The Foundation Most Gyms Skip

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My shoulder pain came on two ways. Slowly, then all at once.

For years, it was a vague ache that came and went. Some days lifting made it worse. Other days it felt fine. Sometimes rest helped. Sometimes it didn’t. It was inconsistent enough to ignore, so that’s exactly what I did. It’s what most of us do.

Then one night it woke me up. After that, it bothered me constantly, even during everyday activities that had nothing to do with my shoulder.

An orthopedist told me my rotator cuff and labrum had torn and frayed over time. It wasn’t a clean tear so there wasn’t a simple fix. I was referred to a surgeon who, not surprisingly, recommended surgery.

But I paused.

Not because I don’t believe in medicine. But because I’ve seen enough to know surgery isn’t always the first or best answer, especially when it doesn’t address why something happened in the first place.

That’s when someone suggested I try postural therapy.

Postural therapy works differently.

It doesn’t focus on the site of pain. It looks at the body as a system. The belief is simple: when the body is aligned properly, it functions properly.

Think about a car. When it’s aligned, the tires wear evenly and it rolls smoothly. When it’s not, certain areas take more stress and break down faster.

That was me.

My shoulder wasn’t the problem. My alignment was. Years of subtle imbalance had shifted the load into one joint. Surgery might have repaired the tissue, but it wouldn’t have corrected the cause.

So I declined surgery. That was 10 years ago.

My shoulder still barks at me occasionally. But now I see it as feedback, a reminder to do the work that keeps me aligned. So far, I’ve avoided the surgery cycle so many people get caught in.

That experience changed how I think about strength and fitness.

I believed in this approach so much that I eventually became CEO of a postural therapy company in San Diego. While there, I saw it restore function in 80-year-old grandmothers and 18-year-old high school athletes alike.

My company partnered with Stanford and Harvard on a study that showed postural therapy was even more effective than surgery in treating low-back and neck pain.

So when Stephen Vassallo and I conceived of Formula 4 Fitness, one thing was non-negotiable: posture and functional movement must come first.

We believe postural alignment is foundational to good health and fitness. Without it, strength often adds stress instead of resilience.

If you’re dealing with chronic pain or persistent aches, or simply want to build strength on a more stable base, we’d love to help.

In fact, we’re offering a complimentary postural and functional movement assessment at our new facility on Tilghman Street. No pressure. Just clarity.

Reply to this email or call 855-897-6683 and leave a message for one of our trainers. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

Bill Stump
Co-Founder
Formula 4 Fitness

As a former high school football coach, I can tell you this: what happens next fall is being built right now.

Off-seasons matter. Summer matters. The quiet months when no one is watching are vital to success.

Most high schools offer lifting programs. That’s a good start. But they can’t provide individualized movement assessments, postural analysis, and custom strength progressions for every athlete. That’s where we’re different.

At Formula 4, we start with how your athlete moves. Alignment. Gait. Stability.

From there, we build power and strength the right way.

Trainer Sean Willits, a champion powerlifter, brings elite-level strength expertise. Just as importantly, he understands how to teach it safely.

We combine that with gait analysis, speed development, and explosive training to help young athletes become stronger, faster, and more resilient.

We’ve worked with football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and field hockey players at the high school, collegiate, and national levels. The goal isn’t just performance — it’s progressive development that leads to sustainable progress.

If you have a young athlete who wants to get better this offseason, we’d love to help.

Reply to this email or call 855-897-6683 and leave a message for one of our trainers. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

Steve Vassallo
Co-Founder
Formula 4 Fitness