Gray Cook Movement

Functional Movement Systems

Is Movement Right For You?

The distinction between a screen and an assessment is this: The screen is done by health and fitness professionals on normal populations, whereas the assessment is performed by a medical or rehabilitation professional already aware of an abnormal condition. Pain is usually the primary complaint, which may or may not be complicated by movement dysfunction. Whether the patient has pain, is referred to a healthcare professional following a movement screen, or seeks medical advice directly, a systematic breakdown of the pain relative to movement is the first order of business. [Read more...]

Movement, The Foreword

For 16 years I have had the privilege of working as a strength and conditioning coach in the National Football League, the past 13 with the Indianapolis Colts. My passion for trying to maximize physical performance and increase durability based on science and practical application has formulated the basis of our system, which has led us to become harsh critics with a tough filter for programs. We have no margin for error, and do not have the luxury of trial and error when that may mean the difference in millions of dollars and in wins and losses. [Read More...]

The Joint-by-Joint Approach

Michael Boyle: If you are not yet familiar with the joint-by-joint theory, be prepared to take a quantum leap in thought process. My good friend, physical therapist Gray Cook has a gift for simplifying complex topics. In a conversation about the effect of training on the body, Gray produced one of the most lucid ideas I have ever heard. [Read More...]

Early Perspectives on Functional Movement Systems

The physical therapy education at the University of Miami prepared me to ponder movement and exercise from many different perspectives. My orthopedic education was straightforward and it applied the basic principles of kinesiology and biomechanics. My learning regarding the neurological system further broadened the scope of my understanding and reasoning as I started to consider movement and its many unique … [Read More...]

A New Look at Movement

More than three years of work has finally made it into print, and as I look back on the project, I still cannot believe the journey. Although the methods we use in Functional Movement Systems have been known for a while, our understanding and explanations have improved greatly over that time. The book Movement: Functional Movement Systems brings all of that work together into one text, a culmination of our efforts to date. [Read More...]

Self-Limiting Exercise

Self-limiting exercises make us think, and even make us feel more connected to exercise and to movement. They demand greater engagement and produce greater physical awareness. Self-limiting exercises do not offer the easy confidence or quick mastery provided by a fitness machine. The earliest exercise forms were self-limiting—they required mindfulness and technique. Idiot-proof equipment and the conditioning equivalent of training wheels did not exist. Great lifters learned to lift great; great fighters learned to fight great; great runners learned to run great. Their qualities and quantities were intertwined. [Read More...]

The Weakest Link

It is entirely possible to provide groups with a functional warm-up and movement preparation, but you should not assume all would receive efficient and effective benefits. Individuals in the group with minimum of 2 on all movement patterns and no asymmetries would do well with a general movement preparation warm-up based on the FMS. With this template you can expect it to provide a adequate review of functional and fundamental movement patterns. But you shouldn’t expect the general sampling of movement preparation to serve a corrective capacity for those individuals demonstrating screens below screening minimum standards—including 0s, 1s and asymmetries. [Read More...]

Expanding on the Joint-by-Joint Concept

The original conversation Mike Boyle and I had regarding the joint-by-joint approach to training was more about the thought process than about physiological facts and absolutes. This has been the topic of lots of discussion, but here is the pearl: Our modern bodies have started developing tendencies. Those of us who are sedentary, as well as those of us who are active, seem to migrate to a group of similar mobility and stability problems. Of course you will find exceptions, but the more you work in exercise and rehabilitation, the more you will see these common tendencies, patterns and problems.[Read More...]

The Chapters

Here you'll find chapter breakdowns, videos and extra material to support the book chapters. [Read More...]

FMS vs SFMA

The FMS captures fundamental movements, motor control within movement patterns, and competence of basic movements uncomplicated by specific skills. It will determine the greatest areas of movement deficiency, demonstrate limitations or asymmetries, and eventually correlate these with an outcome. Once you find the greatest asymmetry or deficiency, you can use measurements that are more precise if needed. [Read More...]

Self-Limiting Exercise: Jumping Rope

My goal is to make the tests and exercises in this book practical and efficient. Therefore, I’ll incorporate as many collateral benefits as possible into the interval program. Collateral benefits complement the musculoskeletal system, improve posture, and simulate the reactions and speed of any chosen sport. Jumping rope fits the bill perfectly. Many have dismissed jumping rope as too simple to be considered a viable exercise option, probably due to today’s flashy fitness and conditioning equipment market. [Read More...]

The Great Equalizers

In the book Movement, my co-authors and I discuss self-limiting exercises, including a chart accompanied with a list and more in-depth explanations of the concept. We discuss the notion in the context of exercises that naturally impose simultaneous yet paradoxical physical demands like strength and balance, or power and control, performance outcomes. Simply stated, these activities force superior mental and physical engagement. They require basic body knowledge—movement competency—alongside appropriate physical capacity and technical competency. [Read More...]

Movement

Home
Movement, The Book
Movement Authors

The Chapters

Contents & Index
Chapter Overview
    Chapter 1
    Chapter 2
    Chapter 3
    Chapter 4
    Chapter 5
    Chapter 6
    Chapter 7
    Chapter 8
    Chapter 9
    Chapter 10
    Chapter 11
    Chapter 12
    Chapter 13
    Chapter 14
    Chapter 15
    Appendices

More Movement


Podcasts and Interviews
Book Reviews
Movement as a College Text
Is Movement Right for You?
Book Downloads
Contacts & Links
Movement Screening Lectures

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Buy Movement

DEFINING FUNCTION

Defining Function
Gray Cook with Craig Liebenson, A Dialog on Function

Related Material



Key Functional Exercises DVD
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FMS: Applying the Model to Real Life Examples DVD
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Links to related sites

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MOVEMENTLECTURES.COM

Gray Cook: Developing a Movement Philosophy

Craig Liebenson & Gray Cook, Misunderstandings about the FMS & SFMA

Gray Cook VCU Physical Therapy Lecture

Gray Cook on Self-Limiting Exercise
Lee Burton on Core Testing and Assessment
Lee Burton: The History of the FMS
Gray Cook with Joe Heiler, Meaningful Impairments
FMS & SFMA-related Lectures Movementlectures.com

Movement Book Newsletter

RSS New from Graycook.com

  • Start With Why
  • Exploring Functional Movement
  • Assessing Movement: A Contrast in Approaches & Future Directions
  • Key Points about Key Exercises
  • Play, Practice or Train—Which Comes When?

RSS New from Functionalmovement.com

  • Exploring Functional Movement
  • Key Points about Key Exercises
  • Play, Practice or Train—Which Comes When?
  • 10 Movement Principles
  • Ask FMS: Strength Coach Podcast (Episode 92)

RSS New from Movementlectures.com

  • MARK CHENG & JIMMY YUAN: KETTLEBELLS AND CORRECTIVE EXERCISE
  • GRAY COOK: VCU PHYSICAL THERAPY LECTURE
  • LEE BURTON: CORE TESTING & ASSESSMENT
  • CHARLIE WEINGROFF AND PATRICK WARD: MANAGING THE MANUAL THERAPY PROCESS
  • DAN JOHN: GOAL SETTING SECOND MILLENNIUM

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