Training With Coach Sean: My hEDS Experience with Exercise and Why Strength Training Isn’t Enough
Help! I'm HypermobileShow Notes
Coach Sean and I discuss why strength training alone often isn’t enough for hypermobile bodies.
Drawing on my personal experience training with hEDS, we explore why learning to generate tension matters even for experienced, seemingly strong hypermobile athletes, and why cardiovascular work can support strength rather than compete with it.
We dig deep into: Why tactile feedback matters for hypermobile athletes How thinking about blood flow diversion can help manage symptoms outside the gym Why rigid programmes don’t work for hypermobile people Why you NEED to be doing cardio if you are building muscle
Sean is a highly experienced Certified CrossFit Level 3 Trainer (CF-L3) coach with an extensive background in Crossfit-specific gymnastics, bringing a deep understanding of strength, conditioning, and long term athletic development to this conversation. He is also my personal coach, and his own experience returning to exercise after serious health challenges has shaped an informed and strategic approach to coaching athletes and people looking to elevate their overall fitness.
This episode is for anyone training, rehabbing, or strength training while dealing with joint hypermobility and wondering why doing “everything right” still doesn’t feel like enough.
THANK YOU for watching, and remember: incurable does not mean untreatable! ❣️
📚 Join the waitlist for pre-order information for the April 2026 release of my book Help! I'm Hypermobile (and get your free PDF companion guide in the meantime): hypermobilityhq.com/book
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⭐️ Follow Sean on Instagram at @Sean_coach_tomo91
🎙️ Learn more about the podcast: hypermobilityhq.com/podcast
💌 For guest info, media, or resources visit my blog at hypermobilityhq.com/blog/
Medical disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your training, exercise, or healthcare plan.
More from Help! I'm Hypermobile
What does it really look like to be a working model with hEDS, chronic illness, and disability?
Listening to your body is hard – ESPECIALLY when you're hypermobile and struggle to feel things in the first place.
Is it really “just” an ankle sprain? WE’RE BACK (again!) and this episode, I’m joined by physiotherapist and clinic founder Charlie Goodchild @physio.coach.london to talk about ankle sprains and hypermobility, and why these injuries are often more complex than they seem. For people who are hypermobile, (including those with hEDS or HSD) ankle sprains can be more frequent, slower to recover, and sometimes part of a bigger picture involving joint instability, proprioception challenges, and recurrent injury. We explore why standard advice does not always work for hypermobile bodies and what a more informed approach to rehab can look like. Charlie shares practical insights on ankle instability, strength training, rehab progressions, and how to stop the cycle of repeated sprains. We also discuss how to know when an ankle injury needs deeper assessment rather than being dismissed as “just a sprain.” In this episode, we cover: * Why ankle sprains are common in hypermobility • The link between hypermobility and chronic ankle instability • Why getting a boot might save you a lot of future ankle-related grief • Charlie’s personal journey navigating ankle sprains and eventually ankle surgery • When to seek further assessment or specialist support
Dealing with hEDS/HSD and co-occurring conditions, including scoliosis, is anything but easy.
What if the problem was never that you weren’t trying hard enough, but that your hypermobile body needed a different approach to strength training?