What It Really Takes to Become a Movement Expert

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton explore what it really takes to become more than an exercise professional, clinician, coach, or practitioner who simply applies protocols.The conversation begins with a question Gray has been reflecting on for years: what separates someone who works with movement from someone who has developed true movement expertise?Gray and Lee discuss imposter syndrome, professional growth, mentorship, confirmation bias, movement screening, self-screening, corrective trials, protection, retesting, and the importance of building systems that help professionals check their own work.They also outline a practical process for developing movement expertise:Start with the big pictureUse filters before going specificLook at lifestyle, recovery, breathing, pain, and previous injury historyScreen movement before prescribing exerciseUse trials to determine whether change happens quickly or slowlyCreate awareness through experienceClarify what needs protectionVet the correction instead of simply issuing exercisesBuild a development path that supports the person’s goalsThe key message: movement expertise is not about knowing more exercises.It is about knowing how to observe, filter, test, retest, protect, correct, and develop the person in front of you without missing the bigger picture.Learn more about Functional Movement Systems:https://www.functionalmovement.com/Functional Movement SystemsYouTubeFacebookInstagramX (Twitter)Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton answer some of the most common questions they have received about Functional Movement Systems, the Functional Movement Screen, movement assessment, research criticism, SFMA, corrective exercise, and where the future of movement screening is headed.The conversation starts with a simple question:What is the FMS?Gray and Lee explain that the FMS is more than a set of movements. It is part of a systematic way of looking at movement so professionals can make better decisions. Like an eye chart for movement, the screen helps determine what a person can do, what they cannot do, and whether movement creates pain.From there, they address some of the biggest misconceptions around the Functional Movement Screen, including the idea that it is only about finding problems, that it is too conservative, or that the research says it does not matter.They also discuss why screening is not the same as assessment, how the SFMA helps professionals go deeper when pain is present, and why the goal is not to explain every test on the front end, but to create awareness and communicate the findings in a way that is personal and actionable.This episode also looks ahead to the future of movement screening, including AI, computer vision, insurance reimbursement, wearable data, decision trees, and the need to avoid turning movement analysis into another generic exercise prescription.Topics include:What the FMS is and how to explain itThe “eye chart for movement” analogyScreening, testing, and assessmentWhat the FMS can and cannot tell youCommon criticisms and misconceptionsWhy the FMS is not just about red flagsHow to communicate findings to clients and athletesWhy pain changes the decision treeWhen to use the SFMAHow breakouts help identify the root of the problemWhy test/retest mattersHow to build confidence using the systemThe future of FMS, AI, computer vision, and decision supportThe key takeaway: movement screening is not about labeling someone as broken. It is about identifying the most important movement information so the next recommendation is safer, smarter, and more specific to the person in front of you.Learn more about Functional Movement Systems:https://www.functionalmovement.com/Functional Movement SystemsYouTubeFacebookInstagramX (Twitter)Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton are joined by Dr. Todd Arnold, a board-certified sports medicine physician with more than two decades of experience caring for athletes at every level — from high school and collegiate sports to NCAA Championships, World Championships, and elite international competition.Dr. Arnold serves as the medical officer for elite athlete healthcare for USA Track & Field, where his role is not simply to react to injuries, but to help athletes stay healthy enough to train, compete, and perform when it matters most.This conversation explores how movement assessment fits into modern sports medicine and why runners need more than mileage, strength, or biomechanics alone. Dr. Arnold shares how he uses movement screening, Y Balance, table exams, biomechanics, recovery conversations, and individual baselines to better understand each athlete’s state of readiness.The discussion covers:Why sports medicine needs to move from reactive to proactive careHow Dr. Arnold applies movement systems with elite runnersWhy every runner needs an individual baselineThe three things Dr. Arnold does not want to miss in runnersAnkle dorsiflexion asymmetryGlute sequencing and timingThoracic extensionWhy running is repetitive, predictable, and demandingHow movement screens help create athlete buy-inWhy table exams still matterHow Faber and Thomas testing relate to running mechanicsThe relationship between movement readiness and wearable dataWhy recovery may be the biggest mistake many runners makeHow coaches, clinicians, sports psychologists, dietitians, and biomechanics teams can use movement as a shared languageThe key takeaway: running performance is not just about training harder. It is about understanding whether the athlete is ready to absorb, adapt, and repeat the work.Learn more about Functional Movement Systems:https://www.functionalmovement.com/Functional Movement SystemsYouTubeFacebookInstagramX (Twitter)Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook sits down with Jason McCarthy, founder and CEO of GORUCK, former Green Beret, and one of the leading voices behind the modern rucking movement.Jason and Emily McCarthy started GORUCK in 2008 while Jason was serving in Special Forces and Emily was working with the CIA. Their original goal was to build a rucksack to life-or-death quality standards—gear capable of performing in demanding environments around the world.What began as a rucksack company has grown into a larger movement built around gear, training, events, GORUCK Clubs, teamwork, service, and the belief that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things.In this conversation, Gray and Jason explore the deeper lessons behind rucking and military physical culture, including the difference between productive discomfort and unnecessary damage, why running has often been overemphasized in demanding training environments, and how readiness should guide the way we prepare for challenging work.They also discuss:• Jason’s path into Special Forces after September 11• How GORUCK grew from an idea into a global rucking community• The Green Beret mission of working by, with, and through others• Why rucking is foundational to military preparation• The difference between pain and productive discomfort• Why overtraining can become an ego problem• Tendon health, connective tissue, and sustainable strength• The role of yoga, mobility, and breathing in high-intensity cultures• Why risk and readiness should be evaluated separately• How movement screening can reveal hidden physical vulnerabilities• Rucking as a lifelong health and fitness practice• Why children naturally run, jump, carry, and climb• Health span, service, and staying capable for lifeThis conversation is about more than backpacks or workouts. It is about building a physical culture that challenges people while helping them stay capable, resilient, connected, and ready for the long term.Learn more about the GORUCK story:https://www.goruck.com/pages/about-goruckExplore GORUCK:https://www.goruck.com/Learn more about Functional Movement Systems:https://www.functionalmovement.com/Functional Movement SystemsYouTubeFacebookInstagramX (Twitter)Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

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 dayHow corrective exercise can become a personal “movement floss”Why regression is often the key to better progressionHow to use supported, quadruped, kneeling, and standing positionsWhy bird dog, rolling, bridging, half kneeling, and get-ups matterHow to know when an exercise is too hard or too easyWhy fast responders and slow responders need different strategiesHow to bake corrective work into a real training programThe 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 Talkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xImFU1GuzaQCorrective Strategies Bundle:https://functionalmovement.com/Store/261/corrective_strategies_bundleQuick Screen + Corrective Strategies Bundle:https://functionalmovement.com/Store/1287/quick_screen__corrective_strategies_bundleFunctional Movement SystemsYouTubeFacebookInstagramX (Twitter)Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

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/Functional Movement SystemsYouTubeFacebookInstagramX (Twitter)Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

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/Functional Movement SystemsYouTubeFacebookInstagramX (Twitter)Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

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/Functional Movement SystemsYouTubeFacebookInstagramX (Twitter)Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

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 stabilityWhy impingement happens long before tearsThe importance of scapular control and postureClosed-chain vs open-chain shoulder trainingWhy push-ups, pull-ups, carries, and Turkish get-ups matterHow the neck, spine, hips, and posture affect shoulder painThe difference between strength and reflexive stabilityWhy functional training should prioritize movement quality firstIf 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/fmsacademyThe Shoulder Pain Solutions Online Masterclass:https://functionalmovement.com/Store/1274/clinical_integration_the_shoulder_pain_solutions_online_masterclassListen to more episodes:https://www.movementpod.com/Functional Movement SystemsYouTubeFacebookInstagramX (Twitter)Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter

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 oneHow breathing, posture, and movement influence neck painThe connection between the neck, shoulders, and low backWhy “fixing posture” alone often failsSimple ways to screen your neck (and what it really tells you)How lifestyle habits like sleep, stress, and work setup play a roleIf you’ve ever had neck pain—or work with people who do—this episode will change how you think about it.FMS Quick ScreenThe 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 Coursehttps://functionalmovement.com/Store/1275/quick_screen_movement_readiness_screenLive Course May 15th, 2026https://functionalmovement.com/events/4568/registerTake a deeper dive into Cervical Painhttps://functionalmovement.com/Store/198/clinical_overview_approach_into_the_classification_and_management_of_patients_with_cervical_painFunctional Movement SystemsYouTubeFacebookInstagramX (Twitter)Subscribe to the FMS Newsletter