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Coach Joey D
I believe that if you have a chance in life, there are no more excuses. There are nothing but opportunities.
Mick
What were the things that you had to do to adjust the mindset?
Coach Joey D
As human beings, we can choose to be fearful or we could choose to fight. So when you think about what is fight, what is flight, what is fear and what is fawn. At the end of the day, I was stuck in between fight and flight and then it went instantly to fear.
Mick
What inspired you to focus on biomechanics and golf specific training for these athletes?
Coach Joey D
Forces of gravity, right. Which are the true definition of what does biomechanics mean? The more we learned about and applied how those things very similar in movement patterns and neurological connections. When you teach the brain how to move better, right. How to move faster but in control and how to do things that relate to your specific swing and your specific sport, those modalities began to transition to.
Mick
Welcome to Mick Unplugged.
Coach Joey D
Where we ignite potential and fuel purpose. Get ready for raw insights, bold moves and game changing conversations.
Mick
Buckle up. Here's Mick. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of Mick Unplugged. And today we have a trailblazer in the world of golf fitness who's transformed some of the careers of big names like Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, just to name a few. He is also the author of the must read book Fix youx Body, Fix youx Swing, which I think he wrote for me.
Coach Joey D
I did write that for you, but you shouldn't have told everybody that. I feel like they're gonna think there's favoritism there.
Mick
There you go, there you go. And he has dedicated over two decades to helping athletes optimize their bodies for peak performance. And all that is great. But what's really important to me is the human being that he is. So ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming the determined, the pioneering, the inspiring and amazing Coach Joey D. Coach Joey D. How you doing today, brother?
Coach Joey D
I am so good. I am very, very grateful and excited to be on your show. So thank you, thank the listeners. I want to thank Rose for putting us together and I look forward to spending some time on this journey.
Mick
Absolutely. Quick shout out to Rose Lanham at Players for good. She's an amazing friend of mine and friend of the show and she introduces me to great people like yourself. So I know if Rose loves you, you know. I love you too, Coach.
Coach Joey D
Amen. Thank you for that. That's a wonderful accolade.
Mick
Yes, sir. And so, you know, before we go into golf, cause you've done a lot of amazing work in golf, but you have a story. And one of the things that I have admired about you from getting to know you through Rose is you embody one of my core pillars, which is the power to keep going. And for those that don't know, Coach Joey, I'd love for you to just tell your story of the things that you've had to overcome and how you've had to overcome those things.
Coach Joey D
Well, I would love to tell that story and I'll do it as concisely and on point as I can with a lot of vulnerability and transparency for the listeners. I think everybody in this world has their own struggles and none of those struggles are either, you know, more or less than what we all go through. Mine happened at an early age in life, took me by surprise. I found out that I had testicular cancer and I was only 17 years and 9 months old. So a couple months before my 18th birthday. And you think you know everything at that point in life, you're unstoppable. And all of a sudden it was like I was standing on the train tracks and I got run over by a high speed train. And I was devastated because I didn't know how to feel. I was too young to really understand the emotional effects of what was to happen. So anyway, I go in and I see an oncologist and funny story is my last name is pronounced Do Visalvi, but you know, that's a hard one to do. So Joey D. Was born when I was just a kid growing up and nobody wanted to say that, so. So there's that part of it. But the doctor's name was Eugene DeSalvo. It was interesting. He said to me, this has got to come out immediately. So, you know, you think to yourself, well, what does that even mean? Like you think you're this unstoppable, soon to be 18 year old and you're going to conquer the world. Anyway, so I have the surgery. I wait, you know, whatever the time, it seemed like eternity for the biopsy to come back and I go into his office to discuss the results and you've lost the body part. You know, and I, and I very quickly related to women that go through breast cancer and lose either one or two of their body parts, which is a part of who they are as a woman. So as a man, you go through that and you're not comparing, but you can appreciate now walking a mile in their shoes. And it was really difficult to kind of get my head around that. So I find out that cancer starts spreading, and this doctor can't even take care of it. It's that advanced. So he sends me to a few referrals and find out that I have lymphatic cancer. Now it's in my lymph nodes, so that's not a high prognosis. Anyway, I go through all these different physicians, and long story short is every one of them basically says to me, what do you want to do in the next, you know, six to eight to 10 months? And I'm like, I don't know what I want to do tomorrow. He said, well, you don't have tomorrow. And there it was. And now I cannot even get my head around what's going on. So I get to the final guy, and he is an amazing pioneer in cancer research and procedures, and he says to me, I think you're strong enough to go through this. But what people don't realize is the medication, the chemotherapies. Back then, they were so strong. As many people who they may have saved as as many people that were lost. I knew I didn't have any other choice, and I went down that journey for years and years and years. Multiple surgeries. I became a fraction of who I was physically, and I barely hung up. Anyway, I'm talking to you today at 59, and I will never, ever, ever take for granted one day. That's why I believe that if you have a chance in life, there are no more excuses. There are nothing but opportunities. And I've lived my life every day from that moment on with, I have yet another day and another opportunity to give it all I can and be the best I can be.
Mick
Amen to that, brother. And that's why I wanted you to talk through that story, man, because there's so much there from the age being told, hey, you don't have tomorrow. And while sometimes that sounds like a Hollywood script, the reality is those are the words that people hear more often than not. When you heard those words, what was your mindset like at that moment? And then what were the things that you had to do to adjust the mindset? Because for those that don't believe it, the mind is a powerful thing. And what you transform and put into your mind can happen if you want it to. So I'd love for you to talk a little bit about that.
Coach Joey D
When we as human beings are faced with adversity, and the adversity can be finite, and you don't know if you're going to live or die, you have a choice to make. And I always say this every day. As human beings, we can choose to be fearful, or we could choose to fight. So when you think about what is fight, what is flight, what is fear, and what is fawn, at the end of the day, I was stuck in between fight and flight. And then it went instantly to fear. Because what I didn't know at the time was, what will the outcome be? And the outcome was reality. And my reality was, you don't know what the outcome is. You are not out of the woods. And when you are told again and again and again, you know, this is your life now and we can reassess if we can get to the next step. And I thought to myself, I don't think I'm ready to answer the question, what do I want to do in six months to nine months? I want to live every second, no matter how many I have. And I made a choice right then and there to say to myself, I'm going to stick into the fight mode. I believe that I can battle this. I believed in everything that I had in my being that I was gonna be able to get through that. And I never, ever, ever doubted that. But I never wanna tell people anything, but what I feel is the truth. Fear was sitting right next side of me, every part, every day, every lonely moment in those hospital beds, every time I walked a hallway in the middle of the night. Cause you can't feel, you can't taste, you can't you lose all your senses with chemotherapy. And at the time, I never knew how to process that. But I only figured to myself, if I can get through this, I got a chance to make something really magical happen in my life, which is to live my life.
Mick
So I love you, dude. That's why I love you. We could have ended the show right there because I love you and that that truly is what matters in the world. And I know that that's part of the message that you're starting to share and get out there. And when I say starting to share something that you've been doing, but I think you're putting a big emphasis on it now. And so, number one, I just respect and appreciate you so much for continuing to be present, brother.
Coach Joey D
Thank you for allowing me to tell the story. It's not one I usually talk about openly in the world, but as I realize, you know, as I talk to you, and you have done an amazing job being able to inspire people through your work, through your podcast or your vision and your ability to reach people with information and opportunity. And as I've been mentored in my life many times. I still come back to the same question on a daily basis. As we face challenges in our lives and everybody has them. You know, what choices will we make as adults? And many, many times the fear is so overwhelming people. As far as I'm concerned, everybody will or many people will say, you know, I feel for you, I'm sorry to hear that. But instead of doing something about it, making a difference. And what I've been really paying attention to is how many people in the suicide rates in this world, what is happening to the children with social media. You know, in our area, we lost a couple of kids to bullying and this social media expectation, I thought to myself, how can I make a change and how can I make a difference? And through the vehicle of golf, which is something that's a global ambassador, right? People fight wars, but at the end of the day, they can go meet on a Sunday and call a timeout. Let's go play 18 holes of golf. We'll go back to war on Monday. I knew through that vehicle, if I had the ability to help people understand what is a plan they could personally architect for themselves, Right? And then can you live in the realm of reality or are you in the realm of false sense of reality? And if we can choose reality, then we can choose one step at a time to build a plan for ourselves to every day take a step to make a difference. And I think the system that we built doesn't really just touch golfers. It's an opportunity to ask yourself as a human being, how do I feel better? How do I move better? How do I play better? Whatever your play is. And maybe it's not about play at all. Maybe it's about getting up out of the bed every day and going to live your life. To be able to just say, I can actually move. I can feel myself. I can feel my body connect with my mind. And I think where I really, really started to touch people was I never, ever, ever do this. One thing is I never, ever speak without being a product of my own environment. I believe in leading by example every day. And I told this to Rose every day. I start my day off with a triathlon. It's not for everybody, but it's for me. And what I believe is when I'm on the bike, it's a time for me to feel my heart. It's about feeling my body, connecting with my breath. I get off there and I go for a run. Being in touch with. In touch with my heart and lungs. Being in touch with the ability to push myself. And it's hot in Florida. And many times people will use this excuse that it's too hot outside or the weather is not right. And it's been the rainy season here in Florida. I couldn't be at more peace and torrential downpours on my run. And then I get in the pool. And when you connect with the water, there is some peaceful existence that lets you breathe through that stroke. And it's this beautiful connection. And I don't tell people to do what I do. I tell people to believe in themselves and give yourself a chance not to make an excuse, but to live to the fullest. And yeah, there's some fear. There's going to be fear in those choices. There's going to be moments where you're weak. There's going to be moments where we get lazy. But if you ask yourself, if faced with this one question, if you were going to live one more day and you had no more tomorrows, what choice would you make? And I actually had to live with that from the day I found out I had cancer. And I tell everybody, live with the choice to live yourself to the fullest, but live in reality and don't give yourself the opportunity for life's challenges, adversities, fears to take over. Be the best you you can be. Pick something that's real. Pick something that matters, something that you feel good about achieving. It could be the littlest thing in the world, but pick something that, you know, you connect with and make that happen. And that's really the belief, you know.
Mick
Coach, you inspire me. I love you. And now I almost hate you. When you said triathlon every morning, I got chills. My stomach turned. I felt like I was in high school. And the coach said, it's time for suicides or we gotta go run laps.
Coach Joey D
You remember those days, the suicides? Do you remember the two days when we were growing up and you're younger than I am, but at the end of the day, I went through that. That system still exists till today when you walk by, drive by, run by, whatever you're doing in your world. And you and I, if we were walking together and we looked over and go look at those kids, you remember those suicide days, but that was something that was instilling something deep inside of you till this day. That's right.
Mick
I gotta go find it. I don't know if I can do the triathlon. I can't swim. You know, I'm gonna stay out of the water, but I'll work on the elliptical, the treadmill and the bike. How about that?
Coach Joey D
I'm in on that. I take that serious, as serious as I can. And I think that I believe in the fact that if you find what it is that makes you work, I think that the magic of what happens to your nervous system, right? And what those things do, how they connect the brain, body neurons and those neurotransmitters, how do we tap into all the people in the world that fight depression, all the suicides that I've heard about with tragedies, with not just famous people, but everyday people. You have to believe in yourself, believe in something to connect, to get those things to work together, to give you an opportunity to live your life.
Mick
Love that.
Coach Joey D
I'm in.
Mick
Amen to that.
Coach Joey D
I'm in twice.
Mick
I'm inspired. I'm inspired. I'm about to make that happen. So you have totally revolutionized how golfers approach fitness, right? And I know you're humble and you're not going to brag, so I'm going to do it for you. What you've taught has changed the way that most, if not all golfers approach fitness to the game. What inspired you to focus on biomechanics and golf specific training for these athletes?
Coach Joey D
When we thought about the opportunity and the confusion and conflict. So as the higher powers or the governing bodies or the people that really do drive the message in golf, the fear, no dissimilar to baseball, right. It was a very common denominator or a synergy between baseball and golf. You and I could take a deeper dive back into decades ago where everybody would say, listen, you can't get too bulky or strength training, you know, creates adverse effects for rotational velocity or swing sports. Baseball swing, golf swing, tennis swing, many different things. But what they didn't know were the forces of gravity, right? Which are the true definition of what does biomechanics mean, you know, internally by this, the muscles, externally by this musculoskeletal system. And how does gravity affect rotational and velocity movements, right. The more we learned about and applied how those things very similar in movement patterns and neurological connections. When you teach the brain how to move better, right? How to move faster but in control and how to do things that relate to your specific swing in your specific sport. Those modalities began to transition to better control, better balance, more awareness, understanding of how you're working with the forces of gravity, controlling those movements and accelerating and moving yourself into a direction where you were a better athlete, well built because you understood how to deal with the things out of balance, out of control, right? Swinging too fast. You can't manufacture things without understanding how the body really works. So we built a system that basically started from how do we assess, analyze? Where are your ranges of motion? What happens when you are perceiving that you're doing something, but in reality you're not? And as science kind of advanced to the point where we were able to learn it, implement it, and build a system, athletes began to trust the metrics. So it's first, no dissimilar than getting a total body physical. You do your blood work, you do your all, your X rays, you do everything that it takes to see where your body is. No dissimilar to the system we built in golf. So when you go through the full evaluation and you understand where you think you may be as you stand up at address, where is your distribution and your awareness in time and space? Where is your body? Are you in your toes or your heels? Are you rotating your torso or are you just lifting your arms? Are you able to make a complete backswing? Or does, does the rotator cuff and all of the musculatures stop you? And you basically think you're turning, but you're lifting the club like a rod, like all of these things kind of dummy down. But if you would understand, like if you're a baseball player, are you loaded on your back foot? Is your transition right? Are you striking out because your timing is wrong? Because your body's inability to understand transitional awareness and hip and shoulder and chest and arm velocity and swing speed, what does it mean? We built a simpler system that made sense to people, not for the world in generality, but you as an individual. And that system was not invasive, it wasn't intimidating. It was a step by step system. As an individual, to say, these are the steps. If you choose to take this path, right, if you choose to trust our system, then I think what you'll get out of it is the opportunity to learn and apply what you need as an individual. And that was the beauty of fix your body, fix your swing. And then later on, you know, two years ago, a year and a half, it was almost two years ago, we wrote Hang the Banner and that was maybe one of our best works ever. Because one of the things that we did in there is we featured all of the top pros that every day have applied this system. And you don't need to be a pro to apply it. But we were grateful and appreciative that they actually participated in the book. And I Think what people do is we all, many of us will choose role models or systems that we believe in that we can take a page out of that book, apply it to ourselves. And what you don't like, just leave the rest. But a little at a time. We can build ourselves a blueprint, like a house. I think this body is my house and I want to build the strongest one I can, the one I enjoy being in the most. I got to live in this body and I want to make sure that I can actually nurture it and do everything I can to keep it strong. Weather all the storms, but enjoy the journey. And that's what that system was about.
Mick
I love that. I love that a lot. So I love to hear because you hit on something that I want to unplug a little bit. And it's in human life, not just golfers, right? Where you think you're doing something right, but inevitably you're doing it wrong. Right. I talk to leaders all the time about, hey, you think you're doing this right as a leader, but you've got it all wrong. So what was it like or what is it like when you have one of these high profile golfers and you have to re engineer them? Like what do you get? Resistance? Do you get the yeah, but I'm in the top 10 or do you get the, you know. Yeah, I hear what you're saying, but Right. What is it like for Joey D when you have to have that conversation?
Coach Joey D
The beauty is, and if you took a walk through and I would love to invite you, everybody's always welcome. Every single person is welcome to come here. You know, the stigma used to be, or the fear was this place was only for pros. And actually when we started, that was one of the reasons we started because dissimilar to like hockey, NBA basketball, NFL football, Major league Baseball, in the off season, there's nowhere for golfers to really go. That's a golf specific institution. And we built this academy, Joey D Golf, which has now grown up to hit it great. We built it specifically for pros, but we realized more and more people. Florida became the mecca of golf, especially the Palm Beach County, Jupiter area. And we opened it up to the general public and it was a beautiful transition. And it was interesting to see the pros and how gracious they were, but how respectful the people were. The other players and individuals who come in this to respect each other. No pictures, no autographs, no nonsense, just let's all come here to work in a symbiotic environment, symbiotic environment to work together on the best we could be. But interesting question is, I got a call from somebody a month ago and he was, he's a high level college player who became a high level amateur. And he came in with the idea that he was going to come in and give me lessons. And I said to him, the greatest thing I ever heard from one of my great mentors, Butch Harmon, was how much is your hourly rate? He said to this very high level net worth individual out in Vegas. And. But she's one of my favorite people in the world. I owe him so much in my life for having mentored and taught me the game. And from a teaching standpoint, being under his tutelage for over two decades, he also was gracious enough to write the forward to he and Wayne Gretzky wrote the forwards to our book, Hang the banner. But she said to the guy who, to your point, said he was going to come in and give Butcher lessons, he said, how much is your rate? And the guy said, I'll give you an example, $200. But you pulled $200 out of his pocket. And he goes, here, thanks for your time. The doors up there to the right. So I said, but that was a true story. It was funny because it meant something to me. What he said was always allow people the respect and opportunity to ask you good questions. But when somebody walks through your door and you have earned the right as a foremost expert to give counsel, guidance, information to create opportunity, you get to say to yourself, no different than if you and I stepped in with some of the greatest universities. You don't get to question the professor. When the time is right, you can ask a good question, right? And that's what just happened. And I said to this individual, if you want to go out with this, win this mid Am and potentially qualify for one of the few spots available to play in Augusta, you need to take notes, you need to show up, participate, wait till we're done, ask great questions, and then we can discuss what the outcome is. Because it's in the system and it is in the process that creates the result. Questioning a system can be dangerous and it doesn't work. And it usually comes out of fear or insecurity and those two things, when we can get rid of that and can instill confidence and know how, now we're building something that's repeatable and sustainable for everybody at every level, no matter whether it's you going into the biggest corporations, teaching them how to work with their, you know, their staff and their Management and the opportunity for company morale and understanding. All of those levels of people, when you said they think they're doing it right, but you know something's wrong. Same thing with these pros. They get insecure, they have fear, they have confusion. And when you clear that out, that clutter out of the brain, and you instill a system that, you know, they trust and believe in, and you give them a chance to apply. Now we're winning championships, and now we're hanging banners, and now we're building people with confidence and opportunity, and that's what we did. That was the beauty of it all.
Mick
That's amazing. And you know, the facility that you have and everything, right? JOEY D. GOLF COACH JODY GOLF it's been described as a sports center like no other. And you've kind of gone into a little bit, right? It appeals to both the professional athlete and the amateurs, general public and all that. In your words, what makes the training center so unique?
Coach Joey D
It's interesting when you walk in, the one thing that I think, and I see people do this every single day, People I have never met so many, many times, and a lot of times people don't know this about me, but when my day starts, people are usually asleep. And when I get into the academy, I feel this energy, right, that still exists till this day. And I can be on the bike with any of the best pros in the world. I can be starting my day here at the academy, and I'll see new people come in, and this is what they do. They look up and what we did, no dissimilar than the Boston. You know, you walk in into the Celtics home, or you walk into Madison Square Garden where the Knicks play, and you see all the banners that hang of those championships, of those players who had the. They put the blood, sweat, tears, the work in to win those championships, to hang those banners. We did the same thing in golf. For every player that's been through this system and did the work when they win, a banner goes up on the wall, and I can't even count anymore how many there are. But when you walk in and you see the likes of every pro that is doing exactly what you do, and you watch the people, people will talk about, I just got butterflies or I got a chill. And then you actually watch these people look and you'll see, wait, that's Dustin and he's right here. Or that's Brooks, or that's Justin Thomas, or that's Lucas Glover, or that's Tommy Fleetwood, or that's Harold Varner. Or that's Bud Colley. Or that's Max Homa. Or that. And he is on and on and on and on. Or that's Lexi Thompson. And all these wonderful athletes, these great human beings who believe off the course, they still can hone their skills and work their craft here in a place that was built for them. This is their house. And you, too, can walk into this house and hang your own banner. And we believe that because everybody matters. Everybody at every level. Forget golf. As a human being, you matter. I don't care whether you're walking into your job. I don't care whether you're walking in to a family function. I don't care where you're walking into in life. You as a person matter. And you have to realize you have an opportunity every day to ask yourself this question. What will I be today? What will I make of today? And when you walk in here, there is this energy that exists till this day that I am still proud of and grateful and appreciative that anybody that walks through that door, essentially, I'm one of the co founders. My cousin is another co founder, another amazing human being. We talk about him at another time, but I never want to leave him out. Beautiful human being, creator, founder, teacher, alongside with me, you know, probably one of the most inspirational people in my life is Marc Amuso. And every day I think about what we've accomplished, and I say, man, you can't. You can't get two different opportunities with two different people, deliver a message of reality and vulnerability. But belief in two men that got together to build something that helps people change their lives. And I don't care what anybody says, Life can be changed through the belief and power that we all can give one another. And our messages may be different, our methods, but through humanity's scope, we can make things better one person at a time. And I think we believe whether 100 people walked in or one, we're going to give it every shot we can to give somebody to leave with something better than they came, better than they found themselves when they walk out that door. And I still believe that till this day.
Mick
Love it. That's freaking amazing, brother. That is freaking amazing.
Coach Joey D
Yeah.
Mick
So let's talk a couple of moments about the book, right? And you have several books or a couple of books, right?
Coach Joey D
No, we got a few.
Mick
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I don't want to. I don't want to hold back. So in the words of Joey Dee, what are the two books that people need to go get right now?
Coach Joey D
I believe if you're in the world of trying to learn about golf specific training, anecdotal stories that go along with how it works. You would go get. Fix your body, you would go get fix your body, fix your shoe, you would go get. Hang the Banner in the world of golf, right? In those books, especially Hang the Banner. One of our partners, Colby Thuye, he's another amazing human being that tells a story. And I think when you believe that you want to pursue something as challenging as golf or you want to take on an activity in life, Hang the Banner is not essentially about being better at golf. It's about being better as a human being. It's about being aware of being a specific person, place or thing to yourself. How do we move better and feel better as a human being? Being species specific doesn't mean we allow life to take over, gravity to take over, you know, age to take over. It is an ability to learn through these stories, through these people, to pick and choose mentors or systems you believe in. And through those two books, I believe people could learn a lot about themselves and a lot about life, but a lot about the human body because it's the one thing we take advantage of. People take better care of their cars. People take better care of their toys, their houses than they do their own bodies. And I remember my dad used to say at the very end of his life, he goes, joey, if I only would have paid attention. And I thought, how sad. He has no more time and it's over, right? And I believe that was impactful to me. If I could only do it again. How many times you as an individual, have a guest, people or in your life that you know at the end, and they can't make that change, but if given another chance, they would. So don't go to that point, take advantage of it now. And in those books, there's a lot of message and opportunity to ask yourself questions that don't have anything to do with golf. They're inspirational by nature. They're anecdotal. You look into people that, yes, they were born with gifts, but at the end of the day, they had to work for those things. And you know that as a former athlete and an athlete yourself, you don't even have to be an athlete to believe in, you know, pursuing your passions to be a better human being. I think those books are. I'm proud of them.
Mick
I am proud of them, too. I am totally proud of them, too. And one of the things, you know, it is very disrespectful to Call what I do golfing, I can hit the ball. Sometimes it goes in the air and 5% of the time it actually goes where I wanted it to go. Right, but. But what I will tell you about the book is that you do break things down in language that you don't have to be a professional to understand what he's talking about. And I think that's what I appreciate because you get a lot of very genre specific books that people say, oh well, anybody can read. Except I don't understand the terminology on page one, so I know I can't get to page 10. Right. What I appreciate about you is that you do the books that you have, the information that you share, you do break it down. So you don't have to be a golf pro to understand what you're talking about. So thank you for that.
Coach Joey D
No, thank you for saying. And one of the things that we still are proud of till this day is when you can actually be published and understand that you've given people an opportunity not to feel like they cannot take advantage of their time because you have to respect people's time and what they do. And we tried to use that opportunity in that book to give people information that was digestible and applicable. So thank you for saying that.
Mick
No, totally appreciate it, man. So what else do you have going on? What's next for Coach Joey D and shameless plug joeydgolf.com everybody go there. You'll have links to that, links to all the books in the show notes as well. But Coach Joey D, what do you have coming up next?
Coach Joey D
We're most excited about our app that should launch in December as the world of technology has really, you know, taken us to levels where you can touch the whole entire world. Whether you're, you know, in multiple countries or remote places. The app is going to give you the ability. So thank you for technology. It is being built by one of the best companies I've ever seen. It's taken us three times. My gosh, three times is a charm. It's been challenging. We haven't, you know, the transparency. We've trusted some people that, you know, we thought would do a great job and we were challenged because it never came out the right way. They weren't good partnerships, but we did find, we persevered. That will launch in December. So please, please be aware that that is going to be available for you on real time, right on your device. We're proud of that. The information in there is just as is even more so because it's real Time. There's wonderful things in there, even in the general scope of how you move as a human being. So that's coming up. And, you know, I just started my next chapter in my life and wanting to speak publicly and be able to connect with people. You know, that's going to be my journey for end of 20, 24 and 25. To be able to connect with people like yourself and maybe be a co speaker or be a keynote or be on a platform with great individuals like yourself and, you know, be able to get in front of people and touch. Touch humanity. Be able to tell a story and connect and empower, you know, not through as an individual but through the opportunity of I've been on a journey that I want to share and how many people can I touch one at a time? Maybe being in your world or a part of what you do or many of us. And so, yeah, my speaking journey just started. I'm excited about it and I can't wait to be a part of. You know, what makes humanity great again is the opportunity to connect with human beings. So I'm excited about all of that.
Mick
We're going to make that one happen. That I can promise you.
Coach Joey D
Well, I believe you in that.
Mick
So I'm working on an event right now that Rose is helping me coordinate for early 2025. And so breaking news one, the event will be here in 2025, but the second part of the breaking news is coach Joey D. Is going to be on stage. So let's go make that happen.
Coach Joey D
I am honored to have the opportunity to work by your side, learn from you, sit in the audience and be a part of what you do to help mentor. Because I believe even you know where I am in life, I never would forget my dad said you're never too old to learn and every opportunity that you give somebody else with the respect to listen to someone who has passionately lived a life and become a foremost expert that wants to share. None of us should be above learning and bettering ourselves through your voice and through how you empower us as an individual. And I'm excited to be part of your world.
Mick
Let's do it. Coach Joey D. I know you're a very busy man and so I appreciate you taking some time out of your busy schedule to spend with me, my listeners and viewers. So definitely thank you, brother.
Coach Joey D
Thank you for everything you've done. I dove into your life's work. I couldn't be more excited and grateful for this opportunity. Thank you to your listeners, to your team, to your staff. And I look forward to getting together real soon. Can't thank you enough.
Mick
You got it. And to all the listeners and viewers, remember your because is your superpower. Go unleash it.
Coach Joey D
Thank you for tuning in to make unplugged. Keep pushing your limits, embracing your purpose and chasing greatness.
Mick
Until next time, stay unstoppable.
Podcast Information:
In this inspiring episode of "Mick Unplugged," host Mick Hunt welcomes Coach Joey D, a trailblazer in golf fitness and biomechanics. With over two decades of experience, Joey D has transformed the careers of renowned golfers like Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka. He is also the author of influential books such as "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing" and "Hang the Banner." Mick emphasizes Joey D's dedication not just to athletic excellence but also to human empowerment and resilience.
The conversation delves deeply into Joey D’s personal journey, marked by a profound battle with cancer at the age of 17. Joey D shares his raw and heartfelt story:
Coach Joey D [03:00]: “I found out that I had testicular cancer and I was only 17 years and 9 months old… It was like I was standing on the train tracks and I got run over by a high-speed train.”
Faced with a dire prognosis, Joey D describes the emotional turmoil and the pivotal moment when the doctor posed a life-altering question:
Coach Joey D [05:00]: “He sends me to a few referrals and find out that I have lymphatic cancer... 'What do you want to do in the next six to eight to 10 months?' And I thought, I want to live every second, no matter how many I have.”
Choosing to fight rather than succumb to fear, Joey D recounts his unwavering determination to live and thrive:
Coach Joey D [07:03]: “...I made a choice right then and there to say to myself, I'm going to stick into the fight mode. I believed in everything that I had in my being that I was gonna be able to get through that.”
This resilience became the cornerstone of his philosophy, inspiring him to leverage every day as an opportunity to live fully and empower others.
Transitioning from personal adversity, the discussion shifts to Joey D’s professional focus on biomechanics in golf. He explains the scientific foundation of his training methods:
Coach Joey D [00:33]: “Forces of gravity, right. Which are the true definition of what does biomechanics mean… When you teach the brain how to move better, right. How to move faster but in control…”
Joey D emphasizes the importance of understanding the body’s movement patterns and neurological connections to enhance athletic performance. By applying biomechanical principles, he helps golfers improve their swings through better control, balance, and awareness of gravitational forces.
Joey D discusses the inception and evolution of Joey D Golf Academy, highlighting its unique approach that caters to both professional and amateur golfers:
Coach Joey D [19:54]: “We built this academy, Joey D Golf, which has now grown up to Hit It Great. We built it specifically for pros, but we realized more and more people... and we opened it up to the general public…”
The academy fosters a symbiotic environment where top-tier professionals and everyday golfers train together, respecting each other’s dedication and commitment. Joey D underscores the system’s accessibility and effectiveness:
Coach Joey D [23:38]: “…if you choose to trust our system, then I think what you'll get out of it is the opportunity to learn and apply what you need as an individual.”
This inclusive approach has revolutionized how golfers approach fitness, making high-level training accessible to all.
Joey D elaborates on how his biomechanical training methods have changed the landscape of golf fitness. By focusing on movement efficiency and muscle coordination, athletes gain enhanced control over their swings and overall performance:
Coach Joey D [14:52]: “...we built a simpler system that made sense to people, not for the world in generality, but you as an individual… It was a step-by-step system.”
He compares his system to comprehensive medical evaluations, ensuring that each golfer receives personalized training tailored to their unique physical profile. This meticulous approach has earned the trust of elite golfers, contributing to their success on the global stage.
The conversation then turns to Joey D’s literary contributions. He passionately recommends his books, "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing" and "Hang the Banner," highlighting their broader impact beyond golf:
Coach Joey D [27:45]: “Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing... Hang the Banner... it's not essentially about being better at golf. It's about being better as a human being.”
These books offer actionable insights and inspirational stories, making complex biomechanical concepts accessible to both athletes and non-athletes alike. Joey D emphasizes the importance of taking care of one’s body and leveraging personal challenges to foster growth and excellence.
Looking ahead, Joey D shares exciting plans that aim to expand his reach and impact:
Coach Joey D [31:26]: “We're most excited about our app that should launch in December… It gives you the ability... the information in there is just as is even more so because it's real-time.”
The forthcoming app will provide real-time training and guidance, leveraging technology to make his expertise accessible globally. Additionally, Joey D is embarking on a speaking journey to inspire and empower even more individuals:
Coach Joey D [31:26]: “I want to speak publicly and be able to connect with people… Be a co-speaker or be a keynote…”
Mick Hunt enthusiastically supports these initiatives, hinting at future collaborations and events.
The episode culminates with Joey D’s powerful message on resilience, self-belief, and the importance of living with purpose:
Coach Joey D [34:31]: “Keep pushing your limits, embracing your purpose and chasing greatness.”
Mick Hunt echoes this sentiment, reinforcing the central theme of the podcast—transforming challenges into opportunities through modern leadership principles.
Notable Quotes:
This episode of "Mick Unplugged" offers a compelling narrative of overcoming personal tragedy, leveraging scientific principles to revolutionize athletic training, and a steadfast commitment to empowering others. Coach Joey D's journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of resilience, knowledge, and purposeful action.