What happens when a seasoned physical educator brings 31 years of experience into a conversation about the future of fitness, wellness, and youth health? In this episode of the Movement Podcast, we sit down with Massachusetts Physical Education Teacher of the Year Rick Vittum to talk about the state of youth movement, what’s broken in the system, and how we can fix it.

Rick shares real stories from the trenches of high school PE, how the Functional Movement Screen is changing the game, and why kids need more than just fitness—they need awareness, mentorship, and a physical problem-solving skillset that lasts a lifetime.

Whether you're a teacher, coach, parent, or practitioner, this conversation is packed with insights on movement screening in schools, how technology and culture are reshaping physical health, and what the future of PE should look like.

https://www.functionalmovement.com

Functional Movement Systems

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

Former Indiana Pacers strength coach Shawn Windle joins the Movement Podcast to unpack 20+ years in the NBA and his evolution from athletic trainer to performance director. This episode explores the integration of sports science, the dangers of over-coaching, individualized athlete care, and the realities of modern NBA player development.

Topics include:

Early career challenges in a siloed sports culture
Why HRV isn’t practical in pro sports
Real-world vs. lab testing
Achilles tendon injuries in the NBA
Youth sports burnout and early specialization
How to earn trust and communicate across disciplines
Using movement screening in daily performance strategy

A must-listen for strength coaches, physical therapists, sports scientists, and anyone working in high performance environments.

https://www.functionalmovement.com

Functional Movement Systems

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton sit down with Bob Alejo, a leader in the world of strength and conditioning with over 40 years of experience across professional sports, collegiate athletics, and Olympic training. This episode is a masterclass in leadership, collaboration, and the reality of applying science, data, and wisdom in high-performance settings.

Whether you're a veteran coach, young professional, or healthcare provider, Bob’s perspective will challenge how you view risk, readiness, and results in sport and movement.

👉 If you're a coach, clinician, or movement professional, this episode offers insights on:

The power of collaboration in sport
The dangers of chasing data without context
How to grow leadership skills in performance environments
Mentorship, ego, and humility in the strength and conditioning profession

Functional Movement Systems

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton explore one of the most complex and debated topics in sports and rehabilitation: predicting athletic performance and ranking talent.

With AI and machine learning beginning to shape how we analyze athletes, the conversation unpacks:

• How performance is measured—and why it’s more than just speed and strength.
• The rise of durable performers: athletes who stay healthy, consistent, and coachable.
• What new research says about FMS scores and their ability to predict performance—not just prevent injury.
• The growing need to consider psychological readiness, engagement, and self-awareness as critical metrics.
• Why looking at movement quality, not just quantity, is essential in both elite and youth sports.

Whether you're a coach, trainer, healthcare provider, or performance nerd, this discussion will help you rethink how we define, assess, and develop talent.

Curious what your wellness score is? Check it out for free!
https://www.symmio.co/whats-your-wellness-score

Become an FMS Academy Member. Your all-access membership to FMS online education
https://www.functionalmovement.com/fmsacademy

Referenced Research Articles:
Predictive Athlete Performance Modeling with Machine Learning and Biometric Data Integration
Prediction and Injury Risk Based on Movement Patterns and Flexibility (2023)

#FMS #MovementPodcast

Functional Movement Systems

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

Are the corrective exercise guys bashing correctives? Maybe . . . Lee and Gray take the time to step back, define what correctives are, and detail how they should be used to restore whole movement. Screening plays an important role in identifying movement dysfunction and pain with movement, but the next step doesn’t have to be corrective exercise.

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Dr. Lee Burton challenge the industry’s reliance on corrective routines and reveal a smarter, more effective approach to improving movement and performance.

From overprescribed "fixes" to missed opportunities in warmups and workouts, the discussion dives into:

• The true purpose of corrective exercises
• How to screen and interpret movement patterns
• When to ditch the corrective—and just adjust the workout
• Lessons from Pavel Tsatsouline, Huberman Lab, and NFL-level programming
• Practical tips to build programs that restore function and develop strength

Whether you’re a coach, clinician, or just someone who trains hard—this conversation will shift the way you view programming, warmups, and performance prep.

Watch, learn, and rethink what you call "corrective."

Curious what your wellness score is? Check it out for free!
https://www.symmio.co/whats-your-wellness-score

Become an FMS Academy Member. Your all-access membership to FMS online education
https://www.functionalmovement.com/fmsacademy

Functional Movement Systems

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton are joined by Danyue Zhang, FMS Director of Education in China and a key figure in expanding Functional Movement Systems globally. Danyue shares her unique journey—from personal trainer in New York to translating and teaching FMS courses across China.

They dive into:

• Cultural challenges of translating movement concepts
• The power of calibration over instruction
• How personal trainers in China are embracing corrective exercise
• Why movement screening works across language and borders
• Lessons from introducing FMS to sports institutes, universities, and rural communities

Danyue offers valuable insights into movement, communication, and building trust in a growing global movement health community.

Whether you're a coach, therapist, or educator, this episode will shift your thinking on how we teach and talk about human movement—no matter where you are in the world.

Curious what your wellness score is? Check it out for free!
https://www.symmio.co/whats-your-wellness-score

Become an FMS Academy Member. Your all-access membership to FMS online education
https://www.functionalmovement.com/fmsacademy

Functional Movement Systems

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton dive into the real meaning of wellness and why current approaches are failing us. They unpack how wellness is traditionally defined (think: sleep, nutrition, exercise), and why function—particularly functional movement—needs to be part of the equation.

From pre-diabetes in adolescents to movement dysfunction in military populations, this candid discussion explores the role of risk factors, behavioral health, and how cultural shifts must happen if we want to make a lasting impact.

Why wellness must be functional
How pain and movement drive deeper health issues
Why measuring what's missing matters most
What 10,000+ wellness screens have revealed

Curious what your wellness score is? Check it out for free!
https://www.symmio.co/whats-your-wellness-score

Become an FMS Academy Member. Your all-access membership to FMS online education
https://www.functionalmovement.com/fmsacademy

Functional Movement Systems

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

Dr. Cortney Herndon, DPT, COMPT reunites with Lee and Gray to discuss the importance of her internship and early employment in the midst of the development of Functional Movement Systems and how that understanding of the movement screening process shaped her career. Dr. Herndon offers guidance on Women’s Health issues, from incontinence in runners and post-partum and peri/post-menopause training to breast cancer and osteoporosis considerations. A look at the pitfalls of GLP-1 meds lands them back at the importance for movement professionals to network and build their own healthcare team.

Curious what your wellness score is? Check it out for free!
https://www.symmio.co/whats-your-wellness-score

Become an FMS Academy Member. Your all-access membership to FMS online education
https://www.functionalmovement.com/fmsacademy

Movement Masterclass: Mobility
https://www.functionalmovement.com/Store/246/movement_masterclass_mobility

Movement Masterclass: Stability
https://www.functionalmovement.com/Store/247/movement_masterclass_stability

Functional Movement Systems

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

What’s behind all the Achilles tendon injuries in the NBA? Are they really tearing more often? Why? Lee and Gray delve into the numbers, the potential causes, and how the NBA’s not alone in increased injury stats. From training volume to low-top shoes, to supplements, they look at everything in what opens up into a broad conversation about risk and the compounding effect of movement and lifestyle risk factors. Go upstream (on the River Styx - bonus points if you get it) with Lee and Gray to see how we can solve what can often be a career-ending injury.

Curious what your wellness score is? Check it out for free!
https://www.symmio.co/whats-your-wellness-score

Movement Masterclass: Mobility
https://www.functionalmovement.com/Store/246/movement_masterclass_mobility

Movement Masterclass: Stability
https://www.functionalmovement.com/Store/247/movement_masterclass_stability

Past Injury data: 
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11558755/

Vaccine and tendonitis:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.14.23298544v1.full

Corticosteroids and tissue weakening:
https://www.theinjuryexpertz.com/the-rise-of-achilles-tears-in-the-nfl/

Functional Movement Systems

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

--- Check out these offers from FMS! ---

Gray Cook's Masterclass on Mobility and Stability
Take a deeper dive into Mobility and Stability!

In the Mobility Course, Gray guides you with his insights into global movement patterns and screening to differentiate mobility limitations due to tissue quality from those caused by inappropriate tone.

In the Stability Course, Gray explores stability problems and their solutions, while detailing the vital interplay between local tissue quality, muscle performance, and global movement patterns.

Bundle and Save! https://www.functionalmovement.com/Store/248/movement_masterclass_bundle
----------
Symmio - Your Functional Health and Wellness Platform
Experience Symmio for yourself and get your FREE Wellness report today!
https://www.symmio.com/free-wellness-assessment
----------

Episode Summary:
In our Movement Podcast's Season 6 finale, we pulled highlights from our guests' real-world stories that showcase the uses of movement screening and wellness strategies to provide the best care for their clients and patients.

Highlights:
- 🎙️ Welcome to the Movement Podcast: Focus on optimizing human movement.
- 📊 Movement Screening: Emphasizes minimal data collection for effective decision-making.
- 🏋️‍♂️ Capacity Screens: Importance of assessing athletes' capacity alongside movement.
- 🚶‍♂️ WWS Model: Walk, Water, Sleep—foundational elements for a healthy lifestyle.
- 🔄 Regional Interdependence: Understanding joint function and its impact on movement.
- 🛠️ Functional Wellness Screen: Addresses lifestyle factors affecting physical health.
- 💡 Comprehensive Care: Integrates symptom management with addressing root causes.

Key Insights:
- 🤔 Efficient Data Collection: The podcast emphasizes the need for minimal yet effective data to tailor fitness and health solutions, allowing professionals to make quick, informed decisions without overwhelming clients. 
- 🌊 Importance of Basics: Walking, hydration, and sleep form the foundational aspects of wellness, highlighting that improving these basics can lead to better overall health outcomes.
- 🔗 Joint Function Interdependence: Understanding that movement issues in one joint can affect others is crucial for effective rehabilitation and training strategies, leading to better performance and reduced injury risk.
- 🚧 Lifestyle Factors Matter: The discussion stresses the importance of addressing lifestyle habits, such as diet and sleep, in conjunction with physical therapy to achieve more sustainable health improvements.
- 📏 Movement Screening Relevance: Emphasizing a movement screening approach helps identify underlying issues while optimizing training and rehabilitation protocols.
- 🔄 Adaptive Programming: The podcast advocates for adaptable and individualized programming to fit the unique needs of clients, ensuring that interventions are relevant and effective.
- 🏃‍♀️ Self-Management Tools: Encouraging clients to use wearables and tracking tools promotes accountability and awareness of their health, leading to proactive management of their wellness journey.

Functional Movement Systems

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter