Let Personalized Fitness for You introduce you to a new tool: The Functional Movement Screen.
We all want to take our athletic performance to the next level. Unfortunately, pushing harder and harder with outdated techniques is like trying to hammer a nail with a rock. It’s time to stop hitting the nail harder and start looking for a better tool.
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is used worldwide in every major sport — and by everyone from the Navy Seals to the Indianapolis Colts. It consists of seven movement and risk assessments that test an athlete’s mobility and stability. These tests place an individual in patterns of movement, which identify weaknesses, imbalances, asymmetries, and limitations.
Once these movement patterns are identified, corrective exercises can be used to improve functional fitness. With these corrections in place, the individual athlete develops greater movement efficiency. Bottom line: Better efficiency means better performance and less injury.
FMS exposes weaknesses within an athlete’s basic movement patterns. A poor score on the screen indicates the athlete is using compensation techniques during regular exercise. If the athlete continues compensating with inefficient movement patterns, it means poor performance and greater risk of injury.
Screening is available for performance athletes and recreational exercisers alike!
Use FMS to identify weaknesses, imbalances, asymmetries and limitations.
Based on your needs, receive corrective exercises to improve functional fitness.
FMS will help you improve performance and decrease risk of injury.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Stretching
Yes, it is possible to stretch too much if you push into pain, force a position, or do more than your tissues can tolerate. Stretching should create tension, not sharp pain, and it works best when done with control and consistency. Seek professional coaching and guidance from a certified fitness trainer or Physical Therapist.
Many static stretches are held for about 15 to 30 seconds, although the right amount can vary based on the person and the goal. Good technique matters more than forcing a longer hold. Understanding how to properly stretch is crucial to avoid over stretching or pain.
Stretching by itself is not usually enough to build significant muscle mass. Its main benefits are improved flexibility, reduced stiffness, and better movement quality, while muscle growth usually comes from resistance training. It can be a necessary building block to begin with prior to strengthening.
To stretch the front of your thigh, a common option is a standing or side-lying quadriceps stretch that brings the heel toward the glutes while the knees stay close together. The stretch should feel controlled through the front of the thigh, not painful in the knee or low back.
Yes, stretching can sometimes make you sore, especially if you are new to it, stretching too aggressively, or working on very tight areas. Mild soreness can happen, but sharp pain is a sign to stop and adjust the intensity.
What Makes PFFY Different
“Joy’s classes are structured in such a way where a beginner feels comfortable to take their first step to learn how to move forward in their health, but also where someone more experienced in fitness can train right next to them at their own level. Joy is an expert at making everyone in the room feel comfortable and competent and knowing what level they are at and what each movement needs to look like for them at each individual level of fitness.”