In 2021, Frank Speno was struggling — physically and mentally. He could barely get out of bed due to severe back pain, and struggled with depression. Then, he found out he was going to be a grandfather — which sprung him into action to address his pain with TB12 and get his life back.
In honor of Father’s Day, we sat down with Frank to talk about grandfatherhood, mental health, pliability, and the importance of family fitness.
How does being a dad (and grandfather-to-be) impact your fitness?
My family is very active. I played football in college, my wife played tennis, two of my daughters played D1 Lacrosse, and my youngest just completed her first half marathon. Pliability, I have learned, is key to being active with my kids and first grandchild.
Was there a specific moment that made you reach out to TB12?
I have six vertebrae surgically fused together, so my body has a lot of challenges. My soft tissues become very rigid when reacting to the fusions, which completely locks me up, creating pain, immobility, and depression.
Last year was really tough for me. My back just quit working. I was immobilized in bed for four weeks with terrible back pain when I learned I was going to be a grandfather for the first time. All I could think about was what I couldn't do with that child. Could I be trusted to pick the baby up? Could I play catch, push them on the swings, or play tag?
Many doctors were just preparing me for the inevitability of my situation. On the day I found out I was going to be a grandfather, I was going to reach out to the TB12 Performance and Recovery Center in Tampa. Then, I got an email that day TB12 was in my town of West Palm Beach. I took that as a sign and set up my appointment.
Tell us about your work with your TB12 Body Coach
My Body Coach, Brendan Curtin, gave me hope — and my life back. He’s knowledgeable, a great listener and understands my challenges. The best part is that he is truly committed to helping me reach my pliability potential. He is creative, upbeat, mixes things up, and is 110% invested in my physical and mental well-being.
Have you seen an improvement in your mental well-being since joining TB12?
My mental health was in a very bad, dark place. Being in pain all the time and not being able to do the things I love was terrible. Worse, most medical advice either boiled down to “get used to it,” or involved lots of pain meds.
My mental health improved immediately upon working at TB12. I had someone who made me confident that I could overcome all this. My pain started to dissipate and my mobility increased as I built pliability. I’m no longer depressed because I have a system and a Body Coach who gave me my life back — and I am confident about my future.
What’s your favorite way to stay fit with your kids?
We have a home gym and love working out together. We also go golfing, biking, and hiking. Instilling a love of fitness in my family is important to me — I am truly passionate about it.
My family is also on board with TB12. On a recent trip, my son-in-law and I used the resistance bands at our hotel and got in a great workout! My wife, as well as a few other friends, are now clients of Brendan's, too.
What sort of activities do you hope to do with your grandchild as they grow up?
I want to do everything — roll on the ground, swing on the swings, play catch, and run. To be the fun grandpa, you have to be able to do this on the fly — you can't say “Grandpa needs 20 minutes to warm up before tag!”.
Pliability prepares my body to perform without worrying. My happiest day will be getting in a TB12 session and workout with my grandchild, followed by a rigorous hike in Aspen, CO. Then, my grandchild will say, “Thanks Coach,” (the grandpa name I picked), “Can we do that again tomorrow?”
TB12’s emphasis on pliability has given me my life back. I am now 100% confident I can do all the things that make me truly happy.