The Business of (Relieving) Pain

Subject: Anthony
Carey, MA

Company: Function
First

The Fix-It Man. Anthony
Carey is somewhat of a mastermind when it comes to the human body. Not
satisfied with simply helping people get into shape, he decided long ago that
he wanted to take his skill set to the next level and help others eliminate
pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders. “To me, corrective exercise
programming has always presented a much greater intellectual challenge,” says
Carey. “Every client is a unique puzzle, and solving that puzzle requires
thinking outside the proverbial box.” Once you piece that puzzle together,
maintains Carey, the results can be dramatic and almost immediate. “A client
who walks through the door bent over and crooked with a back spasm may walk out
upright and pain-free,” he says.

Carey also believes that it is this specialization that has led
to the tremendous success of his San Diego–based facility. “We do corrective
exercise with functional progressions, and that’s it. We don’t do nutrition,
weight loss or cardiovascular conditioning. I am a firm believer that we should
run our path deep and not wide. Casting a wide net and trying to catch any
possible client will never allow you to generate a successful business over
time.”

Paradigm
Shift. The majority of the Function First clientele arrives
there as a last resort because they have had minimal success with traditional
methods of pain relief. “Most of these people have exhausted other avenues in
their search for help, but they are still willing to do what it takes when
given the right tools,” says Carey. They have typically already undergone
numerous surgeries and physical therapy sessions and have been put on a
multitude of medications, all to no avail. Somehow, they find their way to
Carey for a last chance at hope.

“The majority of our clients come from throughout San Diego
County, but we also regularly have clients fly in from different parts of the
U.S., Canada and South America,” says Carey. “This week I have a client from
New Hampshire and another one from Arizona.”

What attracts clients to Function First from all over the world?
Carey believes it is education and very hands-on customer service. He says his
main goal is not to “treat” problems, but to dig in and uncover the root of
dysfunction based on scientific principles of biomechanics, physics and human
physiology. “Our clients love the insight they gain into their bodies, as we
educate them through the process,” he states. “They love that we offer them a
different perspective on their physical challenges, as well as a solution that
makes sense to them.”

New clients can find this approach difficult to wrap their brains
around—at first. “We often see two scenarios: in one scenario, new clients
think they are getting physical therapy with us and they expect a similar
experience; in the other scenario, they bring the ‘more is better’ mentality
and don’t expect to get results without the ‘burn.’” In order to derail these
presumptions at the get-go, Carey and his staff require that each client
participate in an orientation to get acquainted with the methods offered at
Function First. “These paradigms become accepted quite quickly once clients
experience their first session with us,” he says.

Regaining
Hope. Carey has worked with a wide range of clients, from a
6-year-old to 94-year-old twins. They each receive a comprehensive orientation
pack­age as well as digital photos and written explanations of all exercise
programs. Carey sees every client once a week to ensure that he or she
understands the given program and can successfully complete it at home between
visits. “Our clients work with us for several months and then move to their own
fitness regime or we refer them to another trainer.” If necessary, Carey will continue to meet with clients once
per quarter to ensure that progress is continuing. “I am inspired by their determination and drive to find that
solution,” he says with a smile. “And when I get to be a part of that solution,
I am inspired to help as many more people as I can.”

SIDEBAR: Calling All Trainers

Do you own a business that breaks the
mold? If so, e-mail content@ideafit.com and let us know why you think your
personal training business is unique.

Ryan Halvorson
is the associate editor for IDEA and a certified personal trainer at Excel
Sport and Therapy in La Jolla, California.