As a young child Kappel went from being terrified of the water to becoming Swim Team Captain at the same YMCA where he learned to swim, then on to Captain of his High School Swim Team. He served 4 summer seasons as a Lifeguard at New York’s Rockaway Beach gaining respect for the fragileness of life; even pulling an unconscious beach-goer out of the water at age 16. Along the way he participated in virtually every sport imaginable, but it was studying martial arts in his formative years that influenced his focus and attitude the most.

After graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School (Class of ’87) the “Technite” went on to continue his studies in Civil Engineering at Penn State University. He gradually grew numb at the thought of a long-career of punching through formulas; simultaneously, however, he began experimenting with strength training at the campus training facility and as he recalls, “it was there that something woke up inside me. The creative process of changing the body with the aid of exercise equipment felt right to me. My mind kept swirling with new ideas to provoke physical change”.

He started his personal training career almost 18 years ago, certified by the American Council on Exercise at New York Health & Racquet Club 56th St., and after about 5 years he went on to Equinox Fitness Clubs 19th Street at the start of 1995. There he quickly became their ‘Top Personal Trainer’ with the distinction of being acknowledged as ‘The Most Requested Trainer’, a consistent ‘Top 5 Producer’, a recipient of numerous ‘Trainer of the Year Awards’ and a respected mentor to other personal trainers, as well as to his clients during his 10½ year tenor.

It was there that his passion for excellence in athletic performance, fitness and personal growth led him on a 13 year journey of self-exploration during which time he developed and refined his injury preventative/performance enhancing system and philosophy that he and his older daughter Dānia named FRĒ FLŌ DŌ. What began as a training strategy that Kappel came up with to improve his footwork for boxing while preparing for a Golden Gloves tournament, was soon armed with its own ground-breaking training platform reflecting his vision, creativity, and dedication to problem-solving with his intense attention to detail. The FRĒ FLŌ DŌ Experience, with Kappel or any of the Trackers he trained in this art form, has become so unique, versatile and compelling that he is regarded as an indisputable pioneer in sports and fitness training. His clients maintain that Kappel is more of a teacher than a trainer. He trains minds by introducing alternative modes of thought and behavior during compromising situations. He teaches his students/clients “how to be comfortable in the uncomfortable”. What Kappel teaches, and how he teaches it is indeed an art form!

As the first Tracker of FRĒ FLŌ DŌ he not only successfully impacted the members and staff at the 19th St. Equinox (with other top trainers earning licenses and becoming Trackers), but he forced the greater industry to take notice as well. This is evidenced by the 2 award nominations he secured within the first 4 Fitness Industry showcases of his ‘labor of love’. ECA World Fitness, host to the very first FRĒ FLŌ DŌ Industry Convention showcase in Miami November 2004, nominated Kappel for ‘The Most Innovative Use of Equipment Award’. In the fall of 2005, just months after FRĒ FLŌ DŌ showcased in Club Industry East N.Y.C, in the Spring, its 4th industry showcase to date, Kappel was nominated for the 2006 IDEA Health & Fitness Association’s ‘Personal Trainer of the Year Award’. He has been featured in over 2 dozen national Television Programs including NFL Network’s ‘Total Access’ 2007, mentions on ESPN’s Sports Center, features on MTV, WB 11 Morning News Show and ABC News Now and Magazines as a contributing expert Personal Trainer as well as the creator of FRĒ FLŌ DŌ; the most recent accolade coming from Roy S. Johnson, Editor-in-Chief of Men’s Fitness Magazine Sept. 2007 issue, referring to FRĒ FLŌ DŌ as, “one of the most intriguing and challenging workouts in the nation”!

In the summer of 2005, Kappel’s quest for the optimal audience for his level of intensity and a training atmosphere more conducive for his creativity led him to move with his family (wife and 2 daughters) cross country from NYC to Southern California; a move that 10 months later in the Spring of 2006, paved the way to the inevitable opening of ‘FRĒ FLŌ DŌ The Beginning…’ - his first fully dedicated studio and home of the FRĒ FLŌ DŌ Experience, located in Santa Monica, California. Now, through fast word of mouth surrounding his unique training philosophy and methods, his clients range from the general population, to elite professional athletes, and members of the entertainment community. Kappel is also being sought out by top trainers and owners of performance training facilities nationwide to become part of the expanding FRĒ FLŌ DŌ Community as Trackers!

Through it all Kappel maintains, “By having a real relationship with God through prayer, meditation, positive action and interaction with others, the subsequent love, understanding and compassion gained from this spiritual consciousness not only molds me, but serve as the very gauge by which I measure my personal and professional success every day.”

Among Kappel’s many influences are: