Hello, I'm Fred Robinson, and I'm genuinely thrilled to share the story behind body helix and our FLiK Pickleball paddles. For decades, my life has revolved around pushing the boundaries of performance – not just as a professional tennis and national pickleball player, but as a designer, engineer, and entrepreneur dedicated to creating superior athletic products. This isn't just a business; it's a lifelong passion. At its core, Body Helix, a veteran-owned US company, honors athletes with uncompromisingly high-quality, durable performance gear designed by a seasoned expert like myself.
From Personal Frustration to Pioneering Performance: The Genesis of body helix
My journey with body helix compression began from a very personal place: a deep frustration with the status quo and a perceived lack of respect for athletes. Every athlete knows the journey to excellence is paved with grit, sacrifice, and, inevitably, injuries. These aren't just setbacks; they're part of the learning process, forging the very armor we wear as competitors. For me, the true genesis of Body Helix began with a relentless, nagging hamstring injury.
As a professional tennis player on the court, a persistent hamstring issue is a game-changer – it steals your agility, your power, and ultimately, your confidence. I vividly remember trying countless 'crappy sleeves' on the market. Each promised support, but inevitably, they would slide down, bunch up, or simply fail to provide any real relief during intense play. The frustration was immense. You'd see these huge corporations, with seemingly unlimited resources, yet their products felt like an afterthought. It was clear to me: they simply didn't care about the athletes; we were just customers. Their mindset seemed to be, 'Put the cheapest crap on them. Make the most money we can, and that's it.'
Well, let me tell you, that's not it, my friend. That deep frustration ignited a personal journey within me. I vowed that no other athlete would have to endure that nonsense. I knew the pain, the sweat, the sheer emotional grind of striving for athletic dreams, and the crushing feeling of watching them get trampled, often because your gear let you down.
There are people who care, and there are companies who choose to make a difference. We are not about to let anyone or anything stand in our way, no matter how big or powerful they are. I truly believe in the 'power of one' – one idea, one commitment, one relentless focus on the athlete. My background as a designer, engineer, and professional athlete converged to form Body Helix. My experience navigating injuries and my expertise in product development became the very foundation. This desire to innovate beyond the status quo in sports recovery naturally led to bringing that same uncompromising commitment to the equipment that defines your game.
We adopted a Salutogenic set of guidelines, which, while an incredibly tough road, means that 'everything' we do, every single decision, must be in your best interest. No shortcuts. We spare no expense. We are here, wholeheartedly, to give you the best we have, to give you the best possible chance to become the best you can be. This is more than a business; it's a pledge born from the heart of an athlete, for athletes.
Forged in Service: Discipline, Resilience, and Respect for Gear
My path to innovation was profoundly shaped by my time in the military. My journey didn't begin on a tennis court or in an engineering lab. Immediately after graduating from high school, I volunteered and joined the 101st Airborne. That decision, and the years that followed, profoundly shaped who I am and, by extension, the very soul of body helix.
I had the privilege of training with the Navy SEALs and Special Forces. Let me tell you, these are some of the toughest athletes in the world. Their training isn't just about physical peak; it's about pushing past perceived limits, understanding true resilience, and recognizing the critical role of equipment when the consequences are genuinely serious. When an injury strikes in that environment, it's not just a setback for a game; it can have profound, life-altering consequences. You learn, very quickly, what is truly inside you. You learn to do things you previously thought were impossible.
This experience instilled an unwavering discipline – a commitment to thoroughness, precision, and relentless pursuit of excellence that permeates every aspect of body helix. It taught me the absolute necessity of problem-solving under pressure, demanding that our products don't just 'work,' but perform flawlessly when it matters most. It forged an unbreakable resilience, reflecting our dedication to creating paddles and gear that won't give up on you, no matter how intense the grind.
And crucially, I learned profound respect for the team. Not just a play team, but a unit where every member relies on the quality and integrity of what supports them. As a veteran-owned US company, this isn't just a label; it's foundational to our values. At Body Helix, that 'team' extends to our engineers, our manufacturing partners, and most importantly, you, the athlete. Our military background compels us to ensure that every Body Helix product is a testament to that unwavering commitment, built to serve and empower you in your own athletic endeavors, just as elite equipment serves those in the most demanding environments.
The Hands-On Heart of R&D: Innovation from the Ground Up, Driven by Purpose
My role in Research and Development at body helix is far from executive oversight; it is profoundly hands-on and deeply personal. I can tell you unequivocally: I have personally designed and tested every single product we have. This direct, intimate involvement is what makes our approach truly unique.
In our compression line, for example, I haven't just reviewed reports. I have worn, moved in, and rigorously tested every prototype for comfort, support, and efficacy myself. When I didn't have a specific injury, I would call upon my closest friends – fellow athletes who were in pain. I would commit to helping them directly through their own injuries, tweaking and refining our products until they were truly superb for their specific needs. This isn't theoretical; it's tangible, empathetic development. It's about translating real-world athletic struggles into solutions.
This commitment extends to our FLiK pickleball paddles. My approach is to bridge the gap between advanced material science and the practical demands of the court. I am personally involved in every stage of material selection, from scrutinizing the weave of highest-grade Toray Carbon fibers to analyzing the density formulation of our EPP TerraCore. I work side-by-side with our engineers to inform every design decision, ensuring that theoretical advantages translate into tangible benefits like optimal swing weight, precise balance, and a responsive feel.
What makes this unique is that our R&D isn't detached from the user experience. It's an iterative loop driven by direct athletic insight and a profound sense of responsibility. This is so much more than a game to me; it is a worthy mission. It’s about building products that embody our core values of respect and service, because I understand, from the inside out, what it means to rely on your equipment when you're pushing for greatness.
Driven by Empathy: Why Fred Keeps Pushing Boundaries
What drives me to continue innovating at body helix and FLiK Pickleball? It's simple, yet profound: I still compete myself. Every time I step onto the court, I feel the struggle – the mental battles, the physical demands, the emotional highs and lows. That raw, visceral connection to the athlete's journey keeps my passion burning. I'm right there with you, experiencing the triumphs and, yes, the frustrations.
We, as the companies of America, need to answer the call of the languished athlete with more than a dollar sign. We need to answer it with genuine innovation, uncompromising quality, and an unwavering commitment to their well-being and their journey. That's why I continue to push boundaries at body helix – because the athlete deserves better, and it's our mission to deliver it.
Our Guiding Purpose: To Serve and Empower
When people ask about the core purpose of body helix, the very essence of what we do, it can be summed up in three simple, yet incredibly powerful words: "To Serve Others." I truly believe that if these three words were fully embraced and acted upon, they could solve any problem humanity faces today.
This isn't some corporate slogan designed for a quarterly report. For us, 'To Serve Others' means solving real problems for you, the athlete. It's about recognizing your struggles, your pain, your ambitions, and committing every fiber of our being to create solutions that genuinely make a difference. It’s our pledge to you that every product we design, from our innovative paddles to our advanced compression gear, is crafted with your best interest at heart, with no shortcuts or compromises. Our mission is to ease your journey, amplify your capabilities, and truly honor your dedication.
Our Vision: A Legacy of Excellence and Unwavering Respect
Our vision at body helix reaches beyond the pickleball court or the training room. It's an aspiration to challenge leaders – in every field – to look deep within themselves and find a way to profoundly impact the world, leaving something truly better behind for the next generation. There is no greater gift we can leave behind than that.
Our commitment to uncompromising quality, relentless innovation, and unwavering respect for the individual athlete is our contribution to this larger vision. By striving for excellence in what we do, and by standing firmly on our core values, we hope to inspire a ripple effect – encouraging others to pursue their passions with the same integrity and dedication, ultimately shaping a brighter future for all who follow.
What truly drives body helix, what beats at the very heart of our company, is a profound and unwavering respect for you, the athlete. This isn't merely a business pursuit; it's a deeply personal mission born from my own journey. I know firsthand the relentless dedication it takes to pursue excellence in any athletic endeavor. I've felt the searing pain, the relentless sweat, the quiet suffering of injury. I've lived the emotional grind, the crushing frustrations when dreams seem to be trampled underfoot. This path, this beautiful, brutal journey to become elite, is etched into my very being.
That's why, at our core, we've embraced a Salutogenic set of guidelines. It's the absolute toughest road to take, but for us, it's the only one that truly honors you. This means 'everything' we do, every material we choose, every design we refine, every test we perform, must unequivocally be in your best interest. We refuse to take shortcuts. We spare no expense in our relentless pursuit of quality. Our purpose is singular: to give you, the athlete, the very best we have to offer. To equip you with tools that give you the best possible chance to unleash your full potential and become the absolute best you can be. This commitment is not just about paddles or sleeves; it's about honoring your grind, your dreams, and your unwavering spirit. That, truly, is our foundation.
Thank you for being part of the body helix and FLiK family. We're here to help you elevate your game.
Fred Robinson, Founder
body helix and FLiK Pickleball
