https://www.facebook.com/106439289091364/

Forby Performance, Port Sorell (2026)

12/10/2025

An ego can be apparent by many in the gym. Some compare, some don’t. I’ve lost count of the amount of times that I’ve been asked what I bench. Internally I’m like…’what, currently in my 50s, or back in my 20s’ - there’s a big difference. However, my typical response is normally ‘who cares’ or ‘more than my bodyweight’. Sometimes I’m like…’bench - huh, what do you squat? Squat is king! We don’t run on our hands’.

So, before making comparisons think about what they’re doing and why they’re doing it…it’s about their INTENT. They could be:
- Recovering from injury, therefore, working on rehab
- High reps, high sets
- Slow, eccentric movements
- Fast bar movement (bar velocity)
- Hypertrophy training
- Low loading session
- Pre-comp
…and the list goes on.

If you have to compare what you lift others, maybe it’s a way to make yourself feel better and less insecure?! Don’t worry about, worry about you - what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, your goals, what YOUR INTENT is.

03/09/2025

This morning I had a couple of questions posed to me by some fellow coaches at the gym around exercises and their suitability. I liked this because it follows a theory that I’ve discussed previously, and that’s intent. What do we want from the exercise, and will we receive its benefits?

Firstly, I did like the exercises that were being discussed; however, the effectiveness of them comes down to whether or not they’re done properly and are they adequately loaded. Too often people overload with weight and their technique suffers, or their technique may have been bad in the first place which makes a situation even worse.

As coaches we need to understand the mechanical movements of an exercise so we can instruct it. As the person doing the exercise, you’re no different. Poor movement leads to the potential of injury risk. If there’s too much lifting of the shoulders (and therefore shoulder blades) during chins, shoulder press, bench press, etc the muscles that you’re trying to work, won’t be. If your knees buckle inwards when you squat, deadlift, leg press, the same thing happens. Think about the intent of these exercises and the muscles that are supposed to be working.

If you’re not sure, seek advice. If you get advice, put it into action. If you’re struggling to action it, decrease the weight/load, and maybe drop the ego. Learning a technique doesn’t come when trying to achieve a lifting PB!

13/07/2025

While on school holidays, I thought that it would be a good time to continue the learning process… I only signed up to this 12 months ago, so better late than never!

21/04/2025

This’ll be short and sweet as I posted something similar 12 months ago…

The Winter sport season has started for most. If this is you, remember, train like an athlete, not a bodybuilder. Some key takeaway points:

- Multi exercise per muscle group, especially in the same session, can be fatiguing
- High reps during an exercise is very fatiguing, especially if sets are also high
- Smashing legs within the first 2-3 days post-game continues fatigue and increases the risk of injury
- Have exercises where you move fast, especially if your sport requires it
- Decrease range of motion and increase load during some exercises - low fatiguing (Eg. Bench squats instead of full range) - force development
- Don’t forget Uni-lateral and rotational work, especially if your sport requires it
- Periodise appropriately
- If you’re not sure, seek help/advice from someone who knows

05/04/2025

Bi-lateral v Uni-lateral movements (Eg. Two legs/arms v one leg/arm) - both are highly beneficial, and in my opinion, should be used by everyone involved when resistance training. But when to use them?

If I’m working with beginners in the gym, my focus is on bi-lateral movement; engage in proper technique and build strength over time using progressive overload protocols. As strength builds and the individual has a better understanding around efficient movement, then I will add uni-lateral exercises.

If I’m working with experienced lifters and athletes, especially those that involve running, there will be uni-lateral exercises earlier on. These movements can assist when working on asymmetry (muscular/joint balance when comparing one side to another). It can also assist those looking at size when working eccentrically adding time under tension. Athletically, the world of sport works in more of a uni-lateral way, so exposing athletes to this is important; however, periodising this in their program based on their season is also important when regarding load. We don’t need huge amounts of fatigue in season.

If you’re a gym-goer, and don’t incorporate uni-lateral movements, give them a try. If you’re not sure how to, ask someone with the appropriate qualifications.

10/03/2025

I’ve had a few conversations recently about Olympic lifting, both why I do them personally, and whether/why I do them with my athletes. It’s fair to say, I’m a big fan of them! Some S&C coaches don’t like them, especially the time that it takes to learn them, and that’s OK. There are other options.

For athletes it’s about moving heavy stuff fast. Most of the athletes that I work with need to move fast, in varying directions and angles, and at varying intensities…it fits. But what about someone like myself?

Well, I’m not getting any younger! While resistance training has proven time and again to be beneficial for all age groups, it’s increasingly important as we age to maintain muscle development and strengthen bones and joints. Power based work, whether it be Olympic lifts, jumps, etc assists with this.

As we age, the likelihood of falls increase, balance can be an issue. The speed at which we react to falling and how we land can be the difference between walking away from it or being injured. If our bodies aren’t prepared for this, we may have long term issues.

Whether you’re an athlete or gen pop, old, middle aged or young, include power based work into your programming. If you’re not sure how, talk to someone that does!

12/02/2025

RPL - Return to Play. This is a common term used, especially in sport to look at the pathway of an athlete returning to the playing field post-injury or time away from the sport. I’ve assisted many an athlete with this process, and currently, I feel like I’m currently going through this myself.

After a two week ski trip and then catching COVID, which has smashed me, I need to be cognizant of what I do in the gym. I’ve lost a fair bit of muscle strength, and my strength through various ranges of motion isn’t what it was. Plus, I’m feeling the after effects of COVID with lingering levels of fatigue.

Since returning back, I’ve started doing just 2 sets of around 8 reps with weight that is around 40-50% max. Even with this I’ve had DOMS, though it is becoming less. I’m being mindful of my HR as it is elevating easily at the moment, especially with aerobic-bases training. This will adjust with time.

To summarise, if you’re engaging in RTP, ease in and use progressive overload, regardless of your RTP circumstances. Otherwise, you may be spending g more time away from your sport/physical activity than you think!

09/01/2025

We’re into a new year and with it come the many New Year’s resolutions of people who want to get bigger, thinner, stronger, fitter, etc. I know there have been many new faces at the gym where I coach/train. For those who are attempting to change their lives in a positive way, good luck!

However, for the many that start, many fail for a variety of reasons, so I’d like to provide a few tips to assist with making these new goals achievable…

- Be consistent, regardless of motivation. You’re not always motivated to train; overcome this and keep going
- Start with a program that’s achievable and suits your lifestyle. Too many people go too hard, too early and can’t maintain it
- Make quality sleep, recovery, and quality nutrition a priority. With this you’ll see the benefits of your training
- You’re going to be faced with road blocks and challenges. Don’t sweat it, overcome and move on.

Nothing is easy, especially when starting something new. Not all conditions will be perfect for you, so have a growth mindset and keep on keeping on. Good luck!

26/10/2024

While I’m not a bodybuilder (stereotypically) I’m currently going through a process of rebuilding my body - I needed a reset. I was getting a few little ‘niggly’ things that needed sorting. This process has taken me away from the Olympic Lifts that I love to do as a primary training method to something that I do at the end of a session if I have time.

As part of this reset, I’m including exercises that I don’t normally do, higher reps for most exercises, and really concentrating on the eccentric portion of the lift, not to get bigger, but to control movement and speed, as well as how I change the direction of the lift (braking mechanisms).

In this space, I need to keep my ego in check as eccentric training can reduce the set load, so I’m down in normal numbers. Overall I’m feeling much better in the way that I move in the gym and how I lift, so hopefully this transitions well moving forward into future lifting.

12/10/2024

The use of mirrors when training is a great feedback tool, whether you have a coach with you or not. It can actually assist in reinforcing a coach’s instructions to improvement movement quality.

I understand that some people don’t like watching/looking at themselves in the mirror, while others look/watch to check out their muscle size.

So, what are some takeaways with watching your movement in the mirror?
- Shoulder position
- Knee position/structure and alignment
- Hip position and/or rolling
- Rib flaring
- Overall posture…

As stated, movement quality (technique) is an important facet of resistance training. It’s the part that gets us efficiently strong, as well as reducing injury risk.

08/10/2024

Well, I had a little family trip to QLD and am back on Tassie shores, but while I was away, my training didn’t stop, and being a coach at I was on the lookout for another AF facility to train from.

I just wanted to give a shout out to where I trained; you have a great community training space there. Also, a hello to a couple of patrons that I got to meet and speak to…Joe and Tai, keep up the great work fellas! Hoping to get back there at some stage.

Also, thanks to a couple of other patrons in and for directing me there in the first place. Cheers

29/09/2024

An ego is an interesting thing in the gym. Some people often look around at what others are lifting and making comparisons with themselves. I often get asked what I Bench, etc. At my age, the days of PB’s are over compared to my younger days, though it doesn’t mean that I’m going to stop training to pursue strength and power.

I believe what we need to do is think about intent (something that I’ve mentioned in a previous post). What is an individual wanting to get out of the lift as an end purpose or goal? Hypertrophy…power…general strength…? Sets, reps, recovery time, and other lifts being completed will often dictate this. Social media has changed society and there’s already too many comparisons being made. Let’s focus more on ourselves and creating a better version of us, individually. Don’t worry about what others do, really…who cares. Someone else’s end goal doesn’t have any bearing on our own. Happy training!

Forby Performance

12/10/2025

03/09/2025

13/07/2025

21/04/2025

05/04/2025

10/03/2025

12/02/2025

09/01/2025

26/10/2024

12/10/2024

08/10/2024

29/09/2024

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category