Tommy Goodspeed Fitness

16/03/2023

It is paramount to unlock the knee joint in a hinge, as doing so enables the hips to travel a greater distance, resulting in a motion resembling that of the Romanian deadlift.

When the hips cannot move backwards, compensatory movements such as spinal flexion can occur.

As the hips move backwards, the torso ought to simultaneously descend. This maintains the body's alignment (the stack), preventing excessive spinal movements.

In turn, this permits hip extension to be the primary driver of the movement, thereby activating those glutes and hamstrings.

The stacking of the torso is a prerequisite for hip extension. If the stack is suboptimal or lost, reaching end-range hip extension will be arduous.

Once the hips have travelled as far back as possible, the knees may move forwards.

This delves further into hip flexion and amplifies the demand on the glutes. Imagine reaching the end range of the Romanian deadlift and then initiating forward knee movement to transform it into a conventional deadlift.

If you execute these combined actions of the hips moving backwards and the chest moving downward, you will probably impose an enormous workload on the hips and successfully attain all your hinging goals.

07/03/2023

Let's delve into the distinction between exercising and training, and why it's crucial for those of you looking to improve your performance and physique.

Exercising can be a fine way to stay active and healthy, but it often lacks the focus and structure needed to achieve significant progress.

After a while, you may hit a plateau in your performance or physique, and that's where training with intent comes in.

Training is a purposeful and structured approach to fitness, with a specific goal in mind.

By creating a plan that progresses over time, and executing that plan with intent, you can improve your performance and see real changes in your physique.

Training is not only about the physical benefits, but it also teaches you discipline and cultivates a sense of purpose.

When you only exercise, you may not push yourself to your limits or challenge yourself to improve your performance.

This can lead to stagnation and a lack of progress. With training, however, you are continuously pushing your boundaries and expanding your capabilities.

You will find yourself breaking through plateaus and achieving things you never thought possible.

So, let's embrace the power of training with intent. By setting specific goals, developing a structured plan, and pushing ourselves to improve, we can achieve the results we desire.

Not sure where to start? Drop me a DM and I will see if I can help.

06/03/2023

"Posterior pelvic displacement involving sacral nutation and femoral adduction with internal rotation."

That's a mouthful, isn't it? It's enough to make any passionate gymgoer's head spin.

But let me simplify it for you: we want the hips to move backwards in space (flexing the hip), then return to the midline (extending the hip).

Why? Because this will effectively activate the glutes and hammies.

Now, if you're looking to improve your mobility, lower body strength, and power, hinging exercises like deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, and kettlebell swings can be incredibly effective.

But here's the catch: you need to execute them with decent form.

So unlock your knees, shift your hips back, and bring your chest down.

And once your hips stop moving, allow your knees to move forwards.

This will allow you to maintain proper alignment and tension throughout the movement.

Practice your hinges and you will see gym numbers on lifts like deadlifts and RDLs fly... And the b***y will growwww.

14/10/2021

PG hits the nail on the head with this one.

Coaching is all about accountability.

Helping clients stay on track, checking-in with clients, helping them navigate the curve balls of life. Having a coach is a sure fire way to reach your goals quicker.

Pressure creates diamonds. If you don't have any accountability then you are probably gonna fall short or not even get past the first hurdle. Having someone making sure you are ticking the small, important boxes regularly is what will ensure that success.

If you have a goal and are struggling to achieve it, drop me a DM and let's see if we can get you back on track.

I had a really interesting conversation with a client earlier.

She was surprised when I told her I work with a coach.

“But you are a coach…? Why would YOU need a coach?”

And the answer is simple: accountability.

I am BUSY. I work insane hours and I could very easily come up with a million excuses as to why I skip a session, f**k up my food, don’t bother with my steps.

But I know my coach Tommy Goodspeed Fitness is watching.

And for me, that is a huge incentive.

I expect Tommy to do the things he says he’s going to do but in turn, he expects me to do the things I say I’m going to do.

And if I don’t, I have to be prepared to feel his wrath.

The same works for my clients. When you work with me, I expect you to do the things you say you’re going to do.

And if you don’t, I want to know why.

Nothing is insurmountable, and a good coach (🙋🏼‍♀️) will work WITH you if you’re struggling to complete the work you agreed to do - in a caring, compassionate, supportive, non-judgemental way.

We’re here to praise you when things go well, help lift you up when things go a bit t**s, and encourage you every single day - both in and out the gym.

Plus, there is nothing quite like your coach telling you they’re proud of you 🥰

And who doesn’t need that in their life?

If you’re looking for support with your fitness journey, slide on in to my DMs 📩

05/07/2021

Hands up if you have ever been tempted by the biscuit jar at work? 🙋‍♂️. When working, we can sometimes be guilty of eating things we probably could do without, or sometimes forgetting to eat at all. With the stress of the pandemic, many people have been working from home, giving themselves easier access to the snack drawer, which is all the more tempting after getting through a hard day's graft.

My client Jess, who works as a paramedic, fuelled her shifts with high-sugar prepackaged snacks. Working together, we realised that the key to improving her eating habits was convenience. Having snacks and meals planned out and prepped ahead of time allowed her to grab a nutritious meal and snack without much stress before starting her shift.

Meal prep and forward planning is a great way to create nutritious and delicious meals ahead of time. An added bonus is the amount of time you save on deciding on what to eat for lunch every day. 😂

Jess cooked up something that tastes good, is practical and filling enough to get her through the demands of work. Also, prepping a snack that feels a little bit naughty but high in protein. 😈

In work environments, we all too often fall consequence to convenience, but with a little planning, you could avoid the temptation altogether.

If you feel yourself reaching for snack drawer more often, drop me a DM to start your journey to a fitter, stronger you.

12/04/2021

Client spotlight.
fitness came to me at the start of lockdown 3.0 asking me to look at her squat in the second video.

Ellen struggled for depth and didn't enjoy squatting. Right away I knew that I could help. Ellen has worked tirelessly through the lockdown armed with only a 30kg bar and some 10kg dumbells.

She has implemented every bit of form advice I gave her and I think the results speak for themselves.

Week 1 day 1 of gyms reopening and she is throwing around the same weight as the original video, taking it to new found depths. I didn't even have to say much as the hard work we put in came to light.

Now we are in prime position to load and get stronger. We finished our sets on 50kg. Lockdown was not wasted. What a start to the gyms reopening!

If you need help with your squats drop me a DM and I will see if I can help

06/04/2021

Why is it important to enjoy the process?

When we pursue our goals, it is important that we enjoy the process. This could be working towards losing your lockdown weight gain or striving towards being stronger in a certain lift.

Achieving your goals is a momentum game. Doing small actions repeatedly over time adding up to working towards your goal. Now, for you to do all these small actions repeatedly, it is much easier when you are enjoying what you do. If you dread training, you won’t train as hard. You will maybe even skip parts of the session. Whereas, if you enjoy training, you are more than likely going to train harder and, as a by-product of this, will move closer towards your goal.

You can have the most efficient and optimal plan on paper, but if you won’t enjoy carrying it out, it’s probably not going to work. Look at how you can make training more exciting, making it something you look forwards to and not see as a chore. Get a friend involved or train with a partner or socially distanced group. 100 squats on the beach with friends sounds more appealing than 100 squats in your front room alone.

Losing weight doesn’t have to be a chore, it can be enjoyable and rewarding, even before you hit your end goal. The more you enjoy it, the more you will move towards your goal and the more likely you are to keep those good habits after and make it a lifestyle.

05/04/2021

Started the morning strong. Jogged to the beach to take a 6am beach class for 180 Strength and was rewarded with this view. I had also clocked over 8000 steps by the time I got home for breakfast—what a great way to start the week. Often how we start our day sets the tone for the rest of it. Are you setting yourself up for success?

How have you guys started the week?