18SP 025: Nick Clearwater and Jim Keen | Golf Fitness Meets Technology

What does it take to make your workouts and golf game 18STRONG? Join us as Nick Clearwater and Jim Keen share their expertise in the world of golf instruction and fitness technology.  They give us an inside look at some fancy new strength training equipment and how “Adaptive Resistance Exercise” just might change how many golfers train and practice.

Nick is a teaching instructor for several PGA, LPGA, and Champions Tour players.   As if that’s not enough, Nick is also in charge of the Quality of Instruction for the GolfTec facilities all across the nation, which includes over 650 teaching professionals.

Jim Keen is the Director of Sales for a company named Adaptive Resistance Exercise which manufactures a brand new type of fitness/strength training equipment.  But this is not just another bench or squat rack. The technology of these pieces just may change the game in the strength training world.

The two are working very closely to bring these machines and a more efficient training method to the golfer by incorporating them into the GolfTec model.

Their Background

Nick Clearwater

Nick Clearwater
Nick Clearwater
  • Works for GolfTec
  • Teaches on the PGA Tour, LPGA, and Champions Tour

Jim Keen

  • Started as a musician
  • Opened Keen’s Brick Fit House (in his living room) with on of the initial versions of the ARX machines.
  • Is now the Director of Sales for ARX (Adaptive Resistance Exercises)

Highlights of today’s episode:

Jim Keen
Jim Keen
  • What is ARX?
  • What is GolfTec? and what do they do?
  • GolfTec stands for:
    • Teaching
    • Education
    • Conditioning
  • How does GolfTec manage the quality of instructors at the 180 facilities across the nation?
  • Is it possible for a golfer to get a real strength training session in just 10-20 minutes?
  • How does the ARX system fit into the practice and training session of the golfer?
  • How does the machine work and why is this different?
    • Safer by adjusting resistance to avoid compenations
    • Adapts to your strength changes throughout your motion
    • Changing of resistance from eccentric motions and concentric motions
  • The “Magical Barbell”
  • Training the bigger stronger movements in a very efficient way
  • The machine takes all of the guess work out of your training protocol (ie weights, tempos, etc)
  • Training the golf swing motion with resistance “befuddles” the body’s movement sequencing and neuromuscular system
  • Why you SHOULD NOT train strength at the same time you are training the motor pattern of the swing
  • How more efficient strength training can facilitate improvements in compliance of all other pieces of the golfers training program (ie. practice, corrective exercises, etc)
  • Making your training sessions more effective by competing against yourself in each workout

ARX

What are you guys excited about?

Nick:

  • Using the data of millions the of swings that GolfTec has documented
  • Utilizing the tools of ARX in combination with the traditional methods of golf instruction

Jim:

  • Changing the world with ARX! Expanding into many new facilities (ie. GolfTec, rehab, retirement facilities, etc)
  • Paleo FX conference
  • Investigating as many new Bourbons as possible!

 

Links:

Other Resources Mentioned:

Mark Smith’s Episode 004

Shawn Stevenson Episode 021

Kirk Parsley Ted Talk on Sleep

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