Training With Coach Sean: My hEDS Experience with Exercise and Why Strength Training Isn’t Enough

About this episode

Coach Sean and Alexandra Orfanides discuss the importance of combining strength training with cardiovascular work for hypermobile athletes.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Alexandra Orfanides

Guest: Coach Sean

Topics covered

• hypermobility
• strength training
• cardiovascular work
• exercise
• rehabilitation
• athletic development

Keywords

• hypermobility
• strength training
• cardio
• exercise
• hEDS
• athletic development
• rehab

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CrossFit

Books & works: Help! I'm Hypermobile

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