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, ne...

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...

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 stra...

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 Gi...

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 sho...

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 ac...

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...

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 conv...

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, ba...

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 c...

Asymmetries are normal — but not all asymmetries are created equal. In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton break down the difference between anatomical, functional, and developmental asymmetry, and explain when asymmetry becomes a slippery slope that impacts performance, durability, and injury risk. They also discuss why the goal isn’t “perfect symmetry,” but keeping asy...

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Lisa Chase returns—this time as an author. Drawing from decades of work with professional athletes and everyday patients, Lisa dives deep into the importance of addressing the whole person in rehab, not just the symptoms. She and Gray discuss: • The inspiration behind her new book Be Responsible • Why heart rate variability (HRV) is a game changer in patien...

In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton dig into what the data really says about wellness. From widespread sleep issues and shoulder mobility limitations to the surprising role of stress, posture, and breathing, they explore how movement and lifestyle are deeply connected. Learn how Functional Movement Systems uses its Functional Wellness Screen to identify patterns—not j...

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 fro...

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...

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 y...

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 pe...

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...

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...

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,...

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 t...

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...

--- 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 prob...

CBD Healthcare Company Explore a world of premium CBD solutions designed to elevate your wellness journey. CBD Products For Massage & Sports https://cbdhealthcarecompany.com/shop/ Code for 10% off : FMSCBDHCC10 ----- 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 moveme...

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, musc...