Experts Warn Of Dangers With Tom Brady’s Fitness Program That’s Being Used In Schools
Tom Brady's TB12 program is being piloted in Florida schools, but health experts are warning about the dangers of the program, being that much of it is not backed by trusted science.
Who wouldn’t want to take fitness advice from seven-time Super Bowl Champ Tom Brady? To many’s surprise, many health experts, that’s who. The 45-year-old NFL legend is brining health and fitness to the forefront of Florida schools, but some are warning of the dangers his program could create.
Tom Brady swears by his TB12 method. Now, he’s bringing his training program to public school students in Florida. The pilot program incorporated elements from TB12 into 10 middle and high school gym classes in the state.
To pull off this endeavor, Tom Brady’s TB12 foundation fronted the cost to create the school fitness program. Students in participating schools now have foam rollers and vibrating spheres to alleviate muscle pain as they strive for strength and flexibility goals. Enjoying the hype from the athlete and celebrity, students are enjoying the program.
But not everyone sees the craze as a benefit, especially for younger kids. Some have ridiculed Tom Brady’s methods, calling it “pseudoscience.” They argue that schools should stick to well-researched health education, not a new celebrity trend.
According to reports from Fortune pliability is a major focus in Tom Brady’s TB12 training. However, Mike Fantigrassi, a senior director with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, noted that this is a made-up word, with no scientific backing. “Some of this stuff is not rooted in good science,” he explained.
The program is also teaching students about healthy eating habits, which some fear could backfire. Tom Brady steers people away from certain foods like peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants because he says they can cause inflammation. Once again, health experts ridicule the football camp for advising this as well, arguing that it is not supported by a scientific base.
Others fear that the overall craze may not be rooted in good fortune. Instead, there is a worry that its purpose is to create life-long customers to buy Tom Brady’s products. The TB12 program costs adults hundreds of dollars to participate in and urges them to buy healthy foods and supplements from the program.
But despite the widespread backlash, many schools are applauding Tom Brady and the program. Eric Rimm, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard sees the potential of the program in schools. In a growing trend, more and more youth are reportedly overweight and malnourished, so if it takes one of America’s most famous athletes to turn that around, so be it.
In the school setting, teachers are noticing a difference. The fact that TB12 is offered to children by Tampa Buccaneers star player is enough to keep them motivated and working through gym class. After all, who doesn’t want to be as successful as Tom Brady?
In Pinellas County where the Tom Brady fitness program is being piloted, school officials are hopeful to extend the offering to the rest of the district’s middle and high schools by next year. Furthermore, the Superbowl champ is optimistically looking to expand the program into more schools. Despite critic pushback, if schools show success, more are likely to follow suit.
