Speede Fitness, a Chicago-area strength training company launching a fitness machine this summer, announced that UFC fighter Michael Chandler accepted the position as chief athletic officer, effective immediately, recruiting professional athletes to the brand and advising the company on workout programming.
Chandler has trained on Speede, spoke at the company’s Super Bowl event this year in Los Angeles and serves on its advisory board.
“At Speede, our athlete partners are not just exceptional competitors but exceptional human beings,” said Dan Mooney, co-founder, Speede. “Michael Chandler is a prime example of that, and we’ve been blown away by his support and enthusiasm for Speede. It’s only natural that he’s taking on an expanded role in our company as chief athletic officer.”
Chandler first became involved with Speede Fitness in July 2021. The announcement comes after Chandler’s knockout of Tony Ferguson at UFC 274.
“From the very first time I trained on Speede, it made a believer out of me,” said Chandler. “It caught me off-guard with how challenging it was and how effective it was. To be able to get such extreme muscle fatigue with so few reps—this is going to be a game-changer for athletes and for anyone who wants to get stronger faster.”
The company’s machine, the Speede Challenger, combines isotonic, isokinetic and max eccentric training for an intense workout that leads to strength gains faster. Other athletes who are equity holders in the company include Justin Fields, Cole Kmet and Jaylon Johnson from the Chicago Bears, Justin Simmons from the Denver Broncos, Marquez Valdes-Scantling from the Kansas City Chiefs, and Mason Plumlee from the Charlotte Hornets.
“Our Speede Movement is growing exponentially, and we have more momentum than ever,” said Greg Tepas, co-founder, Speede. “With Michael Chandler as our chief athletic officer, we’ll continue to build our relationships with athletes, professional teams and fitness experts. We look forward to unveiling our machine’s full capabilities at IHRSA and sharing the power of our eccentric and isokinetic training with more people.”
