CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise

The Peculiar State of Fitness Assessments

NOTE: There’s only a few more days to get my latest continuing education resource – Strategic Strength – at $50 off the regular price. Today’s post discusses one of the main topics covered in the course: Assessment.

Assessment.

People don’t like the feeling of being judged – especially by complete strangers.

However, when it comes to working with a coach or personal trainer for the first time, an “assessment” is pretty much standard procedure; a means to an end with regards to collecting data to better ascertain someone’s starting point.

In Short: An assessment guides the coach to help figure out the safest and most efficient path for a client to reach his or her’s goal(s).[footnote]If at any point a pair of rubber gloves makes an appearance….run. Or not, if that’s your thing. I’m not here to judge.[/footnote]

That being said…I feel many of us are approaching assessment the wrong way.

Copyright: microgen

The Peculiar State of Fitness Assessments

I am not writing this as an attack against assessment

Likewise I am also not here to say one way or the other how you should assess your clients.

You know your clients/athletes better than I do.

I don’t care if your assessment of choice is the Functional Movement Screen, the Selective Functional Movement Assessment, PRI (Postural Restoration Institute), DNS (Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization), FRC (Functional Range Conditioning), whatever institutions like NASM or ACE prefer, or, I don’t know, duck-duck-goose.

Everything has it’s strengths and weaknesses.

More to the point, I would think that as people progress through their careers they’d take it upon themselves to actively change their minds the more they learn and gain experience.

They’ll experiment more and eventually “cherry pick” from several modalities to best fit their philosophy and approach to training.

Ideally “assessment” should be a smorgasbord of reaches, rolls, carries, squats, hinges, toe touches, twists, presses, and bicep curls (<— only half kidding on that last one), among other things.

Here is Gray Cook’s definition of assessment (a good one, mind you):

“In the assessment you take your education background, your professional wisdom, the particular situation, the time constraints, other historical information like a medical history or previous problems…and put all that together. That’s an assessment.”

Pretty hard to disagree with that, right?

Here’s my lame attempt:

“Can the person sitting/standing in front of you do stuff?”

I’m not tossing darts at everyone, but I do find that the bulk of fitness professionals out there use the initial assessment as an opportunity to search every crevasse (not that crevasse, get your mind out of the gutter), nook & cranny, and area of the body for “dysfunction.”

Many use the assessment as an opportunity to demonstrate to someone how much of a walking ball of fail they are.

“Okay Mr. Jones here’s what we got: your hip flexors are tight, you have forward head posture, you lack frontal plane stability, you lack ample scapular upward rotation, your left big toe has zero dorsiflexion, you have weak glutes, you’re quad dominant, your shoulders are slightly internally rotated, you’re probably gluten intolerant, your wife is cheating on you, and I’m about 37% convinced you have cancer.

If you purchase a 24 pack you’ll save $13 per session. Whataya say?”

After all that this will be Mr. Jones:

via GIPHY

Some of the above may be relevant and stuff you should focus on as a trainer. I mean, I’m not going to sit here and belabor a coach for wanting to improve a client’s thoracic spine mobility.

However, if I were the person listening to some laundry list of things I suck at or need to improve on, I’d be like………

………..”fuck off.”

Be Careful of Being Told to “Fuck Off”

There’s much I can wax poetic on when it comes to the topic of assessment. My biggest pet-peeve, though, is when coaches/trainers place waaaaaaaaaay too much emphasis on someone’s resting/static posture.

Lets revisit the picture from above.

Many high-end gyms implement this advanced form of “postural assessment” as an up-sell to seduce more people into purchase training.

Said individual stands in front of a giant gridded screen and is then hooked up with a bunch of probes and what not that are placed at strategic locations around the body that bloop and bleep.

It’s reminiscent of one the most terrifying movies I have ever seen, Fire in the Sky.

Remember that one?

You know, that alien abduction movie from the early 90’s where the main character is relentlessly poked and prodded by a bunch of aliens on their spaceship?

It’s terrifying.

Anyway, I can’t help but be reminded of that movie whenever I see someone being told to stand in front of a grid so some trainer can scrutinize every inch of their posture in the hopes they’ll be hired to “fix” it.

Who says it needs to be fixed in the first place?

I’m reminded of a photograph shared by Fort Worth, TX based physical therapist, Dr. Jarod Hall a few years back which hammers home my point.

Here’s what he said/posted:

“I want everybody to look closely at this picture and tell me what you see…”

“I see 20 of the world’s top athletes that have tremendous range of motion, strength, body control, and physical capacity… Yet all have significant variances in their static posture as determined by the holy grail plumb-line.

Static posture is near worthless to measure for injury or pain prediction.”

Placing all your eggs into one basket – in this case static posture, which a lot of fitness professionals do – is unfortunate.

Posture is a Position, It’s Not a Death Sentence

To steal from another really smart physical therapist, Dr. Quinn Henoch, “posture will always be relative to two things:

  • the task at hand
  • and the load

If you’re not taking into consideration those two things during an assessment – in addition to movement, repetition, speed, etc – and you’re only assessing people based off static posture, well, you’re not smart.

The question, then, is….”what should an assessment look like or consist of?”

via GIPHY

I don’t know.

Like I said…you know your clients better than I do.

I know one thing is for sure: It would behoove any fitness pro to get their clients moving.

I am not saying you shouldn’t take static posture into consideration or that it’s a complete waste of time.

In the end, it’s all information.

However, LOAD is a game changer when it comes to assessment – especially as it relates to movement (and yes, even posture).

Far too many coaches are reticent to load their clients on Day #1.

As an example most people stink at a bodyweight squat, and we’re quick to assign some arbitrary number that they feel ends up defining them.

Add load.

  • Goblet Squat
  • Plate Loaded Front Squat

 

Invariably there’s almost always a dramatic improvement

Sha-ZAM…you just showed someone success and that they’re not broken.

Now THAT’s an assessment.

Add load. Add variety of movement. Don’t rely solely on static posture to assess your clients.

Just, don’t.

CategoriesAssessment coaching

A Peek Into My Assessment Process

I thought I’d do a solid and give my readers an inside peek into my assessment process today.

Copyright: sean824 / 123RF Stock Photo

 

To be blunt: I don’t feel what I do is all that special or altogether revolutionary. But it’s a topic that came up a lot earlier this week when I asked the Twitterverse for some ideas on what they’d like to see me write about in the future.

So, Here Goes

Much of the time the entire process starts with a swipe right an email. Someone reaches out and expresses an interest in coming to my studio in Brookline, MA so I can take a look at their bum shoulder or low back, or maybe to have me audit their deadlift or squatting technique.

They’ll be a few back and forths and I’ll try my best to articulate to them what my assessment will cover. I’ll ask for a little background information – training history, any current/past injuries I need to be aware of, or whether they’re Team Jacob or Team Edward?[footnote]I know it’s, what, five years after the fact?, but Twilight jokes never get old.[/footnote] – and then I’ll break down the general flow of the assessment and what they can expect.

In short, I’ll inform them that I divide the session into two parts: The “poking and prodding part” and the “pseudo training session part.” The part where I incessantly blurt out movie quotes is just a given.

The goal, for the poking and prodding part, is to see if any red-flags pop up from a “is anything I’m doing causing any pain standpoint?” and a “do they have the mobility/flexibility of a rusty crowbar standpoint?”

Likewise, the goal of the pseudo training session part is to ascertain general movement quality and to not bore them to tears.

I explain this to them in a much more professional and succinct manner.

Once we’ve established a date/time to meet up I’ll send them the address of the studio (you would think this is obvious, but I can’t tell how many times I have forgotten to do so), pre-payment options if they so choose (PayPal Button), as well as my Health Questionnaire I’d like for them to fill out prior to coming in (to help save time).

Copyright: alexskopje / 123RF Stock Photo

An important point I’d like to note about my health questionnaire (I am not saying you have to do this) is that I consider this an opportune chance to start building a rapport with the client. Most people know what to expect from a standard health questionnaire. Questions regarding their family history, past/current injuries to note, allergies, and what (if any) medications they’re taking are all par for the course. Mine questionnaire is no different.

However, out of nowhere I’ll hit them with questions like:

  • What’s your favorite movie?
  • What’s your pet’s name?
  • Have you ever been bitten by zombie?

Such things help break the monotony and serve as conversation stimulators. Plus they demonstrate I don’t take myself too seriously and that I’m cool as balls.

The Face to Face

Now it’s go time. We finally meet face to face.

I’ve championed this sentiment in the past but it bears repeating:

“The main objective for me when starting with a new client is to not treat the assessment as an opportunity to showcase how much of a walking ball fail they are. It serves no purpose IMO to point out every…single…thing they suck at. Rather, my goal is to do anything and everything I can to demonstrate to them success.”

If they’re coming in with shoulder pain and they lack shoulder flexion, what can I do to 1) help them get out of pain? and 2) demonstrate movements that they can do (pain free)? Moreover, can I use the Test/Retest protocol to see an increase in ROM in shoulder flexion?

If I can accomplish one of those things within an hour, if not all three, it’s a safe bet I’ll likely achieve an easy “buy in” on their end. I’ll also kindly ask them to refer to me as Gandalf from that point on.

I’ll begin each assessment with a 5-10 minute window where we discuss our feelings. Normally I’d rather jump into a shark’s mouth than discuss my feelings with anyone, but it’s about them not me. The best thing I can do is shut up, ask questions, and listen and use the word “why?” a lot.

Example 1

Them: “I want to lose ten lbs?”

Me: That’s cool, why is that? What benefit do you think you’ll receive in attaining that goal?

Example 2

Them: “My goal is to compete in my first powerlifting meet.”

Me (after I high-five them): “Cool. why is that? What benefit do you think you’ll receive in attaining that goal?

Example 3

Them: “I’d like to get stronger.”

Me: “Yeah, that’s cool but it says here your favorite movie is The Matrix Revolutions, is that right? 

Them: “Yep, I love it.”

Me: “Get the fuck out of my gym.”

Sometimes people talk for a few seconds, while others go on for several minutes (and then some). Either way, by getting THEM to talk – and asking why? – I’ll get a better idea of where their mindset is at in addition to having a better appreciate of where they’re coming from.

Something else to note here is that, often, coaches will use the interview process to ask about coaches and trainers the person may have worked with in the past and their experiences with them. I think it’s a good idea to ask. However, what I find is all too common is some coaches take it as an opportunity to lambast the other coach.

“Your previous trainer did whaaaaat? That’s so stupid!”

Don’t do that.

Just nod your head, say something to the affect of “huh, that’s interesting,” and move on. You’re not doing yourself any favors by talking smack about other fitness professionals. In fact I think it comes across as very unprofessional.

It’s Time to Poke and Prod

NOTE: Just realized this comes across as slightly creepy. Rest assured things stay 100% PG.

At this point I’ll take out my training table and start the formal assessment. To be honest: while I do have a checklist I work off of, no two assessments are the same. Having the checklist helps, but everyone’s different. While there is some overlap, what I look at and how I assess a 22-year old college baseball player can be quite different compared to a 47-year old accountant with limited exercise experience.

To that end, every fitness pro approaches assessment differently. I’ve taken the FMS and use portions of it all the time. However I’m going to try my best to cater the assessment to match the person standing in front of me. That’s the beauty of having my own spot. I can do whatever the heck I want.

If that means going off the beaten track so be it.

I’d be remiss not to mention it’s inevitable there’s going to be a degree of bias. One’s training philosophy and values will come into play. For example I’m a “strength” guy. I like getting people strong (while also helping them feel a little more athletic). Despite my assessment I’m still going to have people deadlift, squat, press, row, carry, lunge, and perform first pumps x infinity to Annie Mac radio.

Some may be like, “WTF Tony. What’s the point in doing the assessment, then, if all your going to have them do is the same stuff you have everyone else doing?”

Fair question.

The assessment helps me figure out someone’s starting point. More to the point, the assessment helps me figure out what variation of those lifts will be the best fit given their goals, ability level, and movement quality.

As an example, I use the table assessment to perform a hip scour and gauge hip (IR/ER) ROM. If someone has 45-50 degrees of ER and 20-40 degrees of IR (and appropriate hip flexion ROM) it’s a safe bet they’re okay with squatting below 90 degrees (or with most anything else I’d have them perform on the gym floor). If not, well, I’ll adjust.

I can also perform further “screens” to see if the lack of ROM is due to actual “tightness” or if all I have to do is work on someone’s REACTIVE stability:

 

I can also use the Shoulder Flexion Screen to see whether or not overhead pressing is a good idea.

In the end, I’m not going to sit here and say you MUST do “x, y and z” because I don’t know what you should or shouldn’t be doing. All I know is that there’s no one right way, but that getting people OFF the table is more valuable to me.

The Pseudo Training Session

The poking and prodding part takes, maybe, 15 minutes to complete. 20 minutes tops. Sometimes less.

I don’t want people feeling like a patient and I’d much rather get them on the gym floor doing stuff. I get more information this way anyways.

Here’s where I’ll take a look at their hip hinge, squat, and single leg (front plane) stability. If need be, I’ll regress or progress accordingly. For some a hip hinge is showing them a cable pull-through.

 

For others it’s an actual deadlift.

 

Remember: SHOWING THEM SUCCESS is crucial.

Show people what they can do, and don’t perseverate on what they can’t.

At this juncture I’ll also begin to showcase some of the “correctives” I may want them to do. Some may need to prioritize their T-spine mobility or maybe we need to spend some time activating their glutes. Or, maybe we need to show them a good movie, like The Royal Tenenbaums.

I’ll also break down why (and how) I want them to foam roll and do their soft-tissue work, and then I’ll basically take them through a quick training circuit. This may come down to a short-n-sweet A1-A2 circuit for a few sets. Or, I don’t know, maybe we’ll take our shirts off and perform bicep curls for ten minutes.

Either way I’ve done all I can to have (hopefully) given them a positive experience and a better idea of my coaching style, what a typical training session would look like, and how I’m going to help them increase their general level of badassery.

Buy in = they give me their credit card number….;o)

PS: If you’re really interested into diving into my assessment process check out mine (and Dean Somerset’s) resource Complete Shoulder and Hip Blueprint.

hipandshoulderfb-banner

CategoriesAssessment coaching Exercise Technique Strength Training

Building the Squat From the Bottom

We all know that squats are a staple movement that span the gauntlet when it comes to helping people get stronger, leaner, and faster.

Blah, blah, blabbidy, blah.

That’s all well and good. But lets be honest.

Squats also help build bodacious bottoms.

There’s a reason why no one has ever written a song titled “Flat Bottomed Girls” or “I Like Average-Sized Butts.”

We like our derrieres fat and big, baby!

Alas, this article isn’t about the human form, appreciating the backside, and how squats help build bottoms.

No, this article is about something else entirely.

How to Build the Squat FROM THE BOTTOM

Dean Somerset and I spent this past weekend up in Kitchener, Ontario (<– that’s in Canada) just outside Toronto co-teaching our Complete Hip and Shoulder Workshop.

Note: you can check out to see if we’re coming to your neck of the woods HERE.

One of the main bullet points Dean and I hit on was squat patterning and how coaches and personal trainers can go about cleaning up their athlete’s or client’s squat technique.

Or, better yet: demonstrate to them some semblance of success.

Just so we’re clear: I think the squat is a basic movement pattern that everyone should be able to perform. I’m not insinuating that everyone should be able to walk into a gym on day #1 and drop it like it’s hot into a clean, deep squat and/or be able to load it to a significant degree.

Not everyone can (or should) squat deep. I’ve written on the topic several times, and for those interested you can go HERE and HERE.

That said, it is a movement pattern that’s important and one that can help offset many postural weaknesses, imbalances, not to mention more colloquial goals like athletic performance and aesthetics.

Assessment

Squat assessment is a crucial component to figuring out what’s the right “fit” or approach for each individual.

I can’t stress this enough: Not everyone is meant to squat to ass-to-grass on day one. Not everyone has the anatomy or hip structure to do it!

But it’s also important to figure WHY someone can’t squat to depth? Is it a mobility issue (which many are quick to gravitate towards) or a stability issue?

Digging deeper on the mobility-stability conundrum, Dean hit on a few important points this past weekend in trying to differentiate what mechanism(s) prevent someone from A) squatting deeper than that think they can squat and B) squatting with a better, more efficient pattern.

It’s a concept I’ve used myself with my own athletes and clients, but Dean did a really great job at peeling back the onion and helping the attendees better understand where they should focus their efforts.

Is it a Structural Issue?

Say someone makes the Tin Man look hyper-mobile when they squat. No matter what they do or how they position themselves, they just can’t seem to squat to an appreciable depth.

Most trainers and coaches would chalk it up to something lame like “tight hip flexors” or lack of hip mobility (which certainly could be the case), and revert to any litany of drills to improve either of the two.

This could very well be the correct anecdote, but I do feel it’s an often simplified and overused approach. I can’t tell you how many coaches have taken this route only to end up barking up the wrong tree.

It’s imperative to dig a little deeper.

Structural issue(s) = bony growth (FAI?), bone spur, and/or geometry of the hip joint itself.

As a trainer or coach you’re not diagnosing anything, and unless you’re Superman[footnote]If you are, can we hang out?[/footnote] and have X-ray vision you’re more or less speculating anyways.

Assuming you have the knowledge base and are comfortable doing so, you can ascertain of what each person’s (general) anatomy is telling you by using a hip scour.

 

Supine (Passive): Have an individual lay on his or her’s back and bring knee into hip flexion. Is it uncomfortable or do they feel any pinching at or near the hip joint? If so, abduct the hip. Does the pinching go away? Do they gain more hip flexion?

This can speak to what their ideal squat-stance width should be.

You can also check hip internal/external rotation. Do they have more or less ROM in either direction? This could speak to more retroversion/anteversion of the acetabulum itself.

In general: those with an anteverted acetabulum (more than enough IR) are going to have crazy amounts of hip flexion. These are people are the ones who can squat ass-to-grass without blinking an eye. Of course, whether or not they can control that ROM is another story.

Conversely, those with a retroverted acetabulum (more ER) may struggle with hip flexion (bone hits bone earlier) and will likely never live up the all the internet trolls’ expectations regarding squat depth.

They’ll likely dominate hip extension ROM, however.[footnote]GFY, internet.[/footnote]

 

Supine (Active): You can also have someone test their hip flexion ROM actively (meaning, they’re the ones doing the work). The key here, however, is making sure they use their hip flexors to actively “pull” their knees towards their chest.

Can they do it? Any restrictions?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3TI-GJNl9w

 

Prone/Quadruped: Another “screen” to add is in the quadruped position where, again, the person is more stable.

Here you’re checking to see at what point do they lose control of lumbar positioning?

Some people, due to their anatomy, and despite 698 coaching cues being tossed their way, will lose positioning before they hit 90 degrees of hip flexion. You can be the most well-intentioned coach in the world, but unless you’re Professor Dumbledore you’re never going to be able to fit a square peg into a round hole.

So, you work with what’s presented to you. This person will need to squat at or above parallel.

I’m fairly certain the Earth will still continue to spin.

However, what you’ll often find is that they’re able to get into what would be equivalent to a “deep squat” position. Further, if you have them dip down and extend their arms above their head it’s akin to the same position as an overhead squat.

If they’re able to assume this position, it’s a safe bet (although not entirely exclusive) they it’s not a structural issue that’s preventing them from assuming a deep(er) and “clean” squat pattern.

 

All of it’s information – which may or may not stick – but it’s information nonetheless. And it’ll all help guide you as a coach to figure out what’s most suitable approach for your athletes and clients.

When assessing someone’s active squat pattern they may present as a walking ball of fail and demonstrate a whole host of compensation patterns. This is where some fitness professionals are quick to jump on the “it’s a mobility issue” bandwagon.

Taking the time to perform a more thorough screen (like the ones suggested above), though, is an excellent way to glean whether or not that is indeed accurate.

Squat From the Bottom

Lets assume you figured out it’s NOT a structural issue. You assess/screen someone in the supine/prone/quadruped positions and find they’re able to exhibit a passable squat pattern.

Yet, when they stand up and attempt to squat they resemble a stack of crashing Jenga pieces.

One of the best strategies I’ve found to help address this is to teach/re-groove the squat pattern FROM THE BOTTOM. Basically, start in the end position.

It helps to build context and confidence. In addition, it engrains the CNS to inform the brain “dude/dudette, relax, we got this!”

Assisted Squat Patterning

If I’m working with someone in person, I’ll hold my hands out in front of me (palms up), ask them to place their hands on top of mine (palms down), assume a squat stance, and “groove” their squat pattern (sit back with the hips, push the knees out), and “pull” themselves down into the bottom position of the squat.

I’ll then have them let go, hold that position for a good 3-5 second count, and then stand back up. We start them where we want them to finish. As a result this BOTTOMS-UP approach helps groove technique, but more importantly helps improve people’s confidence at sitting in the hole.

Some other variations you can use:

Squat Walk Down

 

Suspension Trainer Assist

 

Have someone grab the side of a squat or power rack (or use a suspension trainer – TRX, Jungle Gym) and use as much assistance as they need in order to get into the bottom position.

Note: Make sure they maintain a good back position.

Once they get into a position they feel they can control and “own,” have him or her let go and hold that position for a 3-5s count.

Then, stand up.

Have them repeat for several repetitions.

You’ll often find that after a few reps things start to click.

Boom

When it comes to squatting, not everyone should be held to the same standard.

  • Perform the screens mentioned above. Do your job.
  • Figure out what the best “fit” is for each person – depth, stance width, foot placement, etc.
  • Use pattern assistance if necessary. Start from the bottom. Build success into people’s training.

Either approach you use – whether it’s partner assisted or with external assistance (rack, TRX) – the main advantage is that it forces anterior core engagement, which in turn helps improve stability, which in turn improves motor control, which in turn makes people into rock stars.

Except without the fame, money, and glory. And amphetamines.

CategoriesUncategorized

The Real Rules of Assessment

The topic of assessment can be a daunting subject to tackle given there have been hundreds – if not thousands – of books, ebooks, manuals, DVDs, tapes (ha – remember those!?), brochures (and whatever other form of media you can think of) that have dissected and scrutinized every nook and cranny.

What else is there to say?  Certainly writing a blog post on the subject isn’t going to enlighten anyone –  especially considering there really isn’t anything new to say.  Likewise, it’s unlikely I’m going to say anything profound or revolutionary that will bring me accolades, a ticker tape parade, or in the event I really blow people’s minds, a Nobel Prize for Being Awesome.

Giving full disclosure, when it comes to assessment, there really is no set protocol I follow.  In the fitness world there are undoubtedly a bevy of phenomenal procedures or “systems” to utilize (FMS, NASM, Assess and Correct, to name a few) – but if I’m going to be honest, there is no ONE  that I prefer over the other.

I think Eric Cressey (my good friend, and business partner) said it best:  at Cressey Performance, with regards to assessment, we take a bit more of a “broad” approach and then dig a little deeper if need be.

Well I should clarify that statement to a degree.  With a large part of our population – specifically all of our baseball guys – we definitely start with a more targeted approach.  With them we’ll immediately delve into nitpicky things like total range of motion (IR + ER) between throwing and non-throwing sides, check their scapular upward/downward rotation, shoulder flexion, and the like.

After placing them under the microscope, we’ll then start to incorporate more generalized screens like the Thomas Test, adductor length, lunge and squat pattern, so on and so forth.

With such a specialized group of people, it only makes sense to start in that capacity.

On the flip side – with a more generalized population (those looking to lose some fat, increase their general level of badassery, or to look better neked), we’ll usually start with a more “broad” approach and then dig a little deeper if need be.

In the latter scenario, a perfect example would be someone who walks in with a history of chronic lower back pain.  In that case I’m definitely going to want to take a closer look at things and try to see if any red flags pop up that will give me more pertinent information.

The more info I have, the clearer picture I get, and the more likely I am to better ascertain what their needs are and come up with a plan of attack from a programming standpoint.

It’s in this type of scenario where having a “cherry picking” attitude towards assessment comes in handy.  I’ll take bits a pieces from the FMS, from some of Dr. McGill’s stuff, Gray Cook, Mike Boyle, Mike Robertson, Charlie Weingroff, Papa Smurf.  It’s all fair game.

Like I said:  I’m not married to one train of thought over the other.

Regardless, I do feel there are some overlying rules or “code of conduct” when it comes to assessment that I’d like to share.  And with that I’d like to share what serves as an umbrella of sorts to my general philosophy when it comes to assessment.

Rule #1: Actually, You Know, Do an Assessment

It still boggles my mind that there are still some fitness professionals out there who don’t even perform an assessment with their clients.  While I know it’s a cliched saying:  if you’re not assessing, you’re guessing.

As I alluded above, I don’t care what type of assessment you follow – everyone has their own preferences            train of thought, and I’m not here to state who’s right and who’s wrong, which systems are worthwhile and which ones are bogus.

BUT:  you’re an a-hole if you’re idea of an assessment is to just show a client the Cybex circuit. If you’re not taking your clients through an assessment, you might as well use a dartboard to write their programs.  Good luck with that.

I am by no means saying that what we do at CP should be considered the gold standard, but just to give everyone an inkling of what an assessment entails:

– Thomas Test, Seated Hip IR/ER, Supine Hip IR/ER, Adductor Length, Hamstring Length, Prone Quad Test, Prone Hip IR/ER, Shoulder IR/ER (total ROM), GIRD?, Shoulder Flexion, Say the Alphabet Backwards (for time)

This takes all of 5-10 minutes (tops) and provides a gulf of information.  For example, if I’m working with a right-handed pitcher coming in with some elbow pain, the first inclination is to look at the elbow (which we obviously do).

But if that’s all I did, and I didn’t test his lead hip IR (which we find is woefully deficient, which means he’s probably opening up on his delivery too soon, which mean’s he’s placing waaaay more valgus stress on his elbow), we’d be barking up the wrong tree.

From there, we like to get people moving.  Testing them on the table is cool and all, but when we train, we move, and I like to see how people move.

– Squat Patern

– Lunge Pattern

– Teach Em’ How to Dougie

Using a general fitness enthusiast as an example, there are several squat “screens” I’ll take people through which I highlighted in THIS article.

But if all I did was a simple overhead squat screen – which most people fail miserably at – and I didn’t dig any deeper, I may just assume that the reason why he or she can’t get to depth is because their hips are tighter than a crow bar.  This is what they’ve been told from several other trainers, so it must be true!

I’ll take people through 3-4 squat screens to see what shakes free.  With the last one I’ll have them hold a counterbalance out in front of their body, and it’s almost profound how much of an improvement you’ll see.

By holding the weight out in front of you as a counterbalance, you’re forced to engage your anterior core musculature, which in turn gives the entire body the stability it needs to allow for more squat depth.

Without performing this last screen, many would automatically assume that the reason they can’t squat to depth is because of a mobility issue, when in fact, as Alwyn Cosgrove has noted on numerous occasions, it’s a stability issue.

Without this differentiation, we can see how many people would be barking up the wrong tree, and doing themselves a massive disservice on the training side of things.

Think what would happen if we omitted or neglected to perform the last squat screen – we’d assume that we have a mobility deficit somewhere and just focus on that one component, rather than address the real issue at hand, namely lack of stability.

Rule #2: You’re Objective Isn’t To Make Them Feel Like a Walking Ball of Fail.

The objective of an assessment is to give you information, not to point out every dysfunction that the person has and make them feel like a loser.

I remember one of the biggest mistakes I made as an upcoming trainer was to try to prove to people who much smarter I was than them.  When I’d start with a new client, I’d take them through an assessment, use big words like synergistic dominance, reciprocal inhibition, and adductor aponeurosis, and try to wow them with my infinite wisdom, intelligence, and witty banter.

Really all I did was come across as a walking douche.

I’d go out of my way to point out every single dysfunction – OMG, your left pinky toe doesn’t dorsiflex 17 degrees! – and honestly, it would turn many of them off.

Don’t get me wrong:  I think it’s important (wand warranted) to point out any concerns or red flags that may appear, but it also doesn’t hurt to have some sort of social filter and tone it down on the first day.   Try not jump at every chance to tell them how much of a train wreck they are.

Rule #3: It’s Still Important to Achieve a Training Effect

Pigging backing on the point above, many trainers get a little too overzealous with assessment and fail to realize that it’s still important to give people a training effect (even if they are banged up).

Think about it this way:  would YOU want to spend an entire hour on a table getting poked and prodded like a piece of meat?  Indeed, there are cases where that’s warranted – particularly when someone presents with a unique injury history. But you might as well just toss in an episode of Army Wives and bore them to tears if all you’re going to do is test hamstring length for an hour.

GET THEM MOVING!!!!!!!!!

At CP we’ve designed our initial assessment to be half table work/showing them how to foam roll/taking them through a general dynamic warm-up and half lets-get-them-on-the training-floor-and-see-what-shakes-free  hodgepodge.

Actually SEEING whether or not your client can perform a proper hip hinge or whether he or she can perform a push-up without compensating willl provide a heckuva lot more information, in my opinion, than testing breathing patterns for 45 minutes.

Rule #4: Make Them Prove You Wrong

And lastly, this is the crux; the creme de le creme if you will.

The REAL point of an assessment is for them to prove to me that they CAN do “stuff.” Listen, I think as fitness professionals (or just general fitness enthusiast) we all know that exercises like squats, deadlifts, rows, pull-up variations, single leg work, etc are going to make the “bulk” of most training programs.

My goal is to get all of my clients squatting, deadlifting, bench pressing, and kicking ass.

What TYPE of squat or deadlift or whatever is where the assessment comes in.  If someone comes in with FAI, I’m sure as shit not going to squat them (at least not past parallel).  But I can more than likely have them perform trap bar deadlifts and single leg work without much fanfare.

Additionally, if I’m working with someone dealing with a shoulder impingement problem, I’m probably not going to have them bench press, but I can probably have them perform dumbbell floor presses (and a crap ton of horizontal rowing) and progress them from there.

The point is:  they must demonstrate to me – through the assessment process – that he or she can perform the things I want them to do in a safe manner, with flawless technique, and without pain.

More importantly (and this can’t be glazed over):  will said exercises point them in the right direction with regards to helping them attain their goals?

In many ways, this is the REAL rationale behind an assessment.  To prove to you – the fitness professional – that they can perform “x” exercise(s) without causing injury or harm.

And That’s That

The above certainly isn’t an exhaustive overview on my thoughts with assessment, but more along the lines of a quick brain dump that (hopefully) sheds some light on things I’ve learned, experienced, and adapted throughout the years.

I think at the end of the day, no one is really right or wrong when it comes to assessment.  There are certainly many, many ways to approach it.

I’d love to hear everyone else’s thoughts.  Agree? Disagree?