Functional Movement Screening
These movements patterns are the most common and basic that you will encounter in a gym setting. Barring issues, every human should possess the ability to jump, hold, run, squat, push, pull, and hinge. Our FMS screen asks you to do these things.
Each trainer has their own addendum’s to the screen depending on their particular skill set and experience. One that is trained with a barbell may use it in an assessment, while a yogi might put you on the mat to perform baseline movements. It is important to remember that there are few “right” answers in fitness, especially when it comes to movement hierarchy.
Exercise selection must be determined based on a combination of a client's ability, interest, and safety. If five sets of three High Hang Power Snatches with a two second paused catch makes you groan in boredom, it may be time to try something new. My goal is that the exercise elicits the same stimulus as the snatch (pulling) but does not put you to sleep or increase your risk of injury.
Just like other things in life, you will undoubtedly see an Instagram influencer swearing their loyalty to FMS, then scroll on your phone only to see someone even more famous swearing against it. Total waste of time, they’ll say. Saved me after a back injury, they’ll retort. I say: much like anything, it’s just a tool. I use it as a means to an end, which is determining the current status of the person right now in this moment. The FMS is a means of testing you in a non-intrusive way.
The test itself is challenging to pass with a perfect score - even total studs have a hard time. That’s because the test is specifically designed to highlight faults and asymmetries in the body.
Think of it like this: even if your Check Engine light is on, your car usually runs fine. But it won’t run forever. Sooner or later, that problem will surface. Better to deal with it at the shop than when you’re going 80mph on 93S and get cut off by some bozo in a lifted Silverado.
At Lynx, I highlight dynamic movement because it shows me how your brain works. As opposed to static flexibility (easy to acquire), a dynamic movement indicates the level of sensorimotor you possess.