Ari Friedman is president and senior trainer at Sunshine Heath and Fitness in Newtown, Connecticut. He works with clients throughout the world.
Russ Alan Prince: Why don’t we start by you telling us a little about yourself?
Ari Friedman: I've been in the health and fitness industry for more than 16 years and have helped people from around the globe get the kind of results that don't just garner a longer life, but a better quality of life. I always found that a common trend in basically all people is that at some point they’re dealing with pain that didn't have anything to do with a direct, acute injury.
The fitness, physical therapy, and medical industries have normalized pain as simply part of athletics and getting older. Furthermore, they aim to treat pain as a symptom, rather than truly get to the bottom of what is causing it. This way of thinking was always a problem for me and never sat well. I’ve worked with all manners of clients from the extremely wealthy to those less affluent, to people in different jurisdictions. Regardless of who it is, eventually, I am always looking for ways to help my clients deal with pain.
In my experience, the powerful answers to dealing with pain are found in a system called Functional Patterns. I have devoted thousands of hours striving toward mastery of this system, and currently hold the title of Human Biomechanics Specialist, Level II.
Prince: What is Functional Patterns?
Friedman: Functional Patterns is a biomechanics methodology that improves the way you move and gets to the source of your problems so you can continue to exercise for a lifetime. Using this system, I work with my clients to train their muscles and connective tissues to work for them and not against them by improving posture and muscular imbalances so they can achieve efficiency in movement and structure.
The principles of Functional Patterns are universal and scientific, which is why they can be applied to anyone, whether you are someone with debilitating pain, from the couch potato to the professional athlete. The system is results-driven, and practitioners are held to a high standard. So much so that their ability to get amazing and consistent results with clients directly impacts their credentials.
Functional Patterns has proven to be able to get people out of pain when physical therapists, chiropractors, and surgeons cannot. For example, because of Functional Patterns many people with issues like severe scoliosis or muscular dystrophy have completely changed their structure for the better and can avoid surgery.
Prince: How is this taking the place of other therapies and training modalities?
Friedman: Functional Patterns has become the new standard of the health and fitness industry. It incorporates prehab (surgery prep fitness/therapy), rehabilitation, fitness, and performance all in one system.
Most people have a cycle they go through as follows:
- Exercise leads to eventual pain
- Try to eliminate the pain by stretching it out on your own
- See a doctor, physical therapist, or chiropractor
- Eventually, feel better
- Repeat
The more someone goes through this cycle, the worse the pain gets and the harder it is to regenerate via intervention. Sometimes this cycle leads to more serious issues like the need for surgery to correct the problem and eliminate the pain. With Functional Patterns, you can get out of this cycle forever. With Functional Patterns, you are actively addressing what is causing the pain and injury while supplying an incredible and functional workout at the same time.
Based on the results I am getting, I see Function Patterns as the next step in the evolution of fitness and therapy.
For more information and inquiries please contact Ari Friedman:
Phone: 203-525-6242
Email: [email protected]
Russ Alan Prince is the executive director of Private Wealth magazine and chief content officer for High-Net-Worth Genius. He consults with family offices, the wealthy, fast-tracking entrepreneurs, and select professionals.