About the Founder

The Origin

On the North Shore of O‘ahu, recovery isn’t optional — it’s a way of life. Between long surf days, heavy training sessions, and the wear that comes with chasing performance, Dr. John Baker DC, CSCS, DNSet, saw one simple truth: how well you recover determines how long you can keep doing what you love.

Before creating Catalyst, John spent years working hands-on with Olympians, World Champions, and high-level athletes who depend on precision recovery to perform at their best. His clinic, Swell Wellness, became a trusted stop for surfers, fighters, and movement-driven humans who needed more than a quick fix.

 

The Path

Dr. Baker’s path into performance medicine wasn’t a straight line — it was an evolution guided by curiosity and purpose.

Our story begins in Southern California, where a lifelong connection to the water and years as an ocean lifeguard taught him the importance of calm under pressure and physical resilience. That same drive to understand how the body adapts led him to earn a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a minor in Nutrition from Chapman University, where he immersed himself in biomechanics and human performance.

From there, he spent years coaching athletes in Chicago’s competitive sports-performance scene — refining strength, speed, and movement quality in everyone from youth prospects to professionals. Those years built a foundation in applied performance and exposed him to the gap between training and true recovery.

Later, during his Doctorate of Chiropractic (graduating Cum Laude) and another Bachelors of Science, this time in Human Biology, at the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon, he combined those real-world insights with advanced clinical science. His work with Kabuki Strength deepened his understanding of tissue loading, rehab, and the subtle art of restoring function — skills that would shape everything to come.

Ultimately, that path led him back to the ocean. On O‘ahu’s North Shore, Dr. Baker co-founded Swell Wellness, where the principles of movement, recovery, and nature came full circle. Catalyst was the next step — the natural extension of a life spent studying how the body endures, adapts, and returns stronger.

 

The Spark

Catalyst started as a small experiment in Dr. Baker's clinic. He was tired of seeing athletes reach for products that only masked discomfort. So he began developing blends that supported the body’s natural recovery process using high-quality, functional ingredients.

The first batches were made for professional surfers and local athletes who trusted him with their bodies. They kept asking for more. Word spread. And soon, Catalyst grew from a simple side project into a movement toward smarter, cleaner, purpose-built recovery.

 

The Mission

Catalyst exists to bridge the gap between professional-grade recovery and everyday movement.
Each formula is designed with the same standard of care Dr. Baker brings to his athletes — clean, effective, and crafted with intention.

Whether you’re training for gold or just training for life, Catalyst gives you access to the level of performance care once reserved for the pros.