Before training with Danny, I engaged in conventional weightlifting in 2022 for two years - back squats, bench presses, deadlifts, broad, etc. – to improve my overall health, and my athleticism for the sport of jiu-jitsu.

While I did notice some improvements in my athleticism, my body took some damage in the process. More often than not, I’d feel this stiff, nagging irritation in my knees, hips, elbows, shoulders and lower back at the end of a lifting session.

The lower back problem was difficult to deal with, as there were moments when it would strain whenever I bent forward. On days when the discomfort was too much, I’d take time off from lifting and jiu-jitsu, wait for my body to heal, then resume lifting.

Unfortunately, the flare-ups would always come back. At the time, I thought these concerns were par for the course with lifting and sports, so I went through a constant cycle of pushing through the issues as I trained, stopping when it got bad, then getting back into it once I felt better.

But then, in 2024, I discovered Naudi Aguilar and his Functional Patterns (FP) training system on social media. He caught my attention right away as he challenged conventional fitness training with a different perspective: if you focus entirely on improving your biomechanics and move your body through loaded ranges of motion that resemble how humans stand, walk, run and throw, not only will you move better and become more athletic, your body won’t suffer during the process.

I watched more videos of Naudi explaining his methodology. I also saw the positive results he and his practitioners made with thousands of clients spanning all walks of life – from regular folks suffering from scoliosis to professional athletes like Johnny Eblen and Kyle Dake dealing with chronic pain. After seeing that, I knew I had to give FP a solid try. I started searching for FP practitioners in the Central Coast, which led me to Danny.

It's been almost two years since I decided to go down the FP path with Danny, and I am glad I made that choice. I no longer experience any stiffness or nagging irritation in my lower back, knees, hips, elbows and shoulders. I can bend forward comfortably and train jiu-jitsu alongside FP without any issues.

My athleticism has improved significantly as well. I started training freestyle wrestling in mid-2025, and I can keep up with the rigorous, athletic demands of the sport due to the improvements in my movement patterns. Not only that, I leave every session pain-free. This would not have been possible without FP.

Danny has been instrumental in my FP journey. He breaks down the complicated nature of the training system into simple terms, and he goes through every corrective action and movement pattern with precision. Whenever he sees a fault in how I move, he picks up on it right away and guides me in fixing it. Whenever I have questions, he makes sure to answer them in detail.

Danny and Functional Patterns have made, and continue to make, a positive impact on my athleticism and overall health and well-being. Thank you Danny for being an incredible trainer, and thank you Naudi for developing a training system that has changed my life for the better.