PRACTITIONER

Dennis Nel

In high school, I played varsity football as a wide receiver and cornerback, point guard in basketball, and sprinted the 100-meter and 4x100-meter relay. Afterward, I served over 15 years of combined active duty and reserve component in the US Army as an HR staff, avionics technician, and respiratory therapist. I earned my bachelor's and master's degrees from Eastern Washington University. My role at FPTX is a Human Biomechanics Specialist. A fun fact about me is that I previously worked as a scuba diving instructor and have over 300 dives worldwide. I'm driven to learn and explore.

My fitness journey started when I was six years old. I remembered that defining moment: a foot race between my dad and uncle. I beat them both while they were in their prime. Of course, they let me win. But they planted a seed in my head, telling me I was fast. And I believed it. From there on, I wanted to be quicker and stronger. During my service in the Army, I developed multiple injuries from chronic lower back, neck, knee, and shoulder pain. I tried physical therapy, chiropractor, acupuncture, yoga, different rehab, and exercise methods, but they didn't help alleviate my pain for long. I would eventually be back in pain. In 2020, I saw Functional Patterns on Instagram and saw the results they were showing. I have tried everything already. I might as well buy their 10-week online course and give it a go. Working through the course, I was in shock because I found that my pain was dissipating. Excited about the results I was getting, I decided to find an FP practitioner near me to train with named Eddie Hopkins HBS3. Training with an FP practitioner one-on-one, 2-3 times a week, was a game changer. He analyzed my posture and gait and determined a plan of action to fix my structural imbalances. The one-on-one sessions are the most rewarding.

Compared to other places, FPTX's leadership, teamwork, and expertise exceed industry standards. The high quality of service we provide to our members is the best. In addition, we have the most up-to-date technology and equipment, such as the reverse gravity machine, FP pulleys, self-propelled treadmills, in-body scans, MFR tools, red light panels, a PEMF mat, and an infrared sauna. The most memorable success stories I've witnessed is seeing new members come in for a one or two-hour assessment dealing with pain and discomfort. Feeling hopeless and skeptical. But within that assessment and the corrective exercises applied, they wouldn't feel any more pain. The relief, happiness, and sense of hope the members feel is one of the most transformative experiences to witness here at FPTX. Our members realize there is hope and a solution to being pain-free for life.

Holistic health is important to me because I want to continue to be useful to my family, friends, and colleagues. I want to be healthy and pain-free beyond 100 years old. For the purpose of changing lives and making a positive impact on our community. I want to be the greatest version of myself, and I want that for my clients as well. The one piece of advice I would offer for fitness beginners is to trust and commit yourself to the FP system for the long haul. An excellent place to start is with the online courses. But if you want to get the most value and the best results, training with an FP Biomechanics Specialist one-on-one for several years is the best way. Even as an FP practitioner myself, I hire other FP practitioners to train me. Listen to your practitioner, attend group classes, and do the homework assigned to accelerate your progress. There are 24 hours in a day, and the behaviors you do during that time affect your overall health. Live intentionally and not habitually.