Inspiring Conversations with Zak Goodman of Goodman Human Performance

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zak Goodman.

Hi Zak, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story isn’t anything special, but one of following the passion and joy of an interest of mine for as long as I can. I was always active as a child. I partook in many sports ranging from martial arts to hockey and lacrosse. I played lacrosse partially through college and at some point, for some reason, thought it was time to focus on a career. So I majored in exercise science in an attempt to keep athletics a prominent source of inspiration in my life. I became a personal trainer, then a strengthening and conditioning specialist. I trained many different populations of people. On the side, I also worked as a physical therapist aide.

I just craved knowledge of the human body and how it moved. It broadened my abilities to work with special populations, geriatric populations, children, and normal, and athletic populations. I had the idea of taking clients from pain to performance and stuck to that idea to this day. As a trainer, you’re not allowed to diagnose or “fix” any problems a client may have. I saw this as a limitation, so I took 4 years to go to graduate school to become a doctor of chiropractic and moved from the east coast out to Phoenix. Here I worked for an integrated wellness clinic, honing my skills as a practitioner.

After a year and a half, I went out on my own to combine the old with the new. In 2019, I opened a shop in the back of Crossfit Tempe with a chiropractic table and some tools with no idea how to run a proper business. Four years later, I have an office in Scottsdale with the focus of my business being movement optimization and performance.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Other than chiropractic school, starting a business has been one of the most difficult undertakings in my life. I’ve found that starting a business has forced growth in multiple areas of my life. On a personal level, I’ve had to face many self-limiting beliefs. Not only face these self-limiting beliefs but work through them. This includes the perception of failure, my relationship with finances, confidence, my ability to face adversity and hardship, and understanding what I believe it is to be a good leader.

The personal journey starts to manifest through the business. So my idea of what a good leader looks like needs to take form. There’s patience, understanding, and acceptance of others and their ideas to grow. There is also an unwavering unselfishness that needs to be rooted deep inside ourselves, both as business owners and a doctor. Probably the most important aspect of owning a business is a deeply anchored sense of purpose and knowing what that purpose is. The purpose is not just the spark, but the fuel to the flame.

Creating something from scratch isn’t always the easiest. And while you’re in the middle of all the crud going on around you, it can be difficult to get perspective. It took a long time to have a clear, concise idea of what I wanted to accomplish, and keep that at the forefront of my mind NO MATTER WHAT. It’s easy to get caught up in what I call white noise: the economy, the traffic, the weather, and the people… But in the end, it all really doesn’t matter, because your business needs to stay relevant through thick and thin. And as a business owner, you need to believe that you can get through any hardship, even when literally no one else believes. It is truly survival of the fittest.

Starting a business also wasn’t easy for my spouse. Any time with my business is time away from her. As a new business, 80+ hours can go just into growth. This includes networking, protocols, backend and administration, managing finances, etc. And then I need to provide the service of biomechanical movement instruction and chiropractic. So it’s a lot of time and effort that is directed away from my relationship. This can be quite difficult for any partner, understandably so.

We’ve been impressed with Goodman Human Performance, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Goodman Human Performance is a Movement Optimization clinic, one of few of its kind. The goal of this therapy is specifically to prime the body to move as a human should. Our species developed, survived, and then thrived on the basic movements of walking, running, and throwing, with the ability to breathe fully and comfortably through all of these primary motions. Once we can move as a human should, all other issues tend to reduce significantly. Whether you want to become a competitive Olympic weightlifter or reduce pain while sitting for 8 hours at a desk, Goodman Human Performance meets your needs.

The methodology of this care includes a series of progressive exercises that enable an individual to decompress their own spine and joints against gravity, as well as move their body and limbs in synchrony. This allows a person to maneuver through this world as a pain-free, efficient organism.

I love Goodman Human Performance because it transitions people from a place of pain and worries to a place of growth and empowerment. Many patients come in with chronic issues they have had for years without any resolution. After receiving care, they walk out of our clinic feeling like a new person. When we reduce our pain levels, we increase our confidence, our mental capacity, and our ability to be present in the world. When I was in chronic pain I would’ve done anything for care like this, so now I offer it to others.

Benefits include:
• Reduced pain in muscles and joints
• Less effort with sitting and standing postures
• Less effort and pain with walking, running, and weight lifting
• Increased mental clarity
• Improved mood
• Increased confidence
• Gain a deep understanding and awareness of how your body moves with and
without pain

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Books:
• Atomic Habits – for time management and redefining failure
• King, Warrior, Magician, Lover – for evolving and maturing the masculine psyche
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – for managing priorities and defining purpose
• Anatomy Trains – for understanding the body and myofascial system in depth

The podcast and Free Course:
• James Wedmore – business sales and management

Pricing:

• Initial – $200
• Human Performance Session – $150
• Chiropractic Adjustments (spinal and extremities) – $53

Contact Info:

• Website: www.goodmanhumanperformance.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/goodman.performance
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodman.performance
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodmanhumanperformance