Joey D's thoughts on Tiger's return

Tiger Woods is back in action this week in Marana, AZ for the Accenture Match Play tournament where he's the defending champ. This marks Woods' first PGA Tour event since summer 2008 when he was last seen hobbling around Torrey Pines en route to another US Open victory.

Tiger had reconstructive surgery on his knee and has spent the past several months rehabbing and working his way back into playing shape. With so much focus on the return of the game's top player, we sat down with PGA Tour biomechanics coach Joey Diovisalvi to discuss what it takes for a player to come back from an injury of this nature:



Tiger Woods returned to the PGA Tour this week after season-ending knee surgery last summer. As a biomechanics coach, can you tell us what Tiger did to rehab and rebuild the knee?


First and foremost, Tiger is very, very private, which is one of many things I respect about him. Based on what information he allowed to be talked about, we can't really know everything that went on.

What we do know is that is was serious enough to end his season and it was a complete reconstruction.

The way he swings, with the torque, how he finishes, how he loads and releases the club... he ends up posting up so hard stabilizing on his left side that he goes into lateral eversion. He ends up on the side of his foot, where he laterally stabilizes all the way from his hip down to his ankle.

When they rebuild that knee Tiger knew it'd takes time to get back. He also knew that if he pushed it, he'd reinjure himself again. The rehab was completely successful and he took all the precautionary measures he needed to mount this comeback.



In your opinion, is he ready to be back this soon? What are the chances of reinjuring himself?


If you look at athletes who have structural injuries, some guys do come back too soon. The mind tells them they're ready to compete, but the body doesn't understand that it's a result of so much load and they're nowhere near ready. Load on the knees of you're a basketball player. The load factor that happens with a pitcher in MLB working back from injury.

The integrity of the structural joints is so crucial. The stress these guys put on these areas - the injuries can happen again and again if recovery isn't 100%. They need to be patient. 

Tiger swing is so hard and what happens is that his weight shifts through balance, it ends up putting a major load factor on those structural joints.

If he had come back too early, he absolutely could injure it again. The knee has troubled him in the past, so he took that extra precaution to make sure he was absolutely ready. He knows what could happen if he rushed the process.

Tiger works with Keith Kleven who is an expert in his field and they both have a huge understanding regarding Tiger's body. Tiger is one of the people that really moved the needle regarding the physical side of golf.

If you look at his body, he doesn't have a massive or muscular lower body, though he's very strong. I think years and years of the way he swings and his club head speed, movement patterns, how he transfers weight and how he has to stabilize, I think it wore the knee out, resulting in season-ending surgery.



Is an injury of this nature preventative or was it unavoidable for a player who gets after it physically as Tiger does?


I don't think it was preventative. When you look at Tiger's lower body -- bone mass versus muscle mass -- combined with the talent, the fearless nature and the understanding that his swing is his swing, in time it wreaked havoc on the knee.

Moving forward, I think he understands what it's going to take to prevent this from happening again at this point in his career. I don't think it was preventative, though. He's been the way he is for a very long time.

Mentally they don't come any stronger, but physically he's going to have to build some muscle density in the surrounding area and strengthen the connective tissue and that takes time. He's been doing that the past few months and he'll continue doing so moving forward.



Was match play a good week to come back? A format where it could be more than 18 holes on one day and 36 if he goes the distance?


Knowing Tiger the way I do, he never would've come back without being 100%.

He's been hitting balls for a while. Being in this business as long as I have, you hear what people are saying. I know people behind the scenes who have watched him on the range and he was definitely ready.

Whether he came back for match play or another event in a few weeks, it wasn't about the tournament itself as much as it was about him making sure he was absolutely ready to compete at the highest level.

Biomechanically Tiger is very well aware of what he needed to do to get back to form. He's 100% ready. The format of this week's event is neither here or there. He obviously felt that it was time and that his game was where it needed to be.

Tiger's very, very calculated and I mean that in a good way.



What will it take fitness-wise to keep an injury of this nature from happening again?


There might be some need for Tiger to make a change, which is perfect for a guy like him. Tiger is a master of adapting to what he has to do to make things work. It's all about adaptation to change and understanding the the process which allows change.

Tiger knows if he keeps doing what he's doing, he'll re aggravate the knee. He'll work around it and will find a way. He knows there's no instant fix and knows enough about his golf swing and his body to revamp things.

Do you ever see Tiger 'working' when he's out at a tournament? No. He does his work privately at home and he shows up ready to go week in and week out. He's a consummate professional and he knows exactly what he's doing coming back at this time.

Joey D : On The Road, Month One Recap

Joey D checking in with a new GolfGymBlog feature. I'll be dropping by weekly to talk about fitness in relation to the PGA Tour, the routines I run with the pros and the general ins and outs regarding trying to stay fit while living out of a hotel room.

For those of you who think it's all fun and games out here, it's not. These guys are putting in the work and these are some legitimate athletes. Those who don't believe it, come walk a mile (...or several dozen) in their shoes for a week and you'll see this is serious business. More goes on in an average round than you could ever fathom.

I'm off this week, so I figured this would be a good time to give a little background and recap the first few weeks of the season.

I'm working with six pros this year -- Pat Perez, Jason Gore, Tom Pernice Jr., Ryuji Imada, Jason Dufner and Charlie Wi. All six aren't in the field every week, so each tourney is it's own adventure with a different group of guys.

The west coast swing was different this year as weather was a bigger factor than in the past. Guys weren't getting consistency and with all the delays, it plays into the mental part of their game.

As coaches we're seeing an interference with the mental and physical. Guys working a lot harder to get warmed up and ready to go, but after a delay bodies lose their rhythm. There's an interruption in brain/body function. To get in a groove, have a tournament called and then to have to reload -- it throws you off.

The intelligent guys come back in the trailer and re-warm up again and feel the difference. The trailers were retrofitted this off season and with the new set up, players have more of the necessary tools to work with.

The rough weather continued and we got to the coastal California events (Buick, Pebble) you saw guys getting a bit more used to what was going on, dressing better, layering - keeping the body warm. Good advice for anyone who gets out there. I can't stress the importance of layering in those conditions. You can always peel something off if it warms up.

I have the guys extend their routines in colder weather and you should too. A little more time spent warming up and stretching out will pay off in the long run. Rushing out to the tee box isn't going to do you any good if you're not limber. Stretch. Get the blood flowing and get that core temperature up. Treadmill. Stationary Bike. Elliptical. Band routines, as well. I have the pros work with my PowerBandz because they mimic the swing.

Warm up rotationally. Get the spine and hips moving. Get your muscles firing in a good sequence and movement pattern.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I can't stress how important fitness is to your golf game. You're better off spending an hour a day stretching than you are beating balls.

Aside from the weather, there were some highlights these past few weeks. In January our very own Pat Perez won his first ever tour even at the Bob Hope Classic in the desert. I can't express how proud I am of PP. We started working together a year ago this time and it was great to see it come full circle.

Pat has a different attitude. He's not going to be happy until he a top the World Rankings. As hard as he's worked to perfect his new swing, he's worked even harder in the trailer with me. You're seeing a different side of Pat -- and a lot of guys who are now taking fitness seriously. Players are realizing the importance regarding biomechanics, conditioning and physical side of golf.

Not everyone is equipped to get after it as Pat does, which is fine. The key is to do something.

A lot of fans look at my boy Tim Herron and don't see the most athletic guy on tour, but he's still in the trailer doing something. Functional stretching. Throwing the medicine ball. Working the bands. Lump hates his time in the trailer, but he puts in work because it knows what it does for his game. If he can do it, so can you.

I've got more, but I'll save some for the next blog. Next time I'll focus on band work, the benefits that come with mimicking your swing and what to expect with the Florida swing.



Joey D.

Paul Goydos asked about fitness Thursday at Pebble

During Thursday's opening round of the AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm, Golf Channel sat down with Tour pro Paul Goydos and asked him about fitness.

Goydos admitted the following, when asked what he could would go back twenty years and give himself some advice, what would it be:

"You should've worked on your flexibility starting when you were about four. We have a fitness trailers over here and me and Loren Roberts are the least flexible people they seem to have on the history of the PGA Tour.

I'm not flexible enough and go back to the question before about the way I play. My body is built a certain way. It's built for strength, it's not built for power. Power doesn't necessarily come from strength. I think flexibility is a big part of of the power and I just don't seem to have any of that right now."

AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm Sleeper Picks...

PGATour.com's Brian Wacker named Tom Pernice Jr. his 'sleeper pick' at this weeks AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm and said the following:

"Another of trainer Joey Diovisalvi's guys, this 49-year-old is in great shape. He was T9 at the Bob Hope Classic a couple of weeks ago and has some good showings at Pebble Beach with a T7 in '04, a T15 in '03 and a runner-up finish in '98."

Joey D shoots Golf Channel segment with Pat Perez & Kelly Slater

Weeks after a Pat Perez win at the Bob Hope Classic, Golf Channel came looking for answers.

What changed? After seven seasons and two tourneys into year eight, why now?

A new and improved swing gets it's share of credit, but so does the application of a biomechanics routine, courtesy of Joey Diovisalvi.

With Pebble Beach providing the perfect backdrop, cameras were rolling when Perez, Joey D and nine-time World Champ, pro surfer Kelly Slater played a few holes and exchanged some witty banter Wednesday morning in Monterey.

Half the segment took place on the course, but the other was a 'behind the scenes' dawn patrol workout between player and coach. Cameras spent an hour giving viewers an in-depth look at the daily regimen of Perez and Joey D.

The segment is slated to air late March/early April, but Golf Channel will feature a teaser before Thursday's opening round at Pebble Beach. Tune in to the morning edition of 'Golf Central' or check back with the GolfGymBlog in the coming days as we'll host the clip here. 

USA Today article on fitness, weight loss & stretching

Check out a fitness-related article by Erich Schlegel in Wednesday's USA Today sports section. Texas Longhorns junior center Dexter Pittman has incorporated a fitness regimen, stretching and healthier eating habits into his day-to-day.

The result? Upwards of a 100-pound drop in weight for the NCAA men's basketball sensation. 

"HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT HAS PITTMAN IN SHAPE, READY TO ROLL AT TEXAS"

AUSTIN - Dexter Pittman grabs his laptop computer and scrolls through a lengthy list of e-mails.

"I want to show you the e-mails from all the people I help with weight," says the 6-10, 295-pound junior center for the Texas men's basketball team.

Pittman, who has lost 93 pounds since he played his last game three years ago for Rosenberg (Texas) Terry High School, never imagined he would go from being the butt of jokes in the school yard to a role model for dedicating himself to a weight-loss program the way some adolescents fixate on video games.

"People are asking me for help," he says in a soft-spoken manner. "It's a joy."

Pittman, 20, is trying to become a consistent force for Texas on the court, while continuing what will be a lifelong battle with weight. A starter in 15 of 23 games, Pittman averages 8.9 points and 4.4 rebounds while playing 13.3 minutes a game.

At times he fights fatigue on the court, but in spurts can give opponents fits. He has a lot of work ahead to achieve his goals, but his college journey thus far has been a mountain of progress.

When he arrived on campus in June 2006, he couldn't squat to simulate a defensive stance because he was too heavy. Pittman's poor posture spoke volumes of the self-assurance he lacked. It also caused aches and pains.

"It was so bad that it really beat up his body," Texas strength and conditioning coach Todd Wright recalls. "His knees were beat up, his lower back really hurt and his feet hurt."

Back then a lonely Pittman used to find a hiding place in the locker room to change. He was too embarrassed to let his teammates see him without a shirt.

His self-esteem had been decimated in childhood by cruel teasing. Classmates found flaws in him from head to toe. "They always used to say I had big feet," says Pittman, who wears size 18 shoes. "I tried to impress them and wear smaller shoes."

His feet now have deformities. He has large bunions and hammer toes that cause claw-like curling of some toes. "Imagine if my toes were straight," he says. "I'd probably be the best center in college. It would be crazy how I'd be able to move."

The reality is that Pittman isn't alone with weight problems and the myriad complications they cause. According to MayoClinic.com, two-thirds of adults are overweight, a condition that can lead to hypertension, diabetes and other illnesses.

There are studies showing obesity has increased sharply among all children and adolescent age groups in the last three decades.

"I call them the McDonald's kids," says Bennett Hatten, Pittman's godfather and now retired high school coach.

Hatten and Pittman's father, Johnny, told Pittman that his size, once manageable, would one day be a blessing. After all, Pittman had inherited some of his father's basketball skills. Johnny Pittman was a 7-foot center for Oklahoma State from 1989 to 1991.

"The same kids who poked fun at you, one day they'll be asking you for tickets," Hatten says he told Pittman.

Pittman became a dominant high school player, scoring 1,154 career points in three years on varsity. He towered over others and scored at will. He impressed college recruiters with his shooting touch and massive hands that could grip a basketball "like it was a grapefruit," Hatten says. Yet his weight figured to be a major impediment in college, where he had to keep up with the nation's fastest and most gifted players.

When he visited Texas, coach Rick Barnes, who says he viewed Pittman as a project, introduced him to Wright, a fitness guru who has worked with Barnes' teams for 15 years. Wright offered to design a weight-loss program to keep Pittman healthy and injury free but the strength coach never had been confronted with such a challenge.

"To tell you the truth … I didn't know if he was capable," Wright says. "Losing 80 or 90 pounds, that's a lot of weight."

Pittman gave his commitment to play for Texas and follow the training regimen. "We told him it would change his life if he would buy in," Barnes says.

Pittman was motivated, in part, by skeptics at his high school. "People always said I wasn't going to be able to play at this level," he says.

The day after his last high school game, weighing 388 pounds, he called Wright for weight-loss tips he followed religiously. Pittman rode a stationary bike, walked on his high school's track and ran a little when he wasn't too winded.

When he entered summer school at Texas, he was down to 366. Nevertheless, his body fat was 41.6% and his waist was 54 inches.

He and Wright went to work. Pittman promised due diligence.

"Well, understand, the words are the easy part," Wright says he told Pittman. "This is the hardest thing you're going to ever do in your entire life. He said, 'I'm prepared to do whatever you tell me to help get where I want to go.'"

Pittman followed a strict training schedule. He reported for 5:30 a.m. individual workouts with Wright, went to classes and returned to the weight room for more conditioning. That was followed by study hall and a practice with his teammates.

His conditioning workouts started with slow movements, such as squatting and lunging. He gradually moved to the treadmill, equipped with a heart monitor, and did other aerobic exercises. He also has had routine physicals.

Pittman also started eating healthy foods such as fruit, salad and grilled chicken. He made a pact with Wright, calling the coach before every meal to evaluate menu choices. Soda was out, along with Pittman's favorite foods: pizza and the Ultimate Cheeseburger from Jack In The Box. "He never complained," Barnes says.

The conditioning workouts were a grind. Pittman's exhaustion showed in practices, when he lagged behind teammates.

"Some days I wanted to cry and say, 'Man, I want to give up,' " he says.

Pittman says he was driven by the example set by his mother, Selma Harris. Harris sometimes worked two jobs to support her four children. Pittman's goal is to provide for his mom and send his two younger brothers and sister to college. Of course he hopes to do it with an NBA contract but says he could always find a job with a degree in kinesiology that he is on track to receive next year.

With every pound he has shed — he lost about 40 in his first five weeks at Texas — he has gained a dose of confidence that goes beyond sport. In multiple semesters, he has made the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll. This comes after he struggled academically in high school.

Every chance he gets, Pittman studies himself in the mirror, sometimes in awe that his body fat is down to 13.8% and his waist now is 46 inches.

"He's always flexing in the mirror," teammate A.J. Abrams says, grinning at the thought. His teammates now call Pittman "Sexy Dexy."

In November, Abrams helped convince Pittman to take off his shirt on the beach, something Pittman had never done, when Texas played in the Maui Invitational. "I felt really good," Pittman says. "I was like, 'Am I dreaming?' "

His first two years at Texas, Pittman couldn't run sprints with his teammates because pounding the gym floor was too hard on his joints. Instead, he ran on a treadmill. This season he has joined them for every workout.

When his team is at a restaurant, and the menu has nothing healthy to his liking, Pittman will settle on fruit and wait on the bus while the team eats. "I train myself to do it," he says.

Sometimes he reaches out to his mom or friends for moral support.

"The main thing I tell him is to keep the faith and ask God for strength," his mother says.

His will power strikes a chord with his teammates.

"He did probably the hardest thing anyone ever did at UT, and that's lose (nearly) 100 pounds," junior Damion James says.

Pittman slumped in January while struggling with stiffness because as he played more, he conditioned and stretched less. Wright has since reintroduced more stretching and conditioning. Barnes believes if Pittman loses another 20 pounds next summer in yet another test of his fortitude, he could show off NBA-caliber skills.

Meantime, e-mails are pouring in from all over Texas from admirers who have read or heard about his weight loss. He developed a special bond with a 13-year-old Austin resident, Silas Connolly, who has struggled with weight. Connolly's father, Larry, e-mailed Wright and Pittman in despair over how to help his son.

Pittman met with Silas privately. Not long after, Silas began playing basketball. Pittman's No. 34 is monogrammed on the teen's gym shoes. "He can relate to Dexter," the teen's father says. "Dexter's a hero to us."

Pittman isn't shy about giving advice. "It's not hard to speak," he says. "I've got confidence now."

PGATour.com talks golf fitness with Joey D...

Check out this commentary from PGATour.com's Brian Wacker, who interviewed Joey D over the weekend regarding golf fitness and its impact on recent Tour winners and competitors!

FIT TO WIN: John Rollins didn't win the Buick Invitational on Sunday, but it wasn't for lack of commitment. A lot has been made about the fact that Rollins dropped 30 pounds about two years ago in an effort to shape up not only his body, but his game. So maybe it wasn't a coincidence that a week after Pat Perez won in Arizona, Rollins was contending in California.

Perez and Rollins both started working with Joey Diovisalvi, the former trainer for another fitness nut, Vijay Singh, at about the same time a couple of years ago. I talked to Diovisalvi over the weekend and he naturally wasn't surprised to see them both playing well because of what he called a "major, major, major commitment" to getting their bodies where they wanted them to be. With that comes lifestyle changes. For Perez, that meant a new sense of calm and ultimately his first PGA TOUR victory. For Rollins, it meant taking a lesson from what Singh and Tiger Woods do before they ever put a peg in the ground.

Rollins' 74 strokes on Sunday might've added up to a robust final-round number, but at least it wasn't because of a robust physique. Now if he could only find someone to fix those leaky tee shots.

Sports Illustrated interviews Coach Joey D

Coach Joey D was interviewed by Gary VanSickle at Sports Illustrated for an article he wrote on Golf.com. See Sports Illustrated Article.

Here is some video from the photo shoot for the article. You will see a very fun side of Joey D.

GolfGym at the 2009 PGA Show in Orlando

The GolfGym Team was in Orlando, Florida attending the PGA Merchandise Show to introduce the new line of GolfGym products and the New look of all the packaging.

Coach Joey D was busy with radio interviews and autographing sessions every day of the show.

We got to meet Ivan Lendl at the Golf Fitness Magazine booth. He is an avid golfer and his two daughters are working hard to become professional golfers.

Here is some video from the show.

GolfGym at the PGA Merchandise Show

The GolfGym Team participated at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida last week. Coach Joey D had many radio interviews and was also interviwed for a Sports Illustrated article that was posted on Golf.com