Inspiring Conversations with Giancarlo Patti & Tyler Wen of Max Effort Physical Therapy & Performance

Today we’d like to introduce you to Giancarlo Patti & Tyler Wen.

Hi Giancarlo & Tyler, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We both come from athletic backgrounds—basketball was a common thread early on, along with swimming, water polo, and a general love for staying active. It wasn’t until college that our interest in kinesiology really took shape. Giancarlo began at Cal State Fullerton, initially studying journalism, but found a deep passion for weightlifting and human movement, which led to a major switch into kinesiology. We both discovered the field through collegiate athletics and gained valuable exposure by shadowing physical therapists in outpatient orthopedic clinics, where the powerful impact of rehab became clear.

That shared passion for injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance optimization became a driving force for both of us. Over the years, we pursued hands-on experience through internships with the LA Clippers, local PT clinics throughout Southern California, and time spent in various training rooms. We eventually met while earning our Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees at the University of St. Augustine in San Marcos. There, we not only became close friends, but realized we shared similar philosophies about patient care, performance, and entrepreneurship.

After graduation, we continued working together as colleagues, and that partnership naturally evolved into the creation of Max Effort PT & Performance. Our goal is to help active individuals recover from injury, return to doing what they love, and achieve their highest level of performance. We’re committed to making a meaningful impact through personalized care, evidence-based treatment, and a deep understanding of both the rehab and athletic worlds.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s never a smooth road, especially in physical therapy. Los Angeles is so big, yet so saturated in our field, that it’s really hard to stick out. The biggest challenge is getting more people to know who we are, making marketing our number one hurdle. But that’s a challenge we enjoy and are willing to face head-on. People also aren’t used to paying cash for PT services as they are generally covered in some way by their insurance. There is a sales aspect to this which can seem out of place given our field, but we want to be able to provide the best care possible without being bottlenecked by insurances. We also want to give a shoutout to David Fabrizio and Garrett Chin for taking us under their wing when we were fresh out of graduate school.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Max Effort Physical Therapy & Performance ?
Max Effort is a cash-based provider meaning we don’t accept insurances. We decided to be out-of-network because we’ve experienced firsthand how some insurances can bottleneck care and prevent people from receiving the PT that they need. By not taking insurance, it allows us to be client-first without the arbitrary restrictions insurances can place on care, giving us the freedom to do exactly what the person needs.

What really sets us apart is our ability to bridge the gap between rehab and performance. A lot of people finish physical therapy and feel stuck—not sure how to safely get back to their regular training or the level they were at before the injury. That’s where we come in. Our background in weightlifting, combined with a solid understanding of programming, lets us build individualized plans that focus on proper technique and gradual progression. We’ve been exposed to a wide array of movement patterns and lifts, so we know how to adjust things based on where someone is in their recovery. We cater to the mechanics of the sport to help our athletes be their absolute best. It’s not just about getting back—it’s about coming back better, stronger, and more confident than before.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
The apps I like to use are PhysioNetwork which helps keep me up-to-date with current evidence in PT; Instagram, which might be a bit controversial, but there is some great info on it by some brilliant minds; and of course ChatGPT. GPT can be used as a tool to find and summarize current research, especially when I’m looking for something specific. I used to spend so much time on PubMed, but now AI can do that for me.

There are so many great podcasts I’ve listened to including anything from the guys at Champion Sports and PT, BJSM, Physio Explained, and JOSPT are just a few. There are lots of books I can list all within PT and strength and conditioning. Outside of work, books like Range, Sprint, and some financial books have all been very helpful.

Pricing:

• Initial Evaluations $175
• Follow-Up Visits $150
• Performance Training $150
• Coming soon: online programming

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maxeffortpt.com