Our approach is made up of three basic components: 1) Screening 2) Pattern Restoration 3) Strength.

1) The Functional Movement Screen (FMS)

The FMS uses seven fundamental movement patterns to expose asymmetries between the left and right sides of your body and/or major limitations in these fundamental patterns. This screen is important because it gives us a way, in the form of a score, to track fundamental movements. We are not looking for an evaluation or diagnosis, just an overview of abilities. These seven patterns were designed to be human relevant, not sport specific; focusing on basic capability, not specialization. Information and research pertaining to the FMS can be found at www.functionalmovement.com®

2) Pattern Restoration

Based on the screen, specific exercises are practiced to target weak links. In order to proceed, we must restore healthy neuromuscular patterns or additional load (weight) will only make existing patterns worse. The exercises appear innocent, but when addressing a weak pattern, they become extremely challenging.

Along with individual issues, pattern restoration also includes teaching and coaching additional fundamental patterns that serve as the foundation to more intense training. You can’t shoot a cannon from a canoe, and you can’t produce force from a weak unstable core. In order to produce powerful efficient movements, you must have a stable base to work from. The ability to activate and control core musculature is fundamental to powerful efficient movement, and is therefore the doorway to increased strength.

3) Strength

Once patterns have been restored and rehearsed, we add load. Load comes in the form of external weight – kettlebells, cable stacks, weighted bars, medicine balls – as well as from the body itself by altering positions. The focus here is on strengthening and reinforcing the new patterns we have established, not training individual muscles in an isolated manner.