Martin Hopley
By Martin Hopley

It's been six weeks now from my initial assessment for the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI ) and it was back to my TPI physio Neil Aitken of www.swingprophysio.com for the standard re-assesment at the end of each 6-week program.

I had found the workout schedule in my online account at www.mytpi.com easy to follow and I had managed to do my 3 times a week exercise program. I had even managed to do a few mini sessions each morning with some of the more powerful streches to get me moving.

The videos were a great reminder of what to do, especially as I had been able to download them to my smartphone to watch on the go. Another pair of eyes is useful sometimes so get someone to double check what you are doing if you can. Sessions had taken place at home, work and in hotels around the world and that is the great thing about this. It's up to you when and how much you do these exercises.

Even though Neil tested me during each weekly visit, which is an optional extra, this was the moment of truth as we went through the same initial assessment to measure progress. My hip turn to the right through ball had gone up from 30 degrees to 50 degrees, just 10 short of where ideally it needs to be and my right (backswing) turn was up 50% to 45 degrees.

This was nothing short of amazing given that in the previous 40 years or so, my hips had been about as likely to move as a hungry bear living next to a bee hive. Still there is some way to go and I am already anticipating my debut on tour once my body is in A1 condition. My Elvis dancing impression may also improve too.

First though I have to get used to this new found freedom as a few hooks have come into my game as my swing has not yet adjusted to turning more through the ball rather than stopping dead half way through and coming out of the shot as before. This is why doing the TPI physio program in conjunction with your TPI swing coach pays off as the two approaches are linked to merge your new ability to move into your swing.

TPI Side Plank Exercise

Now that does not mean I can ease off as I kept 4 or 5 of the best hip stretching exercises to maintain where I had got to and I am continuing with the physio on the hips.

Following the second assessment, Neil tailored the exercise program now switches to my back and shoulders, which had been indenitifed in the original assessment as another long term hungry bear impersonator.

Within a couple of days of my second assessment my new workout arrived by email and I downloaded the new set of videos. One session in and I can say that there are some new muscle groups being tested, like the one on the right!

Overall I am delighted with the program so far as I feel less sore playing golf and in daily life. And that is worth more than a 350 yard drive.