Testmoninals

"Justin is a special breed of coach, he somehow managed to make every session enjoyable and incredibly specific no matter the group size. I have been working with him for a couple of years and the difference he has made has been brilliant. Not only for my acceleration and hip control but also my back mobility, ab strength and body awareness which has helped in my own strength work and running. 

He really is such a great guy, his passion and knowledge for his work is clear to see and probably why he’s one of the best around. I cannot recommend him highly enough, Hartpury is a better place when he is around!"

 "Through working with Justin, I have not only seen vast physical improvements, but I have also developed a greater understanding into sprinting. Every session, whether track or gym, I advance my knowledge of sprint mechanics and the way in which my body works. Ultimately, this mean that I am able to train more efficiently, and I can understand when something is not quite right and how to correct it. The relationship that Justin has formed with myself and other athletes means that although sprinting can be an isolating sport, I never feel alone on the track and training is never tedious. I could not be more grateful for Justin’s commitment and hard work towards genuinely wanting to see me improve."

"Coach Justin Smith is emerging as one of the best young speed coaches in the country. He has built on his knowledge of physical preparation and added some really good skills in building speed in a whole range of athletes - from young developing athletes to more advanced eltie games athletes. Central to his skill set is his willingness to coach the individual athlete in front of him... Individualising biomechanics and cueing systems, modification of training intensities/volumes, tailoring physical preparation and therapy to support the training process... Coach Justin will understand you as an athlete and as a person and will find a way to improve your speed for your chosen sport."

Steve Fudge, Head Coach FudgeLdnProject.

“I first met Justin a couple of years ago and he made a huge impression on me and has been advising me as a sprinter ever since. He has recently become my lead coach and in a short time made a massive  impact. I am constantly learning from him, he’s innovative, so open in his approach and a great guy to get along with. He has helped me so much by identifying technical flaws in my form and this has helped me improve my sprint mechanics and technique . Enthusiastic, professional and a great motivator, he is always 100% committed to his athletes, and never fails to impress with his level of knowledge and analytical skills.  He’s definitely a coach who I am sure if going to make a huge name for himself in the world of speed mechanics and athletics! “

 "Justin has been involved in my athletics journey for the past 6 years, beginning as my training partner at Gloucester Athletics Club. He quickly recognised my sprinting potential and started coaching me collaboratively for 2 years. 

While working with Justin I achieved many personal bests over the 100 m and 200 m events, becoming the multiple South West regional champion, English schools finalist, and being selected to compete for England on two separate occasions. He dedicated his mornings to give me 1:1 gym sessions, where my strength, power and speed improved greatly.

As a former South African School international sprinter, Justin recognises the importance of being attuned to the needs of the athlete. His high performance mindset, coaching science degrees, willingness to learn, and obtaining an elite coaching mentor, evidences Justin’s dedication to his athletes and his own coaching career. 

I truly believe the support, knowledge, sympathy, experience and friendly nature Justin has coached me with has made me a better athlete and person. Above all, Justin is a great friend."

 "I have been working with Justin for 3 years.  when I first started working with Justin my goal was to become faster, which for me that is important as a winger. He has helped me over the 3 years to achieve this, majority of the time things like becoming faster does not happen over night and Justin has always been good at reminding me of this, and giving me all the patience in the world! 

Starting the sessions with running drills such as A skips and B skips, these have helped me to focus on Lower-leg power and push force through the ground, improving my running form, functional strength and efficiency. Justin will always make the session different every time, with still the same focus, which ultimately relates to the sport I play. He will always introduce new drills, such as wall knee drives, weighted sleds, poles, and accelerating through cones. This makes the session fun, I always feel like I’ve learnt new things and I genuinely feel like I’m always improving. 

After working with Justin, I feel as though my knowledge of speed and running technique has improved by miles. I now know what I am focusing on to ensure that my running technique and shape put me in the best possible position to be able to perform my best and beat players on the rugby pitch.  

Justin Is a great coach to have on board as he is so passionate, and always wants to help his athletes improve and be the best they can be!"

"I’ve been lucky enough to be coached by Justin for the past few seasons and can’t thank him enough for all the effort he has put in to help me improve. Justin always goes above and beyond for his athletes and ensures every part of the session is beneficial and specific to you as an individual whether you’re training alone or as part of a group. I’ve learnt so much and made massive improvements which not only benefitted me in terms of my speed but also transfer to my sport. I’d highly recommend working with Justin for top quality coaching!"

"Before I worked with Justin I had heard great things from a couple of my teammates and wanted to find out what he could do to help me develop my speed. After just a couple of sessions, I already felt as though I had improved drastically and was really enjoying the training. Justin is very good at explaining drills. He breaks them down to the simplest methods, then builds them up at a pace that is challenging but ensures you perfect the technique at each level. Everything is specific to your work ons as an athlete and to the sport you play. His explanations as to why you are doing each exercise and what it helps to improve is so precise and knowledgable, yet understandable for everyone. 

He uses video playback to show you exactly what he can see which I find so helpful and also enables us to chat over sessions and sets long after we’ve finished. He often sends me feedback which has been put together on his analysis software to further explain my work ons, which he talks over and adds drawings to. 

Having not known Justin before I started working with him, he was so friendly and welcoming on approach. I didn’t feel at all nervous that I hadn’t had much speed specific training before and he was so interested in what I wanted to get out of the sessions. We’re great friends now and have a lot of fun training together. I’ve never looked back since and would highly highly recommend him to anyone that wanted to improve their speed."

"Justin is an exceptional coach. I first came to him with no knowledge or experience of running mechanics, but now I feel I've improved massively and have gained a further understanding. 

Justin is highly knowledgeable but is able to break down his sessions so I can understand them, backed up with clear demonstrations, cues and drills. 

I always feel I come away from his sessions having gained a lot. Justin is very friendly, positive and enthusiastic throughout and he tailors session for individuals ensuring its personalised to improve your running mechanics and skills.

I'd highly recommend Justin and can't fault him!"

"I joined Justin's group in August 2018 after injuring my knee. Before joining Justin I was very injury prone and struggled with consistency. 

Justin's way of coaching massively benefited me because of his emphasis on technique and running efficiently. I instantly saw my frequency of small niggling injuries decrease as I learnt to apply force into the ground through the correct positions. Even without a regular gym programme I began to see improvements in both my speed and speed endurance. 

Furthermore Justin's use of video feedback and being able to clearly explain where my weaknesses and strengths are helped to improve my knowledge of sprinting mechanics. This has improved my ability to visualise the event as well as teaching me to feel what my body is doing."

"I have been working with Justin for a few years now and after recovering from a shoulder and knee reconstruction, his input and advice was invaluable. I really struggled after my long period of rehabilitation to “feel fast” again. 

Justin was always happy to organise sessions that fit around my training and work schedule, and no matter the time of day his enthusiastic coaching and genuine desire to help you get better never wavered. I’ve previously struggled to improve my running mechanics, mainly because I couldn’t fully understand what a coach wanted me to do to improve my technique. 

Justin caters all of his coaching to suit any learning style, whether that’s by a verbal and physical  cue, or by taking great slow motion videos to break down your technique and help you understand how to improve. Above all, you can guarantee that the sessions will be thought-out, challenging and a lot of fun! 

Couldn’t recommend him enough."

"I have been working with Justin over the pass few years to improve my technical and all round speed to transfer onto the rugby field. I find Justin’s sessions hugely beneficial and the knowledge he provides allows me to see improvements in a matter of sessions. Not only are Justin’s sessions pivotal for my rugby performance they are also very enjoyable and one of my favourites of the week. I can’t wait to get back to training."