Justin Thomas, a name synonymous with elite golf, constantly seeks marginal gains to elevate his game. His journey involves meticulous attention to detail, from swing mechanics to diet and fitness. This article delves into the various facets of Justin Thomas's approach to diet and exercise, providing insights into his routines and philosophies.
Evaluating Performance and Embracing Change
After an underwhelming season that saw him sidelined from the FedEx Cup playoffs, Justin Thomas realized the need for change. This period of reflection provided him with valuable time to reassess his game and identify areas for improvement. Thomas is a tough, honest, competitive, elite player. As underwhelming a season as it was, being sidelined from the FedEx Cup may have been, in the long run, a blessing. It gave Thomas the precious time he needed to get his game back into shape.
The Dietary Experiment: A Gluten-Free Journey
In pursuit of enhanced energy levels, Justin Thomas experimented with a gluten-free diet, following in the footsteps of other golfers like Rory McIlroy. Last year, Thomas adopted a gluten-free diet. Rory McIlroy, is another notable gluten-free golfer, and JT wanted to try it himself to see if it would raise his energy levels from the course to the range. However, after monitoring his recovery data on his Whoop, which he's been wearing for more than five years, Thomas concluded that the diet did not yield the anticipated benefits. JT came to the conclusion after looking at his recovery data on his Whoop, which he's been wearing for more than five years, and not seeing the benefits he expected, on or off the course. that it's not necessarily that healthy or good for your body," Thomas said. "So because of that, there wasn't as much benefit as there probably should have been. But at the same time, it's kind of a trial and error. I tried it. I saw the results.
Reintroducing Dairy and Gluten
Ultimately, Thomas abandoned the diet, reintroducing dairy and gluten into his meals. This decision came after realizing that the dietary restrictions did not correlate with improved performance. "After shooting about 400 the first two days at the the Open Championship, when I got to Minnesota I got a gluten-free pizza like on Monday or Tuesday and I swear I could have cried, it was so good,” Thomas said. At the Hero World Challenge, Justin Thomas revealed that his extreme health experiment is officially over :: Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images“I slowly implemented dairy again the next two weeks and I didn't feel any different, which I was shocked, to be honest. I was pleasantly surprised. I called Ara, who I've been working with. I'm like, I'm having gluten, I don't feel any different after having this again, so I'm going to have it and see how it is. And here we are."
Lessons Learned
Thomas acknowledged the challenges of adhering to the diet and its lack of positive impact on his game. "It wasn't exactly during my best stretch of golf, so I would say if I had it over, I would not do it," he said. "Yeah, it's one of those things, I don't really give 50 percent too much. I feel like if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it.
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Swing Work and Performance Practice
Beyond diet, Justin Thomas places significant emphasis on swing work and performance practice. He recognizes that swing adjustments require methodical repetition, while performance practice demands simulating the pressures of a real golf course.
Swing Mechanics
Thomas dedicates time to refining his swing, with sessions ranging from brief maintenance to extensive mechanical work. "Working on my swing is very specific in terms of I guess where I'm at with my game. It may mean that one day I'm checking-in and maintenance a couple times a week. That may only take 10 or 15 minutes one day, or an hour or two…other time I may need to do more mechanical work. That may mean a couple of hours of drills, repetition, and being really focused on what I'm feeling [in the swing].
Simulating Pressure
To prepare for high-pressure situations, Thomas recreates them in his practice sessions, monitoring his heart rate via his Whoop to ensure the practice environment is more challenging than the actual competition. As Thomas explained above, whereas swing work requires methodical repetition, performance practice requires trying to hit the same kind of shots and pressure situations you find yourself in on the golf course. Thomas tracks his heart rate via his Whoop during these pressure-packed performance practice sessions, with the goal of making practice feel more difficult than what he'll encounter on the golf course.
Drills for Discomfort
Thomas employs various drills to induce discomfort and simulate the mental challenges of a tournament. "It's extremely difficult to emulate. You have to really, really work to try to almost use your imagination and get yourself to a certain place where your heart is racing. It's almost like a fairytale land type of situation. I try to do it through drills. Anything that might make me very, very uncomfortable or make me look ahead. I may need to make a certain amount of putts in a row, or have to hit a certain number of approach shots within a certain distance or just anything to where there's almost like a count or a tally. You start thinking ahead, and the next thing you know you miss and you got to start over.
Justin Thomas's Workout Routine
After dealing with his injuries, Justin Thomas has been massively focusing on his workouts to boost his flexibility. Let's take a look at what things he does as a part of his daily exercises.
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Core Exercises
Exercise 1: Crunches using a swiss ball. He does 2 sets of crunches, with 15-20 reps. He uses a swiss ball as his equipment and takes 30-45 in between sets.Exercise 3: Reverse Crunch, is done with the help of a Resistance Band. two sets each consisting of 15-20 reps, with 30-45 sec rest.
Strength and Rotation Exercises
Exercise 2: Medicine Ball Rotational Throw. He does three sets of 8-10 reps, while taking a 30-45 sec rest.Exercise 4: Dumbbell Split Squat. Equipment used for this exercise are dumbbells. He does this in 2 sets with 8-10 reps, taking 30-45 sec.Exercise 5: Resistance Band Woodchopper. He does 2 sets with 10-15 reps.
The Role of WHOOP in Performance Optimization
Justin Thomas utilizes WHOOP to gain insights into his body's performance, tracking metrics like heart rate, sleep patterns, and recovery. Justin and I sit down for a wide-ranging conversation about his upbringing, his golf career, and how WHOOP is helping him improve his performance both on and off the course. Justin talks about disappointing results that have helped fuel him for triumphs later on, his friendship with Tiger Woods, why he leans on Tom Brady and Jack Nicklaus for advice, plus how Rory McIlroy recommended WHOOP to him and why he’s used it ever since. I know you’ll enjoy our conversation, and stay in the green while you’re on the green!
Individualized Insights
Thomas emphasizes the importance of understanding individual needs and responses, recognizing that what works for one person may not work for another. “I’ve learned what works for Rory doesn’t work for me, what works for me doesn’t work for him, doesn’t work for you, doesn’t work for everybody. I wanted to figure out what was good for me, and if I’m going into the weekend of The Masters and I’m playing really well and I have a 3-shot lead, I need to know what I need to do this afternoon, tonight, what I need to do before bed to where I feel like I’m going to sleep my best. … If you can control what you can control, at least it gives you a better probability for what you want to achieve.”
Sleep Monitoring
WHOOP data reveals that Thomas is a "world-class" sleeper, averaging over 3 hours of REM sleep per night and nearly two hours of slow-wave (deep) sleep. Will notes Justin is a “world-class” sleeper, as his WHOOP data shows he averages over 3 hours of REM sleep per night and nearly two hours of slow-wave (deep) sleep. “I bet if you were to compare [your sleep] across the whole athlete population, that’s maybe 2 hours higher than other professional athletes,” Will says. “I’ve got to make up for it since I don’t have big muscles and I’m not like a specimen like some other guys,” Justin jokes.
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Pre-Round Analysis
Thomas analyzes his WHOOP data each morning to assess his sleep and recovery, using this information to inform his approach to the day's round. “It’s always the first thing I do [in the morning], process my sleep. I try not to get too wrapped up in it. … There’s a lot more that goes into it than just you being recovered. Me having a 95% recovery can’t help me hit a 5-iron draw to a back left pin on the 17th hole of a major, that’s you being in the moment.”
Utilizing Caddie Support
On days with poor recovery, Thomas relies on his caddie, Jimmy, for additional support and guidance. “I probably get more out of my bad recovery or bad sleep days than I do good, because I can go into the day and go to Jimmy, my caddie, and be like, ‘Jimmy, I need you today. I need to talk things out. I need you to keep me calm. I’m probably going to be irritable today, I’m probably not going to be fun to work for, but these are days where I need you.’ That’s where a great caddie is a great caddie and not just a caddie or a good caddie. … That’s where I’m able to look at [WHOOP] and say ‘I didn’t sleep very well, I don’t feel that great, so I need to minimize my activity before I go play.’”
Post-Tournament Review
Thomas reviews his WHOOP data after tournaments to understand his heart rate patterns and identify potential triggers for heightened stress or anxiety. “I really, really like looking [at my WHOOP data] after tournaments to see what my heart rate was like. I can get specific and look and be like, ‘Okay, I was in 17 fairway right there, why did [my heart rate] go from 110 to 140? What was going on?’ That part is what’s so cool about it to try and figure out why that’s happening.”
Overcoming Nerves and Embracing the Moment
Justin Thomas acknowledges the presence of nerves in high-pressure situations, viewing them as a sign of significance. “I wouldn’t understand why someone would do something if they’re not nervous, because if you’re not nervous then it doesn’t mean anything to you. There’s definitely good nerves and bad nerves. There’s the ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so nervous and I’m scared to fail’ nervous, and there’s like a ‘This is such a big moment, I can’t wait to make this putt and show everybody this moment,’ nervous. … It makes me laugh and it honestly drives me crazy when some guys are so stubborn to say that they’re not nervous teeing off Sunday at Augusta with the lead. What, are you dead inside? That’s not possible. I’m nervous anytime I go play Augusta for fun, let alone the first round of a tournament, let alone on Sunday with a lead.”