Chris Hallford

Although I go by Chris, I am also known as “The Muscle Whisperer” to my clients. I took myself from extreme pain, to high levels of performance in sports and life, PAIN FREE. I am best known for getting to the root causes of pain and dysfunction while designing evidence-based programs that keep the problems away.
This is my story…

Early Stages

I started working on clients in a gym in 1999, while working 3 other jobs in construction and waiting tables. Hard work and dedication are in my DNA, and I knew at a young age that helping people was what I was most passionate about. After working with multiple Dr.s, therapists and in a functional medicine clinic, I started my own business and have never looked back!

Present Day

I attract athletes and people from all over, including the NBA, NFL, MLB, Olympians and top collegiate athletes. Many of them have tried every specialist for aches and pains around, but end up finding me because I have a knack for solving, and fixing the pains and injuries most other professionals struggle with. Whether it’s through exercise, bodywork or training the mind, I will find a program that works for you.

My clients are diverse,
from kids to elderly and injured to elite athletes.

My Experience

Training and Accolades:
  • 1990 –  Junior National Swimmer
  • 1994 – Junior Olympics Water Polo
  • 1998 – Apprenticeship with Acupuncturist and sports performance specialist, focusing on trigger point therapy and posture analysis
  • 1999-2008 – Certified Personal trainer and massage therapist specializing in post-rehab & pain management at Club Sport of Fremont California
  • 2002-2004 – Head of post-rehabilitation and muscle therapy for Chiropractic clinic, specializing in spinal rehabilitation, trigger point therapy, post-surgery and post MUA (manipulation under anesthesia), Fremont California
  • 2004 – Became a Medical Exercise Specialist certified by the American Academy of Health, Fitness and Rehab Professionals (AAHFRP)
  • 2007 – Present: Director of Exercise Progression, Milpitas California
  • 2008 Presenter for The WAC Academy
  • 2008 – Head of Pain Management for The Center for Optimum Health, a functional medicine clinic in San Francisco California
  • 2008 – Published first book; Exercise Progression, Low Back Disorders – A Professional’s Manual, which received great praise from some of the industry’s leaders and can be found on Amazon and PtontheNet
  • 2010-2012 Coach for Team in Training
  • 2011 – Published three books; Mastering the Universe & Optimum Health – Volumes I & II & Cleansing with the Seasons.
  • 2015 – Published Boosting Metabolism with Food and Habits
  • 2016 – present – Coaching water polo for local high schoolers and travel teams – 18 U head coach
  • 2022-present – Head of Got Function, formerly known as Exercise Progression
Pain & Injury Experience

I started having severe low back pain at age 14, for no apparent reason. I was an active kid who swam and played water polo at high levels. Then life as I knew it, changed forever. For the next four years I had excruciating pain in my low back and down my right leg, and for four years after that a chronic “dull” pain. This pain was debilitating to say the least. My nickname in high school was “fidget.” I could not sit still to save my life because the pain was so great. No matter what I did the pain would not go away. I was taking so many aspirin and anti-inflammatory pills it’s a wonder my stomach still functions. It also changed my demeanor from nice to irritable.

Thankfully I had a mom who would do anything to make me feel better, thanks mom. I saw every specialist you could think of; chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists, physical therapists, orthopedic specialists, general doctor, podiatrist, and the list goes on. Nobody could help me or even figure out what was wrong!

Until one year later when I was referred to someone by a friend. At this point I was about to give up and considered this person a last resort. As he found muscle imbalance after muscle imbalance and dysfunction, I realized he was very different. He was not focused on classifying me as a “spondylolisthises”, “disc bulge”, “degeneration” or any of the other names that would scare most people, especially a 15 year old. He simply focused on the parts of my body that were not functioning properly, and then one by one corrected them with exercises and trigger point release techniques.

What kept running through my head was “why doesn’t anybody else do this?” It’s non-invasive, has no side effects, and can last forever. I had seen so many “specialists” that didn’t find anything but scary classification after scary classification. And you know what? I still wonder why our medical system doesn’t focus on posture and function. This is when the seed was planted in my head that I wanted help people in pain take control of their lives without medication or depending on others.

The beauty of this method is that it made me feel good about myself because I wasn’t labeled with some disorder or made a dependent of the medical system’s treatment plan. It empowered me to help myself through exercises and lifestyle modifications. This was the most important step in getting rid of my pain; I was now in charge. If I did my exercises and got my body in better balance, a pain free life was awaiting me.

This seems too simple, I know. But after working with this man and learning how to live without pain, I was so intrigued I ended up studying with him for a few years and learning his philosophy and techniques. And you know what? I have been using them on my clients for over 14 years now and this stuff really works!

My passion now is bringing this same physical freedom to you and as many people as I can, including the health care system. Learning to be in charge of my pain was the single most powerful thing I have learned in life. Whether you simply want to get rid of your pain or compete at high levels with less pain and increased function, you can do it by getting back to the basics; good posture and function.

If you would like to learn how to get rid of your pain for good, please feel free to ask me some questions about your situation.

Metabolism and Nutrition Experience

Since I was about 3 years old, I have taken many, many rounds of serious antibiotics for various reasons, including pain medicines for my back pain. Couple this with not being breast fed and by the time I was a teenager I had no good bacteria left in my stomach.

This led to over 30 bouts of food poisoning growing up (no joke) because the slightest bad bacteria in a food would overwhelm my system. I had diarrhea for most of my life and horrible acne as a teenager, then food addictions and cravings to fuel all the bad bacteria and candida overgrowth in my 20’s and 30’s. All of this led to mood swings, allergies and energy crashes, which I just thought was  normal and because I worked and played so hard.

I am happy to tell you now that over the last 23 years of studying holistic medicine, essential oils, nutrition and experimenting with myself, I am now close to optimum health, without any energy crashes or food addictions – no Western medicine whatsoever.

The secret was boosting my metabolism and body as a whole, not just treating a symptom or specific issue. You will find this holistic  strategy throughout everything you read on this site, because it is the only thing I have found to work and be sustainable for the long haul.

If you would like to learn how to boost your metabolism through food and habits, please check out my E-Book here.

Presenter – Chris presents workshops to health professionals and is focused on improving the health care system at both ends; education and care. He presents workshops that are both exciting and highly experiential.

Author – Chris has published four books and is currently working on 2 DVD’s and even more books. His first book received recognition by PTontheNet co-founder Richard Boyd, who said “I applaud Chris for creating such a thorough yet easy to follow guide in this book Exercise Progression, Low Back Disorders” and “I recommend this book to any professional…”

Inventor – Chris is currently involved in working with a company to get his spinal stability invention patented.

Certification

Medical Exercise Specialist – The American Academy of Health, Fitness and Rehab Professionals (AAHFRP)

Massage Therapist – McKinnon Institute

Massage Practitioner – California Association of Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC)

WHY DO I SPEND SO MUCH TIME PUTTING CONTENT UP ON THIS SITE?

That’s the question I had to ask myself before spending a ton of time creating all of these free programs and education articles. It’s simple really…it’s because of you, and everyone like you that has shown me the flaws in our current system and inspired me to dedicate my life to helping as many people as I can reach their potential in health and performance.

Through the 1000’s of clients that I have seen, I know one thing for sure; our current health care system is failing the people who are simply trying to be healthy and functional. The system is focused on fixing sick people, but not preventing sickness in people or even helping semi-sick or injured people reach optimum health.

For this main reason, I have a mission, a mission to make an IMPACT on all those people suffering to get their life where they want and deserve it. Whether it’s through nutrition, exercise, rehabilitation, sports performance, meditation, spirituality and more, I have seen it, done it, and done it successfully, or I don’t write about it.

In a nutshell, that’s why I spend time writing to you. I know that there is a better path to health than the current system presents, and I know because my clients tell me that the info I am sharing here works, when nothing else does.

Without Balance, You Have Instability and Chaos