Progressing an exercise sounds simple: make it harder, add load, increase reps, or move to a more challenging variation.

But in rehab, performance, and corrective exercise, progression is not always that straightforward.

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton discuss how to think through exercise progression and regression using movement baselines, postural positions, neurodevelopmental sequencing, and real-time feedback.

They break down why a person may need to move backward before moving forward, how supported, suspended, stacked, and standing spine positions create a roadmap for exercise selection, and why the goal is not always to coach harder — sometimes it is to change the posture, reduce the task, and let the person become more aware.

This conversation also explores:

Why movement changes from day to day
How corrective exercise can become a personal “movement floss”
Why regression is often the key to better progression
How to use supported, quadruped, kneeling, and standing positions
Why bird dog, rolling, bridging, half kneeling, and get-ups matter
How to know when an exercise is too hard or too easy
Why fast responders and slow responders need different strategies
How to bake corrective work into a real training program

The key message: progression should not be random. It should be guided by the person’s movement baseline, their response to the exercise, and whether the drill creates a manageable friction point that helps them improve.

Whiteboard Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xImFU1GuzaQ

Corrective Strategies Bundle:
https://functionalmovement.com/Store/261/corrective_strategies_bundle

Quick Screen + Corrective Strategies Bundle:
https://functionalmovement.com/Store/1287/quick_screen__corrective_strategies_bundle

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Performance is not just about strength, power, conditioning, or sport-specific skill.

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton revisit one of the foundational ideas behind Functional Movement Systems: the performance pyramid.

At the base is movement.
Above that is performance.
At the top is skill.

The conversation explores why performance cannot be understood by looking at one test, one lift, one movement, or one sport-specific task in isolation. Before asking how to improve power, speed, conditioning, or workload, we need to understand whether the body has the fundamental movement and capacity to support it.

Gray and Lee discuss the difference between movement screening and performance testing, why the overhead deep squat alone is not enough, and how capacity tests like motor control, carries, jumps, and impact control can help identify hidden energy leaks.

They also break down why athletes, workers, and active adults often chase the obvious goal — more power, more endurance, more strength — when the real opportunity may be found in movement quality, postural control, asymmetry, or foundational capacity.

This episode is a practical look at how to stop guessing, test more systematically, and make better recommendations for the person in front of you.

Learn more about Functional Movement Systems:
https://www.functionalmovement.com/

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Knee pain is one of the most common issues in sports, fitness, rehab, and everyday life — but the knee is rarely the only place to look.

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton break down why knee pain is often driven by what is happening above and below the joint. From ankle dorsiflexion and foot control to hip mobility, core stability, tone, alignment, and movement strategy, this conversation takes a deeper look at the systems that influence how the knee behaves.

They discuss common knee issues in youth athletes, female athletes, ACL risk, patellar tracking, quad dominance, total knee replacement, and the importance of using movement screens to better understand the difference between symptoms and underlying dysfunction.

The key message: before assuming the knee needs more strength, more quad work, or more isolated treatment, we need to ask better questions.

Is the ankle moving well?
Is the hip doing its job?
Is the core providing stability?
Is the person using tone, compensation, or alignment strategies that keep irritating the knee?

Whether you work with athletes, active adults, rehab patients, or people trying to stay functional as they age, this episode offers a practical framework for looking at knee pain through a functional movement lens.

Learn more about Functional Movement Systems:
https://www.functionalmovement.com/

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In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook sits down with Gina M. Schatz, clinician, educator, founder of The Schatz Method®, and creator of the Practitioner Mastery Program.

Gina trains manual and movement practitioners to move beyond protocols and develop the clinical reasoning required for complex orthopedic cases, hypermobility, and long-term practitioner mastery.

Together, Gray and Gina explore what separates protocol-driven care from true clinical reasoning. They discuss the importance of feedback loops, accurate assessment, root-cause thinking, and the ability to make clearer treatment decisions in real time.

This conversation also dives into hypermobility, practitioner burnout, movement behavior versus impairment, and why the best clinicians are not just applying techniques — they are constantly asking better questions.

For practitioners ready to elevate their work, this episode offers a deeper look at what it means to assess more accurately, think more critically, and develop the mastery needed for better long-term outcomes.

Learn more about Gina Schatz and the Practitioner Mastery Program:
https://theschatzmethod.com/practitioner-mastery-program/

Learn more about Functional Movement Systems:
https://www.functionalmovement.com/

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Most people train their shoulders by chasing strength, but completely miss the foundation that creates durable, pain-free movement.

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton break down why shoulder problems are so common, why shoulder pain is often more than “just a shoulder issue,” and how posture, spinal stability, reflexive control, and movement quality all influence shoulder health.

They dive into:

Rotator cuff function and shoulder stability
Why impingement happens long before tears
The importance of scapular control and posture
Closed-chain vs open-chain shoulder training
Why push-ups, pull-ups, carries, and Turkish get-ups matter
How the neck, spine, hips, and posture affect shoulder pain
The difference between strength and reflexive stability
Why functional training should prioritize movement quality first

If you work with athletes, rehab patients, or simply want healthier shoulders that last, this episode offers a practical framework you can apply immediately.

Learn more about our Academy:
https://functionalmovement.com/fmsacademy

The Shoulder Pain Solutions Online Masterclass:
https://functionalmovement.com/Store/1274/clinical_integration_the_shoulder_pain_solutions_online_masterclass

Listen to more episodes:
https://www.movementpod.com/

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Neck pain is one of the most common issues people deal with—but what if the neck isn’t actually the problem?

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, we break down why the neck acts as a “crossroads” in the body—and how issues with breathing, posture, mobility, and even lifestyle habits can all show up as neck pain.

You’ll learn why treating the symptom isn’t enough…
and what to look for if you actually want lasting results.

We cover:

Why the neck is a secondary problem more often than a primary one
How breathing, posture, and movement influence neck pain
The connection between the neck, shoulders, and low back
Why “fixing posture” alone often fails
Simple ways to screen your neck (and what it really tells you)
How lifestyle habits like sleep, stress, and work setup play a role

If you’ve ever had neck pain—or work with people who do—this episode will change how you think about it.

FMS Quick Screen
The Quick Screen Online Course introduces a streamlined approach to evaluating movement quality and identifying key limitations that may affect performance, training progression, and injury risk. Designed for busy fitness and healthcare professionals, this screen helps you gather meaningful information in minimal time—without sacrificing clarity or usefulness.

Online Course
https://functionalmovement.com/Store/1275/quick_screen_movement_readiness_screen

Live Course May 15th, 2026
https://functionalmovement.com/events/4568/register

Take a deeper dive into Cervical Pain
https://functionalmovement.com/Store/198/clinical_overview_approach_into_the_classification_and_management_of_patients_with_cervical_pain

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Low back pain is one of the most common problems people deal with—but most people are still asking the wrong question.

Instead of only asking:
“What’s wrong with my back?”

This episode explores a better question:
“What am I doing that keeps this problem going?”

In this conversation, we break down why low back pain is rarely just about one body part—and why pain is often the result of a bigger mix of movement issues, lifestyle habits, stress, recovery, and accumulated risk factors.

In this episode, we cover:
Why low back pain is often more than an anatomy problem
The difference between acute vs chronic low back pain
Why medication may help symptoms—but not function
How sleep, stress, diet, inactivity, and body composition affect back pain
Why movement quality and lifestyle both matter
The difference between correlation and causation
How to think about low back pain through a functional wellness lens
Why consistency matters more than a “quick fix”

This episode is especially valuable for:
Physical therapists
Chiropractors
Athletic trainers
Strength coaches
Fitness professionals
Anyone dealing with recurring low back pain
Key takeaway:

Your back may be where the pain shows up…
…but it may not be where the real problem starts.

If you want to improve outcomes, reduce risk, and help people move better for the long term, you have to look beyond the symptom.

Learn more / Explore the tools mentioned

Try Symmio:
https://symmio.com

Explore Functional Movement Systems:
https://www.functionalmovement.com

Movement Podcast:
https://www.movementpod.com

Subscribe for more conversations on:
Movement
Injury risk
Functional wellness
Corrective strategies
Performance and rehab

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In this episode, we sit down with Almir Maljević—FMS partner in Bosnia, educator, and instructor for FMS courses—who has built a thriving system by doing one thing differently:

He starts with the person, not the program.

From rebuilding his own path after injury…  
to realizing strength and power weren’t the missing piece…  
to going all-in on screening, systems, and education…

This is a real conversation about what actually works—and what most people get wrong.

You’ll learn:
• Why strength and power aren’t enough  
• The moment he realized he needed to “empty the cup”  
• How screening changed everything  
• Why most coaches skip the most important step  
• How to build trust before training  
• The difference between being busy vs effective  
• Why education—not exercise—is the real value  
• How he built a business from zero clients to a scalable system  

This isn’t theory.

This is what it looks like when you apply the principles—and stick to them.

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More about our guest
Website: https://www.pfhsc.ba/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/team_pfhsc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProFit.Health.StrengthAndConditioning/

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#FMS #MovementPodcast #SFMA #Coaching #FunctionalTraining #Performance

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Your gait—how you walk—can reveal a lot about your health, movement quality, and even your risk for injury or falls.

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton break down why gait analysis alone doesn’t tell the full story. Many people focus on the way someone walks, but the real problem often lies deeper in fundamental movement patterns like squatting, bending, rotating, balancing, and breathing.

As our population ages, gait problems are becoming a major predictor of falls, joint replacements, and loss of independence. But identifying poor gait is only the first step. The real question is: what is causing the gait problem in the first place?

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why gait deviations happen
• How compensations develop subconsciously
• Why muscle strengthening alone often fails
• The movement patterns that drive healthy walking
• How developmental patterns and breathing can restore movement
• Why functional movement matters more than isolated exercises

If you want to better understand how gait connects to movement health, injury prevention, and long-term mobility, this episode is a must-watch.

Learn more about Functional Movement Systems and our tools for assessing movement:
https://www.functionalmovement.com

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In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton sit down with Ryan Como, CEO of Kinetisense, to talk about where movement screening is headed next.

Ryan shares how his background as a chiropractor—and as an injured D1 hockey athlete—pushed him beyond “treat the painful joint” toward multi-segment, 3D movement assessment. The conversation covers how objective scoring, population comparisons, and AI-driven recommendations can enhance—not replace—clinical expertise.

We dig into:

• Why FMS breakpoints hold up when compared to lab-grade systems
• Turning movement screening into trend data (0–100 scoring vs. only 0/1/2/3)
• Using data loops to learn what correctives work best for who
• Planar plasticity: why elite athletes move well in all three planes

The long game: movement epidemiology—catching risk before injury happens

Learn more: https://www.kinetisense.com/fms-kinetisense/

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