Tom Smith is a pioneer in providing a holistic approach to health, nutrition and exercise, specialising in back pain and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. He is highly regarded as Massage Therapist and Health and Nutrition Coach and has helped many people overcome their health and performance challenges.
He first studied as a Personal Trainer and Sports and Remedial Massage Therapist in North Yorkshire where he gained valuable experience in the health and fitness industry.
He later embarked on a career on board cruise ships as a personal trainer where he sailed across the Caribbean coaching one to one personal training in the gym, taught fitness classes such as Pilates, Yoga and Indoor Cycling and presented seminars on Healthy Abs and Back, Detoxification and Nutrition.
Once back in the UK, Tom continued to work in the Health and Fitness industry and began getting frustrated with the “cookie cutter” approach he was taught as a personal trainer. He started to develop more of an interest in helping people with musculoskeletal injuries and back pain and wanted to learn more about how to correct these issues with the personal trainer skills he had. After having hands on skills from studying sports massage and injury rehabilitation he then came across the work of Paul Chek. He went on to study many courses of his and now practices in a more holistic manner with health and exercise. You can learn more about what a CHEK Practitioner is here!
Tom also spent a years spell at Watford Football Club coaching first team and Academy football players alongside the team Physiotherapist’s and Sports Scientists assisting in strength and conditioning, rehabilitation and monitoring health indicators such as hydration and recovery. Tom also participated in an FA Strength and Conditioning course at Loughborough University as provided by Watford Football Club where he met and trained alongside leading researchers and experts of the game. This helped refine and improve his knowledge when working alongside elite level performance athletes.
After studying training courses with the CHEK Institute, an opportunity occurred when Tom was suggested to attend a Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT) course that would not only enhance his soft tissue skills, but also speed up the amount of time it would take correcting muscle imbalances with stretching and corrective exercise, alone! During the course, he studied extensively about the role of myo-fascial trigger points and how they can mimic common neurological symptoms such as sciatica and thoracic outlet syndrome to headaches and migraines. He later studied more from world renouned therapists such as Paul St John, Leon Chaitow, Thomas Myres and Judith DeLany and therefore started to get some really good results with clients and began to show more of an interest in manual therapy. During this time, Tom worked at a newly established Chiropractic Clinic in Stanmore Middlesex and learnt valuable skills from Chiropractic, Acupuncture and other therapies providing Massage and Corrective Exercise.
In 2010, Tom Smith delivered a Health, Nutrition and Lifestyle Weight Management program called ”Health 4 Life” over a year for Hertsmere Leisure in partnership with Hertsmere Together and NHS Hertfordshire PCT. The program was very successful where 73% of patients who had health conditions such as Obesity, Diabetes and High Blood Pressure lost weight after implementing healthier nutrition and lifestyle choices.
Workshops and Seminars
Tom has delivered seminars to corporate health and wellbeing events on health, exercise, nutrition and back care.
Companies include:
- Hertsmere Leisure
- Hertsmere Borough Council
- NHS West Herts Hospital
- Pizza Hut HQ
- Camelot
- BPL
Tom is currently pursuing a Masters of Osteopathy and Naturopathy degree at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine where he continues to further develop and increase his knowledge in the area of holistic health and musculoskeletal care.