My Hope for Movement Professionals
There are generally a couple trends in movement professionals (physios, personal trainers, yoga instructors, Pilates instructors, etc.) that I see.
The ones who didn't know what to do after their sport or activity ceased to be a professional option,
The ones who primarily trained themselves using that modality and considered becoming a provider to be the implied next step,
The ones who watched the modality deeply affect themselves or a loved one and want to bring that to others, and
The ones just purely fascinated by the physics, anatomy, and science.
I represent a combination of a couple of those (guess which ones!).
Regardless of what the motivating factor was, across the board, most movement professionals are well-intentioned and skilled. I believe that the largest majority are regularly operating well below their actual capacity, whether they know it or not.
As a necessity, these certifications, degrees, or programs are built on the backs of templates, progressions, and protocols. The result can very often be a lack of the provider's understanding of why those even are the templates, progressions, or protocols we use and how to critically think and reason within them.
Movement sciences haven't arrived at their final destination. We look back into history and chuckle at exercise trends of the 80s and don't realize we are actively experiencing the evolution of our fields every day. We will be the past of a future provider's reflection whether we appreciate our role in the advancement or not.
What don't we have sorted out yet?
To be a good coach or movement professional we can't stop at getting caught up with the professions we work within. We have to be a part of developing the craft of working with bodies. Stopping at the point of proficiency with prescriptive use of protocols is a massive missed opportunity.
The problem with rigid protocols, black and white diagnostic criteria, or exercise banks that we're given in our programs is that they fall short of the reality of humans and their variability. Often times everything from progressions to regressions, or modifications are also fixed and prescribed.
We have to look for the rest of the context.
Become more attuned to nuance within the ways that some people progress while others struggle. This is where clinical reasoning comes in.
It's the difference between delivering a program and working with a person. It’s part of the reason why some anatomical experts, such as surgeons, seem to miss the mark when it comes to understanding a machine in motion.
We must be curious enough to ask why someone struggles with a particular movement instead of assuming they need to regress. Is it just too hard, too heavy? Or might they be missing another link?
Clinical reasoning is a skill that can be developed, but it requires something different from what most certifications teach.
Learning anatomy is like learning the alphabet, clinical reasoning is like creative writing. It requires becoming genuinely curious about the movement system in front of you.
It requires knowing your anatomy deeply enough to recognize what you're observing and staying current (with research, mentorship, and practice) not to memorize new exercises, but to understand how bodies actually adapt and change.
It also requires the humility and willingness to say "I don't know why this isn't working, let's figure it out together" instead of assuming the problem is client compliance.
This is how you communicate with bodies rather than at them. When you truly assess someone, you're not just checking boxes on a form.
You're having a conversation through symptoms and observation,
You're asking questions through movement and listening to the answers your client's body gives you,
You're noticing which compensation patterns show up under fatigue versus fresh,
You're recognizing that a symptom might reflect something happening higher up in the system,
You're seeing patterns (not just in this person, but across thousands of sessions) and understanding what those patterns mean.
This is a work of specificity, generic cues don't work. Each person is unique, meeting us with their own perception of their body and movement. We, as movement professionals, are tasked with guiding their relationship with themselves and their goals using education and collaboration to facilitate a better future.
If you’re a movement professional looking for more,
I hope you stop collecting certifications and start deepening your expertise,
I hope you get curious about the mechanisms beneath the protocols instead of just following the prescription,
I hope you recognize that variability in your clients isn't a problem to manage, but rather insight into the nature of human machines,
I hope you develop the confidence to modify, adapt, and create solutions specific to the person in front of you rather than forcing them into a predetermined path.
Again, my assumption is that this isn’t a hard sell. I assume that most movement professionals are well intentioned, aiming to develop and deepen their skills to improve the quality of their work. The business reality is that this takes time and sacrifice.
You cannot work at maximum volume while doing your deepest and best work.
My hope is that we, as movement professionals, stop accepting proficiency as the destination. We have to protect our ability to invest in ourselves and in our clients rather than assuming it will happen completely automatically embedded in high volume work weeks and careers.
The next question is really “okay so how do I do that?” Establishing frameworks to help practicing movement professionals unlock the next level is a passion of mine.
There was such a gap in how I walked out of my doctoral education and the provider I knew I wanted to be. I watched and analyzed what I used and systematized to help myself get to where I am today. I then built those systems out into mentorship structure that all ROOTS providers move through and I have found it so fulfilling.
The next step of the work I am passionate about doing in this field is bringing that structure to providers outside the confines of ROOTS.
We have more capacity than we’re using. Our clients deserve more than protocol delivery. And our fields deserve professionals who are actively developing them, not just maintaining them.
Stay tuned for how I continue exploring my role in bringing that hope to reality.
