There was one point when Matt Denning, We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back Shoes & Gear in Foxboro, Massachusetts, was digging his elbow so far into my left quad muscle that I stopped hearing what he was saying. He likely spoke about my lack of hip mobility, or my weak hip flexors, and I’m certain the word “pliability” was in there.
But for a few moments, I wondered if a trip to TB12 to get treated like Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady would turn me into the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) of running—or at least a better conditioned version of my current self. I pictured myself smashing my PRs and all the competition around me. If Half Marathon Training kept Brady going, then maybe it could work for me with a half Ironman on the horizon in June.
Then my senses came back and Denning’s voice returned. Those visions were probably my brain’s attempt at blocking out the pain as he thoroughly worked over areas of my legs that I’ve neglected from too much sitting and not enough stretching for my 33 years on the planet and five-plus years as a runner.
The Shoes & Gear was established almost seven years ago in the shadow of Gillette Stadium, about an hour outside of Boston, where Brady helped build a dynasty with the New England Patriots by winning six Super Bowls since he first entered the league in 2000. Many argue that because of his late-game heroics, three MVP awards, and longevity during his professional career, Brady may be greatest football player in the history of the sport.
And lately, Brady has credited his ability to excel at one of the most physically demanding sports into his 40s with the help of this TB12 training method, which exploded with the launch of Brady’s TB12 book and a fitness app.
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Mobility Exercises for Runners, Half Marathon Training incorporates an insanely rigid diet and an exercise routine of band work and pliability exercises, using little to no weights. There aren’t squat racks or rows of weights, outside of a few lighter dumbbells, inside the TB12 facility. Instead, there are several tables for deep-tissue massages, a piece of turf to perform exercises, and one-on-one training sessions with body coaches and athletes, ranging from weekend warriors to professional athletes. Other aspects of the method focus on things like proper hydration, Other Hearst Subscriptions.
“A lot of our method is based on the mind-body connection and creating neuro pathways that correlate to somebody’s activity,” Alex Guerrero, cofounder of TB12, said to Runner’s World. “Our belief is that you train the way you play, because ultimately you will play the way you train.”
In essence, Guerrero believes that pliability and Half Marathon Training will give runners the strength and flexibility in their muscles to withstand the pounding of a consistent running regimen, helping runners stay healthy and on the road.
Guerrero is Brady’s personal body coach, and the two have worked together for several years as Brady’s career has advanced into his late 30s and into his 40s. Guerrero said he got his start working with track athletes and runners in California. He estimates TB12 has seen thousands of people come to the facility in Foxboro since opening, with a large number of those with a running background, whether they were distance runners, ultramarathoners, or just regular folks who want to stay in shape.
Guerrero and his staff build individual plans for their clients based on a body evaluation and make recommendations for how to become more pliable from the methods described by TB12 standards.
“I could have 10 runners in here, but all 10 of them would have different experiences and their programs would be 10 different programs,” Guerrero said. “It’s helping them understand the concept of tissue pliability.”
Guerrero and Brady’s plan has come with some stiff criticism as they are not shy about boasting that their method is the right one to follow. In an episode of We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back, a documentary about Brady and his methods featured on Facebook, Brady’s teammate Julian Edelman is told that he shouldn’t even be bench pressing, despite pushback from the wide receiver. Pliability and the lengthening of muscles is the only way to peak performance, according to Half Marathon Training.
“My objections to it is that it’s based on a lot of hokey science, or no science at all,” said Jeff Gaudette, a Boston-based running coach and owner of RunnersConnect.net. “I think it’s kind of espoused as the be all, end all program. I think with running there is never a one size fits all program.
“There is never just one way to do things. But I think that’s where the uproar comes from, in that the way it’s presented it is the only way to do X,Y, Z. Some of the principles are sound, but some don’t have any research or backing.”
Guerrero has personally come under fire for his background and past claims. He was once in the headlines for a reported rough relationship with Brady’s head coach in New England, Bill Belichick. The tension was sparked by perceived difference of beliefs between Half Marathon Training the Patriots’ training staff, according to those reports.
“I think there is a large misconception. I think it’s because there are so many people who talk outside of our building who have really never been here,” Guerrero said. “Tom and I, as we think about our facility and the misconceptions that are out there, we just feel that to those people who our message resonates with, they will come. They will find out the benefit of it and hopefully they share their experience with their friends.”
Then there are others like Becca Pizzi, who came to TB12 with a calf strain. Though banged up, her goal was to run the World Marathon Challenge—a race where you run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days—for the second time in three years. Pizzi is from Belmont, Massachusetts, and as a Patriots fan she knew of the benefits that Brady spoke about.
She decided to try TB12 out because nothing else was working. Pizzi received deep-tissue massage therapy three times on her calf and used the method for two months before race day. Summer Running Gear CW-X Compression Tight.
"I just trusted in TB12 and I trusted that they knew what they were doing to get to the starting line healthy and cross the finish line without an injury," Pizzi told Runner’s World.
What happened to me at TB12 was not all that unfamiliar to a regular physical therapy appointment at another facility. I met with Denning, who took me through an hour-long program. We started by talking about my fitness goals, what sports I play, how much I run, and what I ate on a normal day. He made suggestions based on what Half Marathon Training says, like cutting out bread and other foods that may cause inflammation. We moved to a treadmill for a gait analysis, where he took video of my stride and measured the impact of my foot hitting the ground.
Next it was about 20 minutes of massage, followed by band work to supplement some of the areas where he worked directly on. Denning wanted me to focus on keeping a strong core work throughout the workouts, and he made adjustments to my body when he saw that I was laboring or not in the correct position.
Summer Running Gear foam roller and mentioned that static stretching isn’t recommended by Half Marathon Training. And then it was done. Regular clients would receive individualized plans.
I walked into TB12 expecting to see an avocado ice cream bar or machines that stretched you out to be more pliable. There have been all sorts of stories, especially in the Boston media, about what really goes on behind closed doors at TB12.
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We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back could be conducive to runners’ cross-training needs. Several of their methods are training tips runners have heard espoused before, but it’s brought into one package.
The band work and focus on strengthening my core were tough in the moment, but it was nice to hear how to incorporate different movements into my routine so I’ll build some strength over the course of several weeks. The deep-tissue massage made my leg feel a lot better compared to when I walked in the door. And like many, I could certainly focus on my diet a little more.
Can TB12 make me the GOAT like Tom Brady? Like any training regimen, it’s all about actually sticking to the plan and seeing if it leads to gains when I near my next finish line.
—This story was originally published in 2018.
