Stability Workout x 3 per week

Mobility and Movement Patterns x 2 per week

The mobility session was a combination of self massage (using foam roller and spiky ball) and stretching. The Movement Patterns section focused on head and shoulder posture in standing and golf set up, alongside some basic upper body rotation over a stable lower body.

Due to Chris’ somewhat limited equipment and short time frame available I decided to use a circuit format for the strength workouts to build cumulative fatigue and also save time.

 

Mobility and Movement Patterns workout from Chris' first program

 

Strength workout from Chris' first program

  

 

Selection of exercises from Chris' first program (click top right to see the playlist)

 

Progression

As Chris was demonstrating solid improvements and steady progress each time we did the monthly assessments, I was able to progress his training programs in difficulty and complexity. Below are examples of Chris’ 3rd program, by this time he was training in a gym and doing workouts more targeted at general strength development whilst still working on his mobility and movement patterns.

 

Strength workouts from Chris' third program

 

Selection of exercises from Chris' third program (click top right to see the playlist)

 

Outcomes

We repeated the process of monthly assessments and training program design for 4 months and Chris made fantastic progress across this time frame. He demonstrated steady improvements in each assessment category, gradually eliminating the physical limitations that were affecting his golf swing. Below are the outcomes from a golf fitness assessment and golf swing perspective - the results speak for the themselves!

 

Comparison graph of Chris' golf fitness results from first assessment to last assessment. The wider the data points in the graph, the better the score.

 

Chris' swings before and after the 4 month golf fitness program

 

Chris was a pleasure to work with; he stayed committed to the process and was very consistent in his adherence to the program. Whilst there were workouts that he missed due work and family commitments, his program completion rate was consistently around 90% - enough to make steady improvements over time. 

Chris was kind enough to write a summary of his experience working me; see below for his perspective on the improvements made and the process of achieving his goals......

“My golf game has improved.  Those 8-10 awful golf shots from my rounds last season are decreasing with time, and my scores have consistently been in the mid to upper 80s, which is improved from low to mid 90s at the same time last golf season.  As I reduce my swing thoughts, I feel my scores will continue to decrease this season.  For me, I feel so much better physically (beyond just golf), and my performance on the golf course is more predictable and less frustrating.  

Nick's program helped me regain that flexibility and strength I had in my early 20s. I decided to purchase a lifetime membership for the Golf Fit Pro app, as I feel this tool will help me make further gains in the coming months and years.  My feelings of sliding into an "old man" swing have subsided, and this tool, with Nick's guidance, was pivotal in improving my golf fitness and my overall golf swing from driver down to pitch shots.

From my initial consultation with Nick, I was entirely impressed with Nick's approach to how he conducted a virtual evaluation.  He identified where my fitness levels could be improved from flexibility to strength. He also evaluated my golf swing and developed a specialised program to fit my situation through the Golf Fit Pro app.  I found it most impressive how Nick tied the program into equipment I already had at my home and what I already enjoyed doing for exercise. When my gym began to open up, he shared workouts that I could mix into my program using more typical gym equipment.

He was thorough with his notes and he explained/celebrated my progress, and made adjustments to programs where gains were still needed the most on a monthly basis. The app does a great job of showing proper techniques for each exercise.  Many of the stretches I have incorporated into my daily habits over the past 6 months.”


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