Moving Conversations

Rolling out the iliotibial or IT band has more conflicting advice than almost any other single topic in fitness. To roll, or not to roll, how often to roll, soft roller or firm roller, is it useless or damaging? All of these questions and concerns come up when the topic of rolling out the IT band is mentioned. In this episode we discuss what the IT band is, how it works, what rolling may (or may n...

Brian brings us an interesting client who came in preparing to get a hip replacement. Follow along as Brian lays out his assessment, movement drills and what he learned. Following the presentation, Nora and Brian discuss other cases to illustrate how to assess, understand and design hip centric programs for clients with very different symptoms. This is a great example of how to use anatomy and cri...

Proprioception or understanding where your body is and what it’s doing is the first step in improving movement, decreasing pain and empowering clients to take care of themselves. In this episode Brian and Nora discuss ways to use verbal cues, mirrors, unstable surfaces, tactile feedback and more to help people tune in to what their body is doing. We hope these tips and tricks will make your teachi...

Tension headaches are a common concern for many. Optimizing posture, decreasing neck and shoulder tension and balancing the muscles around the neck and upper back can bring relief. While movement is not the answer to every headache, this discussion of mobility, ergonomics and relaxation may help you manage or minimize pain and discomfort.  Moving Conversations LIVE in Southern California!   Septem...

Amy Boone Thompson is the owner and CEO of IDEA, this country’s largest organization for fitness professionals. In this conversation we discuss current trends in the fitness world, the importance of fitness conferences for creating community, upleveling our industry and supporting the growth of the profession and “Lead like a Woman” a fantastic book she contributed to. Join us for a glimpse into t...

Mobility is a popular topic in fitness at the moment but what happens when a person has too much mobility? Hypermobility spectrum disorder and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or EDS are connective tissue disorders where the person’s joints are looser than they should be. This creates joint instability that can lead to pain, frequent sprains and strains or joint dislocations. The goal of movement training f...

If you work with clients with complex conditions including chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or long covid, you know progress can be slow and erratic. In this episode Brian presents a case study focusing on a client with multiple conditions and we discuss how to create trust, enhance the client’s mind/body connection and stay focused on the client. If you have clients where a straightfor...

Cue up the "Wayback Machine" as we go back to last year and revisit an amazing interview we had with Erika Quest. Erika is a Pilates teacher and founder of Level Up MVMT, an online education platform for movement professionals. We will be discussing her work as an Active Aging specialist and specifically discuss how to add “neuroaerobics” or cognitive exercises to workouts to enhance longevity, me...

Fractures, bone spurs and malformations all affect how our body moves and influences alignment, joint structure and myofascial balance. Starting with fractures, we discuss how breaks heal, what happens when hardware is used to repair a fracture and how fractures can affect growth patterns in children and adolescents. Fractures can influence leg length, strength and mobility whether they are recent...

Since we are on the topic of bones with osteoporosis, we decided to do a deep dive into the structure, development and function of various bones and joints in the body. We discuss how bones are built based on the stresses put on them, how joint structure influences our movement capabilities, how different kinds of joints work and how ligaments and other connective tissue elements assist joint func...

Working with a client with osteoporosis and managing their expectations can be challenging as a Pilates instructor or personal trainer. Client’s are often not given much guidance by their medical professional and are left on their own to figure out if their current workout routine is helpful or potentially dangerous. Our job is to keep them safe while doing our best to slow, halt or reverse their...

Today Brian and Nora wade into a very controversial topic, osteoporosis, where guidelines for exercise tend to be vague at best. Today we touch on what it is, some general guidelines and ways to keep clients active when flexion and rotation are contraindicated. Join the conversation to see if we can make progress at developing a better answer for clients who are recently diagnosed and trying to fi...

In today’s episode, we take a look at ankle sprains, tendinitis and plantar fasciitis, three of the most common issues in the ankle and foot. We’ll discuss what they are and how to train the area three dimensionally to minimize the likelihood of injury for active individuals and to help clients recover quickly and completely from any of these conditions.   Link to Nora's foot workshop on Fusion Pi...

Continuing our adventures with the lower leg, we move onto the ankle, that magical connection between the mobility of the foot and the power of the leg. Full of practical tips we’ll cover three dimensional ankle strength with open chain, closed chain, concentric, isometric, balance and gait related exercises. This session includes practical tips for clients of all kinds from pickleball players to...

The foot is the foundation of any upright movement pattern from walking to running to dancing. In this episode we are starting another short series focusing on the foot and how to work with it to optimize performance, balance and gait and to prevent common injuries. Anatomy, the arches, how the foot moves us forward and strengthening and mobilizing the toes are the focus for today. Join us with yo...

Hormones affect physiology which changes the body’s reactions to exercise. Building on the last session with Irene McCormick, Brian and Nora discuss strategies for optimizing training benefits for male and female clients experiencing hormonal changes. Whether it’s menopause or low testosterone, changing how you approach training can create long lasting benefits for your clients. Moving Conversatio...

S2.44 Irene McCormick joins us today for a deep dive into training women in perimenopause and menopause. She has developed a fitness and wellness program specifically for this population and we learned a lot of useful principles to help these clients achieve their goals. Hormones affect everything from sleep to muscle mass to insulin levels and Irene provides some excellent insights into assisting...

The labrum deepens the socket of both the hip and the shoulder helping to create stability and integrity of the joints. Damage can occur from overuse or from injuries and exercise is often recommended as the treatment of choice. In this episode Nora and Brian talk through what a labrum is, movement strategies for stabilizing and strengthening the joints and some guidance about working with a clien...

Loss of muscle mass or sarcopenia occurs with both aging and rapid weight loss with the use of GLP-1 medications or other weight loss methods. Sarcopenia is a decrease in the actual number of muscle fibers which can lead to weakness, a decrease in basal metabolic rate and difficulties with gaining strength. In this episode, Brian and Nora discuss strategies for minimizing sarcopenia through regula...

It’s been a year since our first episode on the new generation of weight loss drugs and we thought it was time for an update. According to some estimates, 10% of Americans are taking or have taken a GLP-1 agonist drug like Ozmpic or Mounjaro and the amount of research on them has skyrocketed. Join us for a review of what they are, how they work, benefits and side effects and what you should know a...

Join us for an enlightening session on how to connect to and expand your community through thoughtful branding and social media. Madeleine McCormack is an experienced marketer in the fitness space with lots of tips and pointers for starting or growing your brand. Whether you are opening a studio, growing a studio or working for someone else, Madeleine provides useful insights and advice.  Madelein...

Last week we discussed the adductors, so today we want to talk about their partner in hip stability, balance and support, the abductors. These two partners in crime can make a big difference in hip, knee or low back pain because many clients have never trained them. We’ll discuss their essential role in functional hip stability and balance and then walk you through simple progressions and principl...

In today’s episode we discuss case studies involving the low back and the strategies and challenges we ran into. Join us for an engaging conversation about complex cases and the principles and decisions necessary to find the right program design and progression to help clients improve. And don’t miss our discussion on setting expectations for clients with injuries to help ensure their active parti...

In today’s episode we discuss case studies involving the low back and the strategies and challenges we ran into. Join us for an engaging conversation about complex cases and the principles and decisions necessary to find the right program design and progression to help clients improve. And don’t miss our discussion on setting expectations for clients with injuries to help ensure their active parti...

Many people with low back pain limit their movement in various ways to decrease pain and the likelihood of reinjury. We have spent several episodes on training neutral spine, understanding dynamic lumbopelvic control and enhancing client awareness. All of these are foundational skills to minimize pain and help the client make progress. Once these skills are mastered, it is essential to keep progre...