My posture progress utilising @functionalpatterns
-
Before 2018 (25 y.o, 72kg) - Chronic lower back pain (up to 10/10), chronic knee pain (up to 6/10) and SI join pain (5/10).
After 2025 (32 y.o, 79kg) - pain free.
Prior to finding FP I lived with chronic back pain for 4 years and chronic knee pain for 2 years (up to 6/10). The pain had accumulated from 5 years of traditional weight-lifting and working as a painter by trade. I would always experience lower back pain if I was seated for longer than 20 minutes at a time. I would get sharp pains in my knees from stepping up and down a ladder at work, or even walking up a flight of stairs. It had gotten to the point where I was unable to do daily chores such as washing the dishes without experiencing pains. I also found that almost each time I wanted to be active or have a workout that I would have to push through pains within my body, even when I told I was using good form/technique. There were many occasions where I struggled to find the motivation to want to get up and tackle the day. I spent between 3-4 years of trying to remedy the pain by visiting chiros, osteos, physios, and even doing massage therapy. They would only really give me pain relief for a few days, despite often seeing specialists multiple times per week.
@davidfilonzi was my trainer when I first started (2018-2021). Within 1-2 years of training with him, 90% of my pain was gone. I now no longer experience any back or knee pain. I can also now sit for multiple hours, use a ladder or walk up/down flights of stairs without experiencing any pain like I used to. I’ve also noticed that as a byproduct of addressing imbalances in my posture and movement that my resilience to stress has drastically improved, along with my energy levels, and overall confidence. I also have no issues with motivation to want to tackle the day.
Forever grateful to @theleverking for the knowledge and tools to be able to regenerate and be able to help others towards living pain free.
#functionalpatterns
#fpmelbourne
SCAPULA WING, SHOULDER PAIN AND MUSCLE GAIN IMPROVEMENTS
With my client Tim @t_kessells
Before photo - January 2023
After photo - July 2024
Before - 01/2023
❌ Chronic shoulder pain
❌ Scapula winging
❌ Spinal protrusion
❌ Abdominal bloating
❌ Forward head
❌ Kyphosis
❌ Lack of muscle development in upper body
After - 07/2024
✅ Eliminated shoulder pain
✅ No scapula winging
✅ Reduced spinal protrusion
✅ Reduced abdominal bloating
✅ Neutral head position
✅ More neutral spine
✅ +5kg of functional muscle mass
Tim's Testimonial - Functional Patterns has been life changing. Beyond the dramatic posture improvements I've noticed, the chronic pain in my right shoulder has disappeared, I have way more mobility (I can now turn my head all the way to the right), I’ve grown taller due to the decompression of my spine and I’ve put on 5kg of muscle over the last few months. Before FP, my body felt weak and brittle, now it feels strong and sturdy. I can now rely on my body to do things I once found challenging (like lifting heavy objects) which has made me into a more confident person.
Chronic shoulder pain levels
Before: 5/10
After: 0/10
Lack of mobility in the head/neck: could only turn head 50% to the right before, now 100% rotation.
@functionalpatterns
#functionalpatterns
#fpmelbourne
#fpallday
#shoulderpain
#musclegain
POSTURE, NECK AND LOWER BACK PAIN IMPROVEMENTS
Some progress from my client Carly.
Before photo - April 2021 (24 years old)
After photo - July 2024 (27 years old)
Carly has been doing Functional Patterns for 3 years now. She worked with @davidfilonzi for 1 year and helped lay a solid foundation before working with me the past 2 years. During this time Carly attended fortnightly sessions, along with doing some training at home.
Before:
🔴 Lordosis
🔴 Kyphosis
🔴 Excessive forward head
🔴 Hyperextended knees
🔴 Fragile and weak neck
🔴 up to 8/10 lower back pain
🔴 Abdominal bloating
After:
🟢 Reduced lordosis
🟢 Reduced kyphosis
🟢 Reduced forward head
🟢 Reduced knee hyperextension
🟢 Feels stronger in her neck
🟢 0/10 lower back pain
🟢 Reduced bloating and improved core engagement
Testimonial - Prior to starting FP I would often have muscle pain in my back, mostly in my left lower back after completing other forms of exercise, thinking this was a ‘normal’ feeling after a workout. The pain was around an 8/10 after exercise, and would hang around at about 4/10 majority of the time throughout the day. I had a lot of inflammation which contributed to a lack of core engagement and a lingering neck injury from a gymnastics fall 10 years ago, which has left me feeling fragile and weak in my neck ever since. After training with both Dave and Steve for the past 3 years, I have seen an improvement in my ability to switch on the muscles necessary to keep my body mobile throughout the day and through this have found that I have virtually no pain at all in my back anymore. I also feel much stronger in my neck, which I have not felt in a long time. I have a much better understanding of what will cause inflammation in my body and have been able to significantly reduce this as well. Big thanks to Steve and Dave for all I have learnt at my time at FP.
#functionalpatterns
#fpmelbourne
#backpain
#neckpain
#fpallday
Looking to find leverage in deeper ranges of motion that translate directly to wrestling. Feels good to be able to test these out without any knee or back pain, particularly those med ball lifts, which would’ve messed me up in the past.
@rg_bar_@functionalpatterns@fp_melbourne@theleverking
#functionalpatterns
#fpallday
#fpmelbourne
#wrestling
RG Bar Class starting June 18th. This is the second intake of our 6 week progression and there’s already a few people on the list. We’re capping the class at 6 participants to keep the coaching and cueing as accurate as possible.
The RG Bar is designed to improve rotational strength, coordination, core integration, posture, balance, and force transfer through movement. The goal is to teach your body to work together as one connected system rather than isolating muscles. 
The class is beginner to intermediate friendly, with progressions scaled week by week to build people up properly.
If you want to join, click the link in bio, head to Group Classes, select the May 18th intake, and secure your spot. Payment is made upfront for the full 6 week block. Spots will go quickly. #functionalpatterns #groupclasses #strength #conditioning #brunswick
Repost @functionalpatterns “Before finding FP I lived with chronic back pain for 4 years (up to a 10/10) and chronic knee pain for 2 years (up to 6/10). The pain had accumulated from 5 years of traditional weight-lifting and working as a painter by trade. I would always experience lower back pain if I was seated for longer than 20 minutes at a time. I would get sharp pains in my knees from stepping up and down a ladder at work, or even walking up a flight of stairs.
It had gotten to the point where I was unable to do daily chores such as washing the dishes without experiencing pains. I also found that almost each time I wanted to be active or have a workout that I would have to push through pains within my body, even when I told I was using good form/technique.
There were many occasions where I struggled to find the motivation to want to get up and tackle the day. I spent between 3-4 years of trying to remedy the pain by visiting chiros, osteos, physios, and even doing massage therapy. They would only really give me pain relief for a few days, despite often seeing specialists multiple times per week.
@davidfilonzi was my trainer when I first started (2018-2021). Within 1-2 years of training with him, 90% of my pain was gone. I now no longer experience any back or knee pain.”
BEFORE (25 y.o):
❌ Chronic back pain 10/10
❌ Chronic knee pain 6/10
❌ Couldn’t sit longer than 20 minutes
❌ Sharp knee pains from ladders/stairs
❌ Pain doing daily chores like dishes
❌ Had to push through pain during workouts
❌ Struggled with motivation
❌ Only temporary relief from specialists
AFTER (32 y.o):
✅ 90% of pain gone within 1-2 years
✅ No more back or knee pain
✅ Can sit for multiple hours pain-free
✅ Use ladders and stairs without pain
✅ Improved stress resilience
✅ Higher energy levels
✅ Increased confidence
✅ No motivation issues
#functionalpatterns #fpisthestandard #projectfunction #biomechanics #sprinting fascia backpain
FP + Nature = Regeneration
This combo is mostly all we require.
People often think more is better, but all that does is add chaos to a system that’s already malfunctioning.
We use an elimination protocol for our diet as a way of getting to the root cause of a gut issue, but we don’t apply that same thinking consider to our movement and everyday behaviours/habits.
Strip it all down and ask yourself whether your movement/behaviours are actually benefiting you objectively. If not, It’s not serving the system. Eliminate it.
@rg.bell@rg_bar_@fp_melbourne@functionalpatterns
#functionalpatterns
#fpmelbourne
#nature
#fpallday
Testing out some force transfer via FP dynamics. Feeling more and more connected with less joint friction as I age, which is only possible with FP.
Tools: @rg_bar_@rg.bell@regentrainer@fp_melbourne
#functionalpatterns
#fpmelbourne
#fpallday
Reposted from @theleverking . I’ll be honest, people are worse off today than they were 10 years ago, and it’s not even close. Why? Because people are doing far more damage to themselves now than before. Back then, stretching and passive therapies weren’t nearly as widespread, let alone all the exogenous substances doctors are putting people on today. People have been run through a meat grinder.
If you’re someone who’s been through that, rebuilding isn’t an overnight process. On top of that, there are habits you’ve held onto that are still working against you. Some you might not be aware of, but let’s be real, most people know they could clean up their behavior outside the gym.
Let’s do better. Or we can keep running to big pharma and see how that plays out… 😬
Some days I step back and realise how fortunate I am with the work I get to do at @fp_melbourne
Helping people rebuild their bodies while continuing to work on my own is something I don’t take lightly.
What makes it even better is the community around it. Being in an environment built on values that lean toward regeneration is never something I had.
Many people simply don’t come from environments that support genuine growth. But when they’re exposed to the right environment and the right stimulus, you start to see what they’re capable of. Pain levels reduce, posture and movement improve, resilience and productivity rise, both at an individual and societal level.
Behaviour is largely a product of environment. Change the environment, and over time the behaviour begins to change with it.
@functionalpatterns@theleverking
#functionalpatterns
#fpmelbourne
#fpallday
#brunswick
JEN, LOWER BACK PAIN, NECK PAIN AND HIP PAIN IMPROVEMENTS
Before - Jan 2022
After photo - Dec 2025 (approximately 2 years of virtual training)
Jen is a client who came to @fp_melbourne looking to address her aches and pains, along with improving her posture and movement imbalances. She is fairly active and works as a dentist, which meant standing and operating on patients all day. She would experience pain while at work and ultimately wasn’t able to adapt to the demands of her work.
@jen.calleja initially worked with Jen for the first 6 months and helped lay the foundation to the changes you see here.
Prior training methods: Yoga, Pilates, swimming, running, gym classes, cycling.
Testimonial: I came to Functional Patterns because I wanted to move better without pain, but I didn’t realise how much I had been compensating until I started. Before FP I had lower back pain to the point where I couldn’t move off the floor. I would get a build up of neck pain and stiffness, shoulder tension from working as a dentist, and also developed aches and pains in my hip. I had poor flexibility and couldn’t reach my toes. Now I have minimal to no pain. In doing FP it quickly became clear that this wasn’t just training but learning how my body actually functions. Movements that once felt tight or forced started to feel more natural and connected. I became more aware of how I stand, walk, train, and even how I carry myself through the day. What I love most about Functional Patterns is the intention behind every exercise. There’s a reason for everything. It’s not about pushing harder, it’s about moving smarter. I feel more balanced, more grounded, and more confident in my body than I have in a long time. I can now work and play sports without the back and neck aches and pains I would get in the past.
Before FP:
- Lower back pain 8/10
- Neck pain 5/10.
- Hip pain 5/10
After FP:
- Lower back pain 0/10
- Neck pain 0/10
- Hip pain 0/10
Structural improvements
✅ improved joint stacking
✅ improved cervical and forward head positioning
✅ reduced knee hyper extension
✅ improved frontline engagement
✅ improved thoracic extension
#functionalpatterns
#fpmelbourne
#fpallday
Deep squats aren’t inherently evil. Repeating them without the mechanics to support them is.
Most people don’t have the hip dexterity, rib positioning, ankle mechanics, or fascial integrity to descend deep and come back up clean. So the body cheats. Knees cave, arches collapse, pelvis tucks, spine flexes. Load that pattern over time and the joints take the hit. Not because squatting is “bad,” but because the system isn’t organized to distribute force.
Joints are hinges and guides, not shock absorbers. When the fascia and musculature aren’t doing their job, the joint pays the bill. Over time that looks like cartilage wear, irritated tendons, and chronic pain people blame on age or mileage.
Depth without control is just range for range’s sake. Mechanics decide whether a movement builds you up or slowly breaks you down.
Train the system first. Earn the depth second.
#functionalpatterns
#fpisthestandard
#projectfunction
#squats
#deepsquat
Repost @theleverking with @use.repost
