Movement Podcast

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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