About

Derek is a Certified Physio-Kinesiologist Expert under Joe Hippensteel, founder and CEO of UHP (Ultimate Human Performance:- https://www.ultimatehumanperformance.com/instructors).

Joe Hippensteel, Derek and Mimi Ney

My story

In 2002 at the age of 34 I started martial arts, and have continued to this present day. My day job involved mostly sitting at a desk for up to 40 hours per week. As with many active pastimes injuries tend to accumulate. In my case, I had picked up persistent issues with my lower back, hip, knees, elbows, forearms, shoulder and neck.

Over the years determination, enthusiasm and adrenalin would usually mask the aches and pain whilst training, but off the mats it was getting harder and harder to ignore. My body was persistently communicating with progressively more pain, to the point where I realized that basic day to day activities such as walking, sleeping and self hygiene had been compromised. I would experience hip and knee pain walking stairs or squatting down. I would wake up multiple times during the night due to backache. Brushing teeth and face washing would trigger pain in my elbow. Getting out of bed...

Throughout this period I twas continually looking for treatments, therapies or devices to relieve, or fix the mounting issues. Some modalities helped while other did not, moreover none of them provided permanent relief or any conclusive results. I regularily visited physiotherapists, chiropractors,. yoga, dry needling, remedial massages as some relief was better than none at all.

My own prognosis then was to stop training and/or consider surgical interventions if I was to continue.

In 2023 at the age of 56, I came across an interview with a highly respected figure in the bjj community (link to eddie) that tried the UHP method with great results that fixed a serious back issue. So, when faced with nothing to lose, and a high recommendation I sought out Joe Hippensteel. I tried his foundation course (provide link) Incredulously after following the protocol for 1-2 sessions I immediately felt substantial improvement with back pain which resulted in better sleep ( sleep deprivation is miserable) – this was way more improvement than any placebo effect I experienced! After trying so many different treatments, this seemed too simple to be true, I was eager to continue.

The UHP explanation about the cause of musculoskeletal pain seemed to make logical sense reinforced with the treatment protocol and huge improvements that none of the other protocols had achieved. I continued the protocol daily for another 5mths and experienced 80-100% improvement to all my issues. The outcome was so astounding I was moved to leave a message of appreciation on the UHP website not expecting any reply, but within 24 hours Joe and Mimi directly called me and spoke to me about my progress.