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INTRODUCTION

MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness is learning to pay attention to what is happening within you and around you without
being reactive or judgmental. When we practice mindfulness, our attention shifts from conscious
thinking to kinesthetic awareness that heightens our senses.

In this state, our awareness expands beyond our limited sense of self. By practicing mindfulness,
dormant faculties and untouched potential begin to awaken and manifest. View mindfulness as a
mental gear that you possess to help you work with the challenging aspects of your life.

Mindfulness is what athletes refer to as “the zone.” Things slow down and a rhythm and feeling of
effortlessness are experienced. All great athletes are able to train and compete in this state, and most
agree this is what enables them to perform at a high level.

BALANCED
Balanced refers to a state of equilibrium. Physically, we have a right side and a left side of our
bodies, a front and a back, an upper body and a lower body. Mentally, we have a right and left side
of the brain with each side possessing essential qualities toward function and health. Stability is the
desired outcome of balance.

ATHLETE
Athlete refers to a person proficient in sports or other forms of exercise. It’s probably fair to say that
many of us don’t consider ourselves athletes unless we are actively trained or compete in a sport.
However, let’s bear in mind these words from Nike: “If you have a body, then you are an athlete.”
How do people who don’t view themselves as athletes develop athleticism? Athleticism can most
certainly develop without the organized rigorous training that an elite athlete experiences. Even
though most people are not aiming for a spot on an Olympic team, they can gradually develop their
athleticism.

BALANCED ATHLETE
Our vision is to view all people as having the inherent capacity to awaken their inner athlete. Our
aim is to provide education and certification for people who are passionate about the evolution of
mindful movement and want to help others learn and evolve. We want to cultivate a community of
like-minded people willing to lead by example and stand on the forefront of this movement.

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THE STAGES OF MOVEMENT

1. MOVEMENT IS DEVELOPMENTAL.
We are all born relatively supple and strong. On the way to standing upright, we progress through
developmental movements. Beginning on our backs, we pull our knees to our chest, grab our feet,
and rock back and forth on our backs. We then roll onto our bellies and lift our arms and legs off
the ground. These actions on our backs and bellies strengthen our spinal and hip muscles, preparing
us to sit up. When we do sit up, we cross our legs like a yogi. We sway to find our center of gravity,
cultivating an upright, strong spine, which extends like a staff. We then come to our hands and
knees and begin rocking back in preparation to crawl.

We make our way over to something to pull ourselves up to standing. We again sway as we did
when we were sitting cross-legged, yet this time from the hips like we are spinning a hula hoop.
This action enables us to find our center of gravity in an upright position. We begin squatting,
perfecting hinging from the hips, heart lifted, feet evenly planted on the ground. These squats
develop the hinges in our ankles, knees, and hips to enable us to eventually stand, walk, and run.

We walk assisted by holding onto things, and then one day we let go. We take a few tentative,
unsteady steps, totter forward, and inevitably fall down, landing on our bottoms with the spine in
an upright posture. We giggle and then pull ourselves back up and walk again. We can observe the
mechanics of walking and running by watching babies put one foot in front of the other, falling
forward as one leg goes in front of the other to catch and propel themselves forward. Eventually,
this turns into wild running. Children between the ages of two and five are unquestionably the best
movers on the planet!

I watched my three children progress through this development that we all experience. No one
teaches us. The progression is programmed into our DNA, and we intuitively know what to do each
step of the way. So what happens next to disrupt this perfection?

2. MOVEMENT IS GENETIC.
Although we all share the same number of bones and muscles, we all are truly individual in design.
Some of us have high arches in our feet, and others have flat feet. Some have knees that veer in or
bow out or seem to be rather neutral. Our bone lengths vary as do their orientations in our joints,
and the very shape of our joints also varies from person to person. Some of us have pronounced
scoliosis (abnormal lateral curvature of the spine), while others have it to a lesser degree.

Our muscles also share individual characteristics in their shapes and lengths of tendons (flexible but
inelastic cords of strong fibrous collagen tissues attaching muscle to bone). Ligaments (short bands
of tough, flexible, fibrous connective tissue that connect two bones or cartilages or hold together a
joint) also vary individually, allowing for more or less movement between bones. Each person’s
genetically ligamentous predisposition will also affect his or her movement.

3. MOVEMENT IS LEARNED.
Covering our feet is the first mistake. We put shoes on our children, and they immediately resist and
revolt. We put their shoes on, and they take them off. We playfully go back and forth, yet children
persist in trying to free their feet. Anytime I lecture, I can always recognize the parents in the room
by the smiles and laughter. One of the most unnatural things we do to our bodies is cover our feet.
Most shoes are like casts. They prevent the 33 joints in our feet from moving freely. They mask the
function of the arch, the necessity to propel off the big toe, allowing us to heel strike when running,
thereby robbing us of the ability to feel the energetic connection with the ground. Now, I am not
saying we should walk around in bare feet, but we should spend as much time as we can without
shoes on so we don’t lose the natural function of the foot.

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We start favoring one side of our body, getting identified as left or right-handed. We also do this
with one of our legs, and imbalances between the right and left sides of the body develop. These
imbalances weave throughout the hips and shoulders and meander through the spine.

Modern life requires us to sit too much and for too long. I consider sitting to be a close second to
putting shoes on as one of the most unnatural things we do. The way our body is designed to move
has been developing for seven or eight million years. The chair came into common use only several
hundred years ago. It seems to me that sitting from eight to 10 hours a day is in conflict with our
best interests.

SPORTS
For many of us, sports begin when we are very young. We favor the use of one side of the body and
develop repetitive patterns found in the respective sport. For instance, a baseball pitcher favors one
arm when he throws. But he is not just throwing with that arm. He is actually throwing with his
whole body, and his muscles begin to contour to that motion. Without a doubt, sports are fun and
exciting and an important part of our culture, but specializing in a sport too early is not to our best
bodily advantage.

IMITATION
We mimic our parents’ expressions, mannerisms, and beliefs as well as their posture, gait, and other
movement patterns without our being aware of it.

As we sit, stand, walk, and sleep in particular ways, our brain and body adapt habits or patterns of
movement throughout our muscular skeletal system. These patterns define how we hold and move
our bodies in relation to gravity and space.

4. MOVEMENT IS TRAUMATIC.
We experience trauma physically, mentally, and emotionally. We fall out of trees, suffer physical or
emotional abuse, struggle with self-esteem issues, survive car accidents, get injured in sports, and
experience heartbreak. All of this leaves an imprint on us and further solidifies the way our mind
holds our body. As medical intuitive, Caroline Myss, says, “Biography becomes your biology.”
Most people are unaware of the roots of their trauma. Some athletes blame a sports injury. Others
accept aches and pains, the belief that they just need to stretch, or the fact that pain is a natural part
of aging. In our senior market, we see debilitating orthopedic pain. Unfortunately, far too many
seniors are told that they require harmful drugs, joint replacement, or spinal disk replacement.
These remedies are often the only choices offered, yet many times what the patient needs is
movement therapy ---- Balanced Athlete.

5. AGING
As we age, we are susceptible to changes in muscle mass, slowing down of nervous system
function, slowing down of sensory function, changes in walking gait, and changes in our major
senses --- vision, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. All of these changes affect our ability to move
and are major considerations.

CONCLUSION

We wonder why injury rates are incredibly high in running, yoga, and cross fit training. When we
engage in any form of movement, we move through the respective modality with genetic, learned,
traumatic, and aging patterns in place. When teaching other movement professionals, I always
stress that unless we assess people’s structure, educate them about their asymmetries, and provide
programs that allow them to learn principles and techniques that help them become aware of these
patterns and change the way they move, then it is inevitable for most to suffer injury or pain. We
then blame the injury on the activity. What really caused the pain is the way we move, not the actual
modality itself.

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EMERGING SCIENCE
“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they
sought.” ~Matsuo Basho, Japanese poet

The late Steve Jobs of Apple fame knew he and his company had created something revolutionary.
Something that would change life as we knew it. He realized that people didn’t even know they
needed what he had created. So this question arose: How do we sell people something they don’t
even know they need?

With a respectful bow to Steve Jobs, I am committed to bringing something to people that they may
not yet realize they need.

Over the last 15 years, a huge leap in understanding human movement has come from physical
therapy, exercise science, strength and conditioning, Rolfing, and Hatha yoga. A new science has
emerged that has given us movement principles and techniques that govern how the human body is
designed to move. It has shed some light on why injury rates are so high in millions of youth
athletes and weekend warriors and why our middle age and baby boomer populations are plagued
with catastrophic dysfunctional movement patterns and orthopedic injuries. It has also focused on
why far too many of our older population are unable to perform daily movements required to
sustain a comfortable quality of life.

This emerging science is largely unknown unless you are a participating professional or a student
of one of the trailblazers committed to it. The unique ingredient shared by these people is a passion
to understand the mind and body connection more intimately and develop a movement intelligence
that fuses mental focus and the awareness of the body and its relationship with gravity and space.
Without these ingredients, there can be no understanding of this emerging science. It is not an
understatement to say that I am deeply committed to it.

IMPETUS FOR BALANCED ATHLETE

This manual began in early 2000. After nearly a decade of study and practice in western methods
of fitness and strength and conditioning, my body was in pain from the very modality that I was
practicing and teaching as a professional. At least that is what I thought. I sensed that something
was missing, even though I could not figure out what that missing element was. After exploring
chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, and physical therapy without any long-term relief, I finally took
a Hatha yoga class as a last ditch effort. I thought maybe some stretching would help.

I felt immediate relief after the first class. I realized Hatha yoga was not stretching, but I didn’t
know what it was. My understanding of movement back then was limited to exercise technique,
programming, and individual muscle function. To tell the truth, I didn’t understand how the body
was designed to move. I wondered why some people tightened up while others remained supple.
Why did some people have pain while others didn’t? These questions led to a refocusing of my
career and a journey that would forever change my view of human movement and life.

Over the last 14 years, through the lens of a strength and conditioning specialist, I have studied
various forms of Hatha yoga. I developed a dedicated daily practice that included Hatha yoga,
seated meditation practice, and eastern philosophy.

During this time, I grew a health and fitness business as well as a yoga business. Currently, our
fitness business, Plexus Fitness, operates fitness clubs, a CrossFit Box, and fitness centers in country
clubs and corporate centers. It also offers in-home yoga and fitness services. We operate three yoga
locations where we specialize and teach Empowered Yoga, a practical approach to the ancient

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healing art of yoga, incorporating modern exercise science and mindfulness-based principles.

Empowered Yoga emerged from a growing desire to organize and further the practice of yoga in the
21st century. We have maintained the essence of Hatha yoga while modernizing it through
implementing this emerging science of movement and mindfulness-based principles.

I have professionally worn the title Personal Trainer, Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Yoga
Teacher, and Meditation Teacher. Please understand that I have summarized my 20 years in the
profession not to impress you but to focus your attention on the foundation for this manual.

WHY DO WE GET INJURED AND FALL INTO PAIN?

The main reasons why the human body gets injured or experiences orthopedic pain are:

1. Postural deviations (poor posture)

2. Asymmetries (imbalances between right and left sides)

This explanation excludes pain caused by diseases or sports collision injuries. I am referring to
athletes who appear to be relatively healthy and get injured or begin to experience orthopedic pain.

All movements found within this syllabus will serve two purposes:

1. Test function
2. Strengthen dysfunction or enhance function

Each movement functions as a test that allows the athlete and coach to assess that particular motion.
If the athlete displays functional ability, this pattern can be strengthened by repeating the exercise.

THREE CATEGORIES OF MOVERS

As I look around the yoga room, CrossFit Box, and fitness club, I see that only a few people perform
the movements with flexibility, strength, grace, and mental poise. Unfortunately, in America we
have deteriorated as movers. When we exercise, we are either distracted by TV, music, or random
thoughts. This distracted state can cause us to aggressively and mindlessly throw our bodies around.
To further explain this, I will divide people into three categories.

1. Sedentary people who sit all day

In years past, only adults were in this category. With advances in technology over the past decade,
many young people are now also in this group. Those in it have a challenging time moving through
basic fundamental movement patterns and get tired very quickly because of their inability to move
in addition to their general lack of strength and endurance.

2. People who think they are living a fitness conscious lifestyle

They might go to the gym a few days a week, do a little running, and maybe play a sport. This group
also has a challenging time moving through basic fundamental movement patterns. However, they
have developed compensating movement patterns that allow them to exercise and move. They have
endurance and strength, but they are grounded in dysfunctional movement. This group represents a

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large majority of people who run, go to gyms, and play sports.

3. Functional movers who are also conditioned

Their feet are strong, they can jump, squat all the way down to the ground, touch their toes, balance
on each leg easily, and do push-ups and pull-ups correctly. They could go through FMS and show
little difficulty performing the test. Unfortunately, these people are rare.

As I mentioned in the introduction, unless you are one of the trailblazers or a student of one, you
have no idea that there is anything wrong. You simply have no knowledge of what it means to be a
functional mover.

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FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT
Over the last two decades, the fitness, strength and conditioning, Rolfing, yoga, and physical
therapy industries have all grown exponentially and are experiencing changes, realizations, and
evolutions. The emerging topic is assessing and teaching quality of movement before adding
quantity. Most of the industry leaders are humble enough to say that we are all talking about and
seeking the same thing.

The connector among these industries is becoming the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), a term
coined in 1997 by Gray Cook and Lee Burton. The FMS is a ranking and grading system that
documents movement patterns that are key to normal function. By screening these patterns, the
FMS readily identifies functional limitations and asymmetries. These are issues that can reduce the
effects of functional training and physical conditioning and distort body awareness.

In 2005, I began lecturing at the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) on the
topic of Yoga for Athletes under the title “Balanced Athlete.” Every year since then, I have had the
honor of presenting Balanced Athlete to other strength and conditioning professionals.

In the initial years, my presentations were focused on educating strength and conditioning
professionals about the benefits of Hatha yoga for them and their athletes. Through the years, my
presentation maintained what I found to be the essential elements of Hatha yoga yet began evolving
to include other aspects of movement and mindfulness science that are not part of a traditional
Hatha yoga practice. The Balanced Athlete over the last decade became an emerging practice in
response to the growing need to teach people to move more integratively and functionally.

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CONNECTING THE DOTS
The emerging science of movement is the science of connecting the dots. The dots are the
individual parts of the body. We must come to understand how the foot, leg, pelvis, hand, arm, and
shoulder are designed to support one another and, of course, the spinal column. It is from this
collective understanding that we stop seeing parts of the body and instead view the whole body as
one.

KINETIC CHAIN

Kinetic: of or relating to the motion of

material bodies and the forces and energy
associated therewith

Chain: refers to the interconnected nature of

the individual links that make up the whole.

There are 19 links that make up the human

kinetic chain. There are nine links on each
side of the body which are governed by the
330 plus muscles on each side. The human
head represents the nineteenth link. A link
represents energetic actions created by
muscles around the major joints of the body.
In optimum human movement, the links
work cohesively within one another as one
fluid unit to create motion.

Notes:

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FOUR PERIPHERAL POINTS AND TWO
FOCAL POINTS

Four peripheral points are located in the

hands and feet. The hands and feet are each
equipped with three arches and copious
nerve endings. These nerves meander up the
limbs through the hip and shoulder joints
back to the spinal column. The nerve
endings communicate sensory feedback to
the brain. A significant portion of the brain
is designated toward communication with
our periphery.

The function of the arches is to support and

draw muscular energy up the limbs,
engaging muscles throughout the legs and
arms, and organizing the hips and shoulders
in conjunction with the spinal column.

Two focal points are specific points located

along the spinal column. They are where the
four peripheral points merge onto the spinal
column, creating spinal column stability and
extension, and allowing the spinal column
to rest and function in its intended state.

Upper focal point is located at the lower tips

of the shoulder blades (Thoracic 5-8) from posterior view and sternum from anterior view.

Lower focal point is located at Sacral Iliac joint (SI joint, Sacral 2) from posterior view and roughly
three inches below the navel from anterior view.

The connection, coordination, strength, and flexibility among these four peripheral points and two
focal points bring harmony throughout the peripheral and central nervous systems and allow for the
least amount of stress on the major joints of the body, especially the spinal column.

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Notes:

Notes:

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UNDERSTANDING THE LINKS

Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every

action there is an opposite and equal reaction. This is
evident in the human body. Every muscle is married,
or you could say, has a partner. When one muscle
shortens, another muscle lengthens. The agonist is the
one that shortens; the antagonist is the one that
lengthens.

View this as a circular relationship like a wheel. This

is key to understanding how the body moves. View the
links as wheels. As one side lengthens, the other side
shortens. When both sides of the wheel are functioning
optimally, they lengthen and shorten together to allow
for a good marriage.

There are approximately 330 plus muscles on each

side of the body. The number varies depending on
which expert you are asking. We are still discovering
much about muscles and their role in movement.
Tendons are the dense tissues found on the ends of
muscles, connecting them to the bone. Ligaments are
fibrous tissues that connect bone to bone.

Instead of analyzing which muscles are doing what, focus on understanding the way the 19 links
energetically move. This will allow you to assess an individual’s movement and develop an eye for
seeing movement.

LOCKED LONG AND LOCKED SHORT

Each link works independently yet dependently on the other. For instance, you can move your wrist
independently of your fingers, but if the muscles of the fingers and palms are tight and weak, then
the wrist may begin, with age and use, to develop carpal tunnel syndrome or another disconnection
aliment. Another example is the knee joint, which can also move independently of the foot.
However, if the muscles of the feet are tight and weak, then at some point knee problems could
develop.

Look at the links as wheels from an energetic perspective. The wheels are interdependent and
operate like a vertical gear system. When both agonist and antagonist are functional, the wheel
spins optimally. When the links function properly, the muscles and joints where the muscles connect
receive minimum stress.

So what happens when a muscle is conventionally tight? It makes sense that it would pull on its
opposing muscle and create a faulty wheel or link within the chain. The conventionally tight muscle
would be “locked short” into a shortened position while its opposing muscle would be “locked
long” into a lengthened state.

When the muscles that are creating this energetic wheel are operating like this, the joint or the hub
of the wheel is more susceptible to wear and tear, and the ligaments that comprise the joint either
get jammed or overstretched. Wheels (links) above and below are affected.

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CONCLUSION: STRETCHING DOESN’T WORK
Believe it or not, it’s true. It doesn’t work. Aimless stretching of a muscle is truly a waste of time.
When we begin to gain the basic understanding of the kinetic chain and the peripheral points, we
also gain a working knowledge of what may need to be stretched and what may need to be
strengthened.

An integrated movement aligns the periphery with the focal point, engages the cast of supporting
muscles to stabilize the muscle or muscles to be stretched, and allows for a sustainable release.

Conventional stretching doesn’t work because it lacks alignment of the periphery to the focal point
and the engagement of the agonist muscle. Without alignment and engagement, the dysfunctional
movement pattern that caused the tightness cannot be removed. The conventional stretch provides
short-term release, but since the pattern is not removed, the tightness inevitably returns.

Think of someone taking Alka-Seltzer for heartburn resulting from a poor diet. The Alka-Seltzer
temporarily relieves the symptoms, but for authentic, long-term relief the person needs to change
his or her lifestyle, specifically the foods that are creating the acidic environment.

Until athletes understand why they are tightening up, they will continue to feel the need to stretch
when what they really need to do is learn how to move integratively. To learn this, we need
principles to guide us.

ESSENCE OF BALANCED ATHLETE

• You steady your eyes on one place when in a stationary posture or while moving. This
allows you to bring attention to the next two.

• You consciously control your breathing to develop a quality of breathing that supports a
healthy cardiorespiratory system and fosters a calm, non-reactive, mental state.

• You bring your attention from the cognitive aspect of your brain to the kinesthetic (body
awareness), cultivating a relationship with the peripheral nervous system (feet and hands),
organizing your limbs through your hips and shoulders, back to the central nervous system
(spinal column), and from your center back out the periphery.

As you repeat these three elements, the mind-body connection becomes more synchronized. You
are not in a dreamy state. You are awake, alert, and calm. Your senses are heightened.

BALANCED ATHLETE STAGES OF LEARNING

• The athletes are unaware they are making an error.
• A coach/instructor makes the athletes aware of an error, but the athletes don't have the
awareness to catch it themselves.
• The athletes are aware when they make an error, but still cannot correct it on their own.
They are starting to develop awareness.
• The athletes are able to correct the error when they make it, but they are still making that
error.
• The athletes catch the error before making it, but the correction is still an intentional action

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requiring thought and focus.
• The athletes, having absorbed proper form, can now perform the movement correctly
without isolated attention.

Bruce Lee said that before a person trains in martial art, a punch is just a punch and a kick is just a
kick. When they begin their study, a punch becomes much more than just a punch; a kick much
more than just a kick. When they have absorbed the art and made it their own, a punch is just a
punch and a kick is just a kick.

-Coach Jack Harris

WORKING WITH DYSFUNCTIONAL PATTERNS

If the athlete displays dysfunction, correction can begin by relying on the coach’s feedback, the use
of the mirror, and the athlete’s attention, recognition of the dysfunction, and self-corrections.
Consider the following:

1. Perform the exercise more slowly and pinpoint the place where the athlete loses integrity.
Slowing down the movement will increase the athlete’s awareness and help the athlete and
coach pinpoint the weakness.

2. Shorten the range of motion within the movement itself to maintain integrity and find the
edge. The edge is where the athlete can maintain integrity.

3. Lessen the effort to reduce straining and learn to relax to increase insight into the
movement, allowing for overactive muscles to relax and dormant muscles to potentially
turn on.

4. Incorporate additional movements to help release the dysfunctional pattern. Recheck the
specific movement that revealed dysfunction after incorporating these additional
movements to see if some or all dysfunction has been removed.

5. Use a foam roller on areas of tightness. Also consider chiropractic, Rolfing, deep tissue
massage, and dry needling. Anything that can relieve areas of tension can be potentially
helpful in improving movement patterns.

QUALITY THEN QUANTITY

As I started combining mindfulness and movement, I recognized that if I became aggressive or
pushed too hard I fell back into a dysfunctional movement pattern. “Quality of movement before
quantity of movement ” became the dominant theme. Most of us tend to focus too much on the
number of reps, increasing the weight, running faster, and increasing our miles. In the process, we
lose the quality of movement. There is nothing wrong with an increase in intensity and volume.
However, a problem occurs when the integrity of movement is lost in the process. As my awareness
deepened, I became more and more committed to focusing on quality of movement.

Within this Level One syllabus, there are very specific exercises. I have found that when these
movements are practiced repeatedly, skill and a base level of functionality are developed.

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It's vitally important to understand that repeating a movement with poor technique and low quality
is not the solution to improving the movement. For instance, if your running technique is poor,
running more with this technique is not the solution. Nothing is going to change. You must stop
running poorly and reduce volume and work on technique. As technique is mastered, then volume
can increase as long as technique is not lost.

PRINCIPLE

A principle is a general truth that can be applied similarly throughout multiple applications. Rules
tend to apply to one specific use, but principles are more widespread. Once you apply principle,
change immediately begins to happen. Principle and process are inseparable.

There are three fundamental movement principles: synchronization, stabilization, and stretching.
Repeatedly applying movement principles will create an imprint on the mind-body. With mindful
and consistent repetition and practice, the athlete becomes one with principle.

FIRST PRINCIPLE - SYNCHRONIZE MIND AND BODY

The first principle is to synchronize mind and body. Think of connecting your iPhone or iPod to
your computer. A symbol appears, indicating your iPhone or iPod and computer are aligning with
one another. In a similar manner, when you bring your attention to your body, your mind and body
begin to harmonize and synchronize. Synchronization creates yoga.

THE THREE REFERENCE GUIDES OF SYNCHRONIZATION ARE:

Eyes - Focusing your eyes on one point

Respiration - Consciousness of your breathing
Body- Awareness of your body (relationship to space and gravity)

SECOND AND THIRD PRINCIPLES- STABILIZE MUSCLE TO BONE AND PERIPHERALLY EXTEND

The second and third principles work hand in hand. Initially, it helps to break them down into two.
To understand these principles, you must feel them in your own body.

EXPERIENCE IN LOWER BODY:

• Stand in Mountain Pose, synchronizing mind and body.

• Curl all 10 toes off the ground. For the majority of the population, the body will rock back.
The muscles of the periphery within the feet engage and isometrically contract the muscles
of the feet and legs and pull back up to the focal point found within the lower back. This
is the stabilizing action.
• It is important for the coach to encourage the athlete to feel the rocking back, the muscles
of the feet engaging with the muscles of the legs, and possibly the pelvic floor and core
muscles as well.
• Press into the balls of the feet and optimally bring the big toe down first without allowing
the pelvis to come forward of the heels. Then spread and reach the other eight toes
laterally. This is the extending or stretching action.
• Cue the athlete to feel the difference and notice that the core organically braces when the
hips stay vertically aligned with the heels.
• Make suggestions and ask questions: Notice if you feel more erect. Is the core braced? Are
you grounded in your feet and legs? Do you feel awkward because this is a new paradigm?

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EXPERIENCE IN UPPER BODY:

1. Stand in Mountain with T arms.

2. Turn palms and biceps up toward the ceiling. For the majority of the population, the heart
will lift up and upper spine will extend.
3. Be attentive that the pelvis, rib cage, and skull do not move as the arms move.
4. Make fists and begin isometrically enagaging muscle to bone, pulling back up the focal
point found within the heart area. This is a stabilizing action.
5. Cue to spread the fingers in jazz hands. Turn just the forearms and palms internally
forward without moving anything else, opening the fingers and spreading them wide,
stretching out toward the periphery.
6. Move through these forearm rotations.
7. Release to Mountain and cue to feel the difference.
8. Ask questions: Do you feel more erect or taller? Can you breathe more deeply? Are your
shoulder blades resting more naturally on your rib cage?

SYNCHRONIZATION + STABILIZATION + STRETCHING = INTEGRATED MOVEMENT

When initially introduced to this equation, it is helpful to view all three in a linear progression and
to feel these steps within your own mind-body. You move and feel certain muscles stabilizing while
other muscles are stretching.

You feel your feet muscles working cohesively with the shin and thigh muscles. With continual
practice, synchronizing, stabilizing, and stretching become one action. When that happens, you are
feeling integrated movement.

Movements become more precise, graceful, and fluid, and you can feel your body working as one.
This is also the end of labeling a movement as a stretch or strengthening. At this point, you feel that
they are one and the same. You are now realizing what it means to be a Balanced Athlete.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

Where do you live? This refers to beginning to understand your relationship to your mind and body
and how you stand, walk, and move throughout the day. As you take an honest look at the right and
left sides of your body, your posture, how you stand, and your walking gait, you are beginning to
understand where you live.

From this deep exploration and ongoing awareness, you can begin to explore movement principles
and techniques to help you better align with gravity and move more fluidly. Begin noticing which
hand or foot works better than the other. Notice how the weaker hand or foot affects the limb and
perhaps the hip, shoulder joint, and the respective side of the spine. You will start to become aware
of where your weaknesses lie. Self-awareness is half the equation in becoming a more Balanced
Athlete.

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AMP AND TECHNIQUES

AMP is an acronym for Apply Mountain Principles. Mountain is a stationary position that allows
us to connect into the principles throughout the kinetic chain. All major joints stack linearly with
gravity, allowing the body to function optimally with the least amount of degradation on the joints.
The way a person stands governs how he or she moves. You can learn a lot by watching someone
stand still.
Technique: As we begin moving our bodies, the principles become alive as movement principles
that require techniques to help guide the body gracefully through space. Below is a basic way to
view the Mountain Principles and techniques in movement.

FEET
AMP: Engaged Foot means toes spread apart, grounding down through the four corners of the feet.

Technique: As legs and the feet maintain their contact with the ground, engage the feet and connect
through the legs, hips, core, and back to the respective focal point.

Technique: Walking allows the heel to touch and roll off the balls of the feet, propelling with the
mound of the big toe. When running, relax the foot on the forefoot strike. The foot should stay under
the body while striking the ground and not reach forward. Pull the foot off the ground quickly,
creating a snapping action of the foot toward the hamstring.

SHINS
AMP: Balance shin bones over the top of the ankle.

Technique: Knee and shin bend in line with the second and third toes when the knee flexes and
extends.

Technique: Allow the ankle to dorsiflex during lunging and squatting movements. This will
decrease the angle between the foot and shin. When extending through the knee coming up from
lunge or squat, ground down through all four corners of the foot, fully extending the knee.

THIGH
AMP: Lift the kneecaps when the leg is straight so the quadricep and the posterior knee muscles
engage. During movements, pull the head of the thigh bone deep in the hip socket via the groin.

Technique: As the legs move in walking and running, the adductors engage to keep the legs under
the pelvis. Knees extend fully when walking, but they should bend slightly while running.

PELVIS
AMP: The pelvis maintains a slight anterior tilt to support the arch in the lower back during
exercises focused on spinal stability. While standing at rest, the pelvis maintains vertical alignment
with the heel. This linear alignment will allow the organic bracing of the core and engagement of
the lower spinal erector muscles.

Technique: Keep hip points level when moving the legs and stabilizing the spine. For example,
single leg balancing, lunging, and squatting.

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Technique: As the pelvis hinges back and forth and the spinal column stabilizes, the hip bones will
broaden laterally, allowing space for the sacrum to rotate within the pelvis.

Technique: In walking and running, midline engagement is met with the relaxing of the pelvis so
the hips move fluidly in three-dimensional fashion. This creates the sass in a woman’s gait and
swagger in a man’s gait.

Technique: The slight anterior tilt in the pelvis also helps with walking and running since both of
these movements require the body to fall forward to create locomotion.

LOWER TORSO
AMP: Pelvic positioning coupled with functional diaphragmatic breathing allows for adequate
space between the bottom rib and the pelvis.

Technique: All movements where the aim is for the spinal column to remain stable should be
accompanied by the bracing action of the core.

Technique: The twisting motion of the spine begins at the navel region and spirals up through the
upper spine.

Technique: During exhalation, the lungs deflate and the navel comes toward the spine, allowing for
an organic bracing of the core.

UPPER TORSO
AMP: Heart lifted yet soft. The softness of the heart is created by awareness of the expansion of the
lungs into the space behind the heart and throughout the posterior aspect of the rib cage. This allows
for the natural kyphosis of the thoracic spine. The shoulder blades rest on the posterior aspect of the
rib cage, and the collar bones are broad.

Technique: During an inhalation, the rib cage lifts away from the pelvis as the diaphragm pulls the
lungs down and expands them like balloons.

Technique: Because 60% of lung capacity is found within the posterior aspect of the rib cage,
during an inhalation an expansion is felt behind the heart and throughout the posterior rib cage.

UPPER ARM
AMP: Arm bones deep in shoulder sockets. Arms rest in the same side plane (frontal) as the rest of
the major joints of the body.

Technique: When arms move, the shoulder blades move in rhythm with them. This is referred to
as scapulohumeral rhythm.

Technique: As arms move, maintain extended elbows to create upper body core integration with
hands, arms, shoulder girdle, and spinal column.

Technique: Shoulder blades (scapula) relax on the rib cage in a resting position. Once the arms go
above the shoulders, as in an overhead motion, the shoulder blades will wing out and move toward
the ears. This scapula elevation unloads the AC joint found in the front of the shoulders.

Technique: During walking and running, the upper arms swing contra to one another, maintaining
an external rotation within the shoulder joint. This is a result of the upper torso twisting in
opposition to the pelvis, allowing for contralateral rotation between the hips and shoulders.

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FOREARM
AMP: Forearm rotates internally, opposing the external rotation of the upper arm.

Technique: In all pushing and pulling motions, the forearm internally rotates, opposing the external
rotation of the upper arm and the scapulohumeral rhythm of the shoulders.

Technique: During walking and running, the forearm swings, maintaining an internal rotation
opposing the external rotation of the upper arm.

HANDS
AMP: Engage hands with fingers together, spread, or in fists. When hands are on the ground, the
fingers should spread and press down into 10 fingerprints and the four corners of the palm.

Technique: As arms move, engage the hands and connect through the action of the hands
throughout the arms, shoulders, and back to respective focal point.

HEAD
AMP: Head rests over the top of the major joints of the body.

Technique: As we walk, run, or move, we want to stabilize the head.

Technique: Before extending the cervical spine, retract the chin, stacking ears over shoulders.

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POWER OF A PROGRAM
“There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far
less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction”
~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

A structured syllabus provides a coach and an athlete the standards and framework to sequence a
practice. The shared aim of the coach and the athlete is the focus on implementation of the
movement principles and techniques and the execution of integrated movements.

Each movement can serve as an assessment for both the coach and the athlete. The goal is to be on
a path of perpetually moving with more fluidity, efficiency, and strength. Sacrificing integrity is not
part of this program. If we can’t do a movement correctly, we modify it until we can.

The consistency of this shared aim will allow both the coach and athlete to experience progression
with repetition of practice as well as to gain insight into dysfunctional movement patterns and
asymmetries.

Each practice aims to complete all four blocks. If you change the blocks and start omitting
requirements, then you lose the standards and the ability to measure the effectiveness of this
program.

As a coach, do your best to meet the standards during every practice, but be satisfied when you
realize that sometimes things need to be modified or left out to address time constraints or
athletes’ daily needs. Also be aware that circumstances may require you to stop a practice and
teach techniques.

Keep in mind that repetition is the mother of skill, and both coach and athlete should grow together.
Both should strive to show up fully for each practice and communicate clearly with one another.

You may find it useful to use just one block in others areas of your training. For instance, you might
use Block One before a training session in the gym; you might use components of Blocks Two and
Three in a Hatha yoga practice, or the supine belt work found in Block Four after a long run. This
curriculum can be used in multiple applications.

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BLOCK ONE (10-15 MINUTES)
Objective: Create a warm-up to prepare athletes for the POD. Vary the order of exercises, and use
this portion of the practice as an opportunity to assess function. Warm-ups should be crisp. The
coach must capture the group’s attention. Talking among fellow athletes should be discouraged so
that the group focus remains intact.

Sequence Order: Begin with feet and work your way up. Follow the sequential order below. With
practice, switch the order and incorporate different warm-ups.

Length of Holds: Hold movements long enough to allow athletes to properly align and then
explore moving dynamically if the movement lends itself to that. Encourage deep breathing.
Emphasize that the inhalation lengthens the spine and the exhalation creates bracing of the core.

Quality over Quantity: Keep reminding athletes to focus on this. When we slow down the
movement, we can feel more and create higher levels of integration between mind and body.

1. FOOT WORK

Roll Out the Feet

Cues:
• Encourage slow rolling and placing enough weight so that there is some discomfort.
• Spread the toes while rolling the foot along the pipe.
• Stop on the hot spots. These are the areas where there are knots in the muscles.
• Stick with one foot for at least a minute, and then bring the foot you rolled out next to the
other one to feel the difference.
• Make suggestions or ask questions: Does the foot you rolled out feel more open, more
expansive, wider?
• Then do the other foot.
• I teach my athletes to do this before the practice begins.
• As athletes better understand their weaknesses, encourage them to work on them before
the practice officially begins.

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TOE CURL AND HEEL LIFT

Cues:
• Curl all 10 toes off the ground.
• Lift the little toe higher by squeezing the block between the inner thighs or keep the legs
together.
• Feel the four corners of your feet.
• Bring the big toe down first, grounding with inner or outer heel.
• Notice how the big toe engages the midline musculature of the legs.
• While pressing down with the big toe, spread the other eight toes to the sides.
• Reach out through the little toe, noticing how that action broadens the legs, opposing the
action of the toe.
• Pop the heels off the ground and squeeze your legs together, focusing on the mound of the
big toe pressing down.
• Go back and forth.
• You can do this against the wall or use a pipe.
• Using a block between the thighs works adduction action of the legs.
• Using a strap around the legs works abduction action of the legs.

UNILATERAL MOTION
Cues:
• As you lift the heel of one foot, allow the opposing hip to shift laterally.
• Find rhythm as you hop from side to side.
• This is used in the Pose Running technique to teach proper running technique.

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HERO’S POSE WITH TOES TUCKED

Cues:
• Block under butt might be required.
• Tuck toes and sit back on the heels.
• Hold as long as you can.
• Point the toes, plantar flex the ankle, and sit back in Hero’s Pose or on the feet, releasing
the ankle.
• Move back and forth several times.

SQUAT AND DEAD LIFT SET-UP (SECOND BASEMAN TO THE DOWNHILL SKIER)
Cues:
• Start with your hands on your thighs like a baseball player getting ready to field a ball.
• Begin to slide the elbows down onto your thighs. Continue the dynamic rocking action.
• Stick your butt out and aim to maintain the arch in the lower back.
• Allow the knees to bend forward of the heels, grounding down into the four corners of the
feet. This dorsiflexes the ankles, allowing the shin to come forward over the foot. This is
the positioning of the shin and ankle in a squat.
• Pull the shins back over the heels, leaning forward as if you were peering over a cliff. This
is the position of the shin in a deadlift.
• Move dynamically back and forth.
• Ground down into the four corners of the feet, and feel the knees track in line with the
center of the foot.
• Transition into ready stance, which is a squat.
• Squat in ready stance.

Cues:
• Allow the feet to come hip-width apart, toes straight ahead.
• AMP.
• Bring the fists together with thumbs pressing into the heart.
• Bend the knees forward of the ankles while hinging back from the hips.
• Maintain an upright spine.
• Initially hold the squat and do some controlled bouncing, displaying prowess.
• Power up, extending the knees and hips forward.
• Emphasize firing the gluteus and brace the core.

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Another way of transitioning from Downhill Skier is Hip Hinging.

LIZARD
Cues:
• From Downhill Skier step one leg back (option to place back knee down or keep elevated).
• AMP.
• Rock on the back foot warming up the back foot and leg.
• Transition through Downhill Slier to do the other leg.
• Transition back through Downhill Skier, ready stance to increase mobility in the squat.

LOWER BODY CORE INTEGRATION (LBCI): HIP HINGING

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Cues:
• AMP and position feet parallel.
• Begin by pulling the hips back and pressing evenly into the four corners of the feet.
• AMP and position feet parallel.
• Begin by pulling the hips back and pressing evenly into the four corners of the feet.
• Allow the knees to bend. In true deadlift fashion, aim to maintain the shin bones vertically
over the heels.
• Pull the heart forward, maintaining stability throughout the spinal column. Do not move
the head.
• Hinge as far forward as you can without losing spinal stability.
• Press evenly down into the four corners of the feet as you pull your heart forward; then
hinge back up.
• It is important to focus on pressing the feet, hinging from the hips, and stabilizing the
spine.
• At the top of the motion, focus on the extension of the knees, hips, and spine as the core
braces. Allow the knees to bend. In true deadlift fashion, aim to maintain the shin bones
vertically over the heels.
• Pull the heart forward, maintaining stability throughout the spinal column. Do not move
the head.
• Hinge as far forward as you can without losing spinal stability.
• Press evenly down into the four corners of the feet as you pull your heart forward; then
hinge back up.
• It is important to focus on pressing the feet, hinging from the hips, and stabilizing the
spine.
• At the top of the motion, focus on the extension of the knees, hips, and spine as the core
braces.

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LATERAL SHIFTS
Cues:
• AMP.
• Sway from side to side slowly.
• Ground down through the four corners of the feet.
• Feel into each hip socket as you sway.
• Begin noticing the relationship between the feet and legs and between the respective hip
joints.

HULA HOOP
Cues:
• AMP.
• Begin circling your hips in one direction.
• Ground down through the four corners of the feet.
• Aim to keep upper body relatively stable and let the movement be in the hips.
• Create the biggest circle you can.
• Change directions and notice the difference.
• One direction is going to feel awkward.
• Once you have done each side, cue to return to Mountain.
• Make suggestions or ask questions: Notice if your pelvis feels looser and more fluid.

HIP-POP/KNEE, HIP, SPINAL EXTENSION

Cues:
• AMP.
• Allow the hips to go forward of the heels, creating the popping action in the hips.

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• Ground down through the four corners of the feet.
• Engage the quads, lifting the kneecaps.
• Brace the core.
• Extend the upper spine.

Cues:
• AMP.
• Position the feet. Use a block or strap to accentuate different actions of the hips.
• Pull back from the hips while allowing knees to bend forward of the heels.
• Broaden the collarbone by retracting the shoulders, pulling the heart forward.
• Keep head in line with the rest of the spinal column.
• Press the feet down to hinge the hips forward, bringing you back up.
• Pop the hips at the top, fully extending the knees and hips. Engage the glutes and brace the
core.
• Be mindful not to lose the four corners of the feet and excessively externally rotate the legs
out while popping the hips.

T POSE--FOREARM ROTATIONS
Cues:
• Bring legs together or use block or strap around the legs.
• AMP.
• Reach arms out to sides.
• Fists or jazz hands.
• Relax the shoulder down away from ears.
• Turn palms up, bringing shoulder blades onto your rib cage.
• Rotate from the elbows, tending out toward the hands.
• Stabilize the entire body; just move from the elbows.
• Release to Mountain.
• Make suggestions or ask questions: Does the collarbone feel broader? Do you feel taller?
Are you able to breathe more deeply?

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SHOULDER PUMPS

Cues:
• From T pose, turn palms down so they face toward the ground.
• Focus on externally rotating upper arms up.
• Start slowly, chopping arms back.
• Allow the shoulder blades to pull toward one another on the chop and come apart as you
release the chop.
• Stabilize the entire body without moving the pelvis, rib cage, or skull.
• Watch for asymmetries between the arms and shoulder.

TWISTS

Cues:
• From T Pose, look straight ahead; using clock analogy, look at 12 o’clock.
• Turn from the belly button to the right.
• Maintain T arms, encouraging the left arm toward 10 o’clock and the right arm toward 4
o’clock.
• AMP through feet, legs, and pelvis, while allowing the neck to turn to the right with the
rest of the spine.
• Once you hold long enough to allow for good alignment, return to T pose and then do the
left side.
• Continuing with clock analogy, move the right arm to 2 o’clock and left arm to 8 o’clock.
• Once you establish the parameter on the left side, move dynamically, coordinating with
breathing.
• Inhale T pose, exhale, twist right. Inhale T pose, exhale left.
• Move through multiple reps on each side.
• Release to Mountain and give the athletes time to feel if there has been a shift.

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BRACING SEQUENCE

Cues:
• AMP.
• Set pelvis back over the heels and acknowledge the natural bracing that occurs.
• Breathe in through the nose.
• Pucker the lips and blow out the mouth, accentuating the bracing of the core.
• Repeat multiple times, connecting the action of bracing to the action of the four peripheral
points.

LATERAL SPINAL FLEXION

Cues:
• AMP.
• Hold arms in T Pose (already established principles of four peripheral points).
• From T pose, release right hand to right hip dimple.
• Reach left arm straight up, stacking left arm over left leg.
• If difficult to get shoulder fully flexed and elbow extended, explore Samurai hand behind
the head.
• Shift hips laterally to the left, maintaining equilibrium in the legs.
• Square through the hips and shoulders.
• Aim to maintain full extension through left arm.
• Transition back to T pose. Pause momentarily in T to allow for refinement.
• Do the other side.
• Option to incorporate the Bracing Sequence

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HURDLER/LUNGE SET-UP

Stationary Lunges

Cues:
• AMP.
• Position torso upright with head aligned over the hips.
• Position back heel over the toes.
• Begin to lower the back knee down toward the ground without letting it touch.
• Aim to align back leg under the hip as it lowers.
• Bend the front knee in line with the toes, and allow for the front ankle to dorsiflex.
• When coming back up, push off with the back foot to maintain the alignment of the back
heel over the toes.
• Repeat.

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UPPER BODY CORE INTEGRATION (UBCI): SHOULDER HINGING

The shoulder joint is complex. To understand shoulder hinging, one must first understand the
four ranges of motion through which the shoulder moves.

Shoulder Elevation and Depression

Cues:
• Shoulder hinging
• Hold pipe three-four inches wider than your shoulders down along the tops of your thighs.
This can be done with a yoga block or a strap as well, cueing changes yet maintaining the
same spirit as below.
• While squeezing the pipe, externally rotate the upper arm bones to begin engaging the
hands, arms, and shoulders.
• Bring the shoulders toward the ears. This is shoulder elevation or shrugging. To understand
this shoulder function, stabilize the hips, spine, and head.
• Bring the shoulders away from the ears while lifting the heart. This is shoulder depression.
To understand this shoulder function, stabilize the hips, spine, and head.

Shoulder Protraction and Retraction

Cues:

• With shoulders depressed and heart lifted, reach pipe straight ahead, pulling the shoulder
blades back as the arms reach forward. Pause.
• Feel the arms reaching straight ahead as the shoulder blades pull toward one another. This
action will pull the arm bones deep in the shoulder joints.
• Maintain arms in line with the shoulders. Allow the shoulder blades to come apart. This is
called protraction. To understand this shoulder function, stabilize the hips, spine, and
head.
• Move back and forth between protraction and retraction.

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Shoulder Elevation and Depression

Cues:

• Bring the shoulders toward the ears. This is elevation. To understand this shoulder
function, stabilize the hips, spine, and head.
• Bring the shoulders away from the ears. This is depression. To understand this shoulder
function, stabilize the hips, spine, and head.
• Slide the shoulder blades back and forth while stabilizing the rest of the body.

Retraction
Cues:
• Continue to work on actions of hands squeezing the pipe and the external rotation of the
upper arm bone.
• Bring the shoulders toward the ears. This is shoulder elevation or shrugging. To understand
this shoulder function, stabilize the hips, spine, and head.
• Bring the shoulders away from the ears. This is shoulder depression. To understand this
shoulder function, stabilize the hips, spine, and head.
• Put the pipe down softly, reach arms overhead, and notice the difference.

HIGH PLANK PROTRACTION AND RETRACTION

Cues:
• You can protract and retract in Plank. The objective is to feel the push and pull of the arms,
shoulder blades, and upper spine musculature.

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DOWN DOG WITH ELEVATION AND DEPRESSION

Cues:
• Bring the shoulders toward the ears. This is elevation. To understand this shoulder
function, stabilize the hips, spine, and head.
• Bring the shoulders away from the ears. This is depression. To understand this shoulder
function, stabilize the hips, spine, and head.
• Slide the shoulder blades back and forth while stabilizing the rest of the body.

UBCI AND LBCI

HIGH PLANK TO DOWN DOG

Plank to Down Dog is a movement in which we hinge from the shoulders and the hips at the same
time while stabilizing the spinal column. To say this is a superior movement in assessing and
creating function would be an understatement. With the hands and feet on the ground, we can tap
into the grounding and pulling action that the four peripheral points provide while organizing our
limbs back to their respective focal points.

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FIERCE POSE VARIATIONS

• This can also be done with legs together, knees and hips flexed. This brings the awareness
to the midline musculature and more skill into knees extended version.

ADDITIONAL PLANK SET-UP INCLUDES:

TABLE TOP

Cues:
• Position hands under shoulders. Work four corners of the palms and spread the fingers.
• Lengthen the front and back of the neck.
• Bring the shoulder blades onto the rib cage, and set the arm bones deep into the shoulder
joints.
• Position knees under the hips.
• Feel natural curves in the spine.

PROWLING TIGER

Cues:
• From the awareness created in Table Top, bring the right arm across your lower back.
• Let this variation aid in stabilizing the arch in your lower back.
• Extend the right leg back and fully straighten it. Repeat that motion while stabilizing the
torso for 30 seconds.

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• Hold right leg extended and reach the right arm forward into Prowling Tiger.
• Do the other side.

PROWLING TIGER CROSSOVER

Cues:
• From the awareness created in Table Top and Prowling Tiger, bring the extended leg’s knee
to opposite elbow.

CAT AND COW

Cues:
• From the awareness created in Table Top, begin to move the spine from either the tailbone
or the crown of the head.
• Move slowly enough so that you can articulate the spine one vertebra at a time.
• Synchronize the breathing with the movements.

SIDE PLANK

Cues:
• From Plank, roll to one arm; legs can stack or stagger.
• Look down at the hand that is on the floor and work on grounding down into the principles
of the hands, arm, and shoulder.
• Bring the top arm to the hip or along the torso to make sure the spinal column is aligned.
• Look up and reach up with the top arm, aligning it over the hand and arm that is on the
floor.

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BOWS AND TOES

Cues:
• From Plank or Sphinx
• Same alignment as Plank; you are just on your forearms.

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BLOCK TWO (20-30 MINUTES)
Objective: to create a Practice of the Day (POD). Aim to include all five elements in each POD.
Elements of Block Two are:
1. Squat
2. Single Leg Hip Hinge
3. Lunge
4. Jump
5. Upper Body Core Integration

Reps -Time sets instead of rep count. Encourage athletes to slow down. Slowing the motion down
will afford the ability to feel more and gather more information between the mind and body. This
will fine-tune the motion and heighten awareness of what it means to move in an integrated way.
This will allow athletes to slow down and work on quality over quantity. Using a rep count usually
motivates competition. In some cases this is desirable, but in this instance it speeds up movements
and fosters sloppiness because the quality of movement is compromised. Using time will also keep
the group together and afford the coach a better environment in which to improve teaching quality.
Slowing the pace will enable athletes to heighten precision of movement.

Sets - Sets can range from two to three. It depends on your POD. The trick is to constantly vary yet
stick to the basics and stay simple. Once the athletes exhibit proficiency in these movements, they
are ready to move on to the level two curriculum.

Cueing - I have purposely omitted cueing so that you can develop your own language based on
your own practice and understanding of Block One. You want to cue from the ground up and let
your cueing come from your experience with the movement principles and techniques. Ultimately,
your language should help connect the dots and teach the science of integration.

1. SQUAT/HANDS TO READY/HIP POP

Cues:

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2. SINGLE LEG HIP HINGE

HIP HINGING
Cues:

SINGLE LEG HURDLER

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Cues:

BOW
Cues:

3. LUNGE

STATIONARY
Cues:

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4. JUMPS

STATIONARY JUMPS
Cues:

JOGGING IN PLACE:
Cues:

SINGLE LEG JUMPING:

Cues:

5. UPPER BODY CORE INTEGRATION (UBCI)

When working on Upper Body Core Integration (UBCI), focus on four planes of motion.

1. FORWARD-PLANK
Cues:

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2. SIDE-SIDE PLANKS
Cues:

.3. OVERHEAD-DOWN DOG

Cues:

4. BEHIND-REVERSE PLANK
Cues:

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PUSH-UPS
Cues:

PLANK KNEE TO ELBOW

Cues:

SHOULDER MOBILITY INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ROTATION

Cues:

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DOWNHILL SKIER TO AIRPLANE ARMS

Cues:

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EXAMPLE OF PODS
1.
1. Jumping (one minute)
2. Stationary Lunges (45 seconds)
3. Squats (one minute)
4. Plank options or Push-ups (45 seconds)
(1, 2, 3, 4 repeat, three rounds)

Single Leg Hip Hinging (one minute, three sets)

Bow (one minute, two sets)

2.
1.Jumping (one minute)
2. Lunging (45 seconds each leg)
3. Squats (one minute)
(1,2,3 repeat three
rounds)

Single Leg Hip Hinging (one minute, three sets)

Bow (one minute, one - two sets)

Plank (45 seconds). Rest in Hero’s Pose, working shoulder mobility.

Side Planks (30 seconds each side) two sets coming through Plank. Rest in Hero’s Pose,
working shoulder mobility.

3.
Single Leg Hip Hinge (45 seconds, three sets)
Stationary Lunges (45 seconds, three sets)
1. Squats (60 seconds)
2. Jumps (60 seconds)
(1, 2 repeat three
rounds)

Upper Body Options-

Downhill Skier (45 seconds)
Airplane Arms (45 seconds)
(repeat both for three rounds)

4.
Stationary Lunges (45 seconds, three
sets)
Single Leg Hip Hinge (45 seconds, three sets)
1. Squats (60 seconds)
2. Jumps (60 seconds)

Prowling Tiger (one minute each side with strong set-up). Rest in Hero’s Pose, working T arms
setting up plank.

Side planks (30 seconds each side) coming through Plank. Rest in Hero’s Pose, working
shoulder mobility

Repeat second set of Side Planks. Rest in Hero’s Pose, working shoulder mobility opposite
arms as first set .

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BLOCK THREE: FLOOR (10-15 MINUTES)

Objective—Begin seated or supine and cue the alignment of the four peripheral points and
connection back to focal points and spinal column. This is an opportune time to sequence reverse
plank. Transition into a supine position for a supine core sequence. Once completed, build a
sequence which progressively deepens the extension of the front body.

ELEMENTS ARE:
1. Supine Upper Body Core Integration (strap, block, pipe)
2. Bridge (rolling up, hinging, single leg)
3. Supine Twist
4. Prone Exercises (neck rotation)

Reps-The Supine, Bridge, and Prone work lends itself to repetitions similar to the majority of
movements in Block Two. It is very effective to first introduce the movement by holding each end
range of motion, cueing the movement principles and techniques involved, and then moving
dynamically, using the bracing sequence with the movements.

SETS - AIM FOR TWO SETS OF BRIDGE AND 2 SETS OF UBCI

ASSESSING SUPINE SPINAL ALIGNMENT

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SUPINE UBCI

UPPER BODY CORE INTEGRATION (BLOCK, BAND, OR PIPE)

Cues:

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BRIDGE (BLOCK OR BAND) ROLLING UP INTO BRIDGE

Cues:

HIP HINGING IN BRIDGE

Cues:

ONE LEG BRIDGE

Cues:

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SUPINE TWIST
Cues:

UPPER BODY POSITIONS

1. Arms at your side

2. Arms dynamically moving from sides, toward ceiling, to overhead
3. Arms moving in opposition
4. Goal post arms
5. Hands interlaced behind the head
6. Supine flexion with twisting
7. Kung Fu arms

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LOWER BODY POSITIONS

• Legs on the ground

• Single Leg Bridge
• Supine 90
• Bilateral hip flexion and extension with legs straight or knees bent
• Figure Four

AN EMPOWERING SUPINE SEQUENCE

• Teaches awareness of diaphragmatic breathing

• Teaches the difference between lumbar imprint and neutral lumbar spine
• Teaches the awareness of the cervical curve
• Teaches the relationship between two focal points and the four peripheral points
• Teaches awareness of the pelvic floor
• Leaves athlete feeling challenged

All of these can’t be taught in one practice. Within your sequencing and cueing, focus on specific
aspects.

PRONE

SETTING THE LEGS AND HIPS FOR INTEGRATION

To safely integrate, ground down through the tops of the feet and neutralize the legs and hips. This
will allow you to safely extend the spine and avoid overly compressing the back portion of the
spine.
Cueing: In all of these exercises, focus on cueing the actions of the feet, legs, and pelvis, on up. Just
like when cueing standing, focus on bottom up. I have provided space for you to write down your
own language based on your own practice and understanding of Block One

PRONE CERVICAL TWIST

Cues:

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COBRA
Cues:

AIRPLANE
Cues:

SAMURAI HANDS
Cues:

HANDS UNDER FOREHEAD

Cues:

SUPERMAN
Cues:

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UNILATERAL
Cues:

SPHINX
Cues:

BOW
Cues:

ONE-LEGGED BOW
Cues:

HERO’S POSE
Cues:

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CAMEL
Cues:

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BLOCK FOUR (5-10 MINUTES)

Objective - Cool down, strengthen, and stretch the musculature of the feet, legs, and hips. It is
important to emphasize the action of the feet so we strengthen and lengthen the foot, leg, and hip
complex to create integration instead of focusing simply on a stretch. If short on time, just do the
first part with single hip flexed. It’s incredibly beneficial to move through the full sequence, yet this
will take about five minutes per leg. If you aim to incorporate the full sequence, be mindful to
allocate enough time at the end of class.

SUPINE BILATERAL HIP FLEXION

Cues:

SUPINE BILATERAL HIP ABDUCTION

Cues:

SUPINE BILATERAL HIP ADDUCTION

Cues:

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SUPINE BILATERAL HIP ADDUCTION/SPINAL ROTATION
Cues:

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SUPINE BILATERAL HIP FLEXION
(DELIBERATE RELEASE)
Cues:

SUPINE RESTING
Cues:

SUPINE RESTING
Cues:

Cues: Once you’ve released the right leg,

encourage a moment of stillness. Cue for the athletes to feel the difference between the right and
left leg. This will typically bring smiles and even laughter. Pose the questions: Does your right leg
feel longer or lighter? Does your right hip feel more spacious? For most athletes, this experience
will motivate continued work on the view of the Balanced Athlete.

NOW, REPEAT ON THE LEFT SIDE.

Once you have completed the supine portion, allow athletes to rest so that you can guide them
through a body scan to get further in touch with their mind and body connection.

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EMBODIMENT

• To bring athletes out of this, ring a bell. All sports have a buzzer or bell that indicates the
end.
• Ask them to wiggle their fingers and toes and connect to their periphery.
• Bend the knees and place the feet on the ground, rolling to one side.
• Press up to standing position and come into a Mountain Pose, facing the mirror.
• Encourage them to feel into their mind/body and notice the difference practice has made.
• End practice with high fives.

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WHAT IS A BALANCED ATHLETE?

BALANCED ATHLETE AWARENESS

From continual exposure and practice of the three elements, you begin seeing and feeling patterns
in many ways. You are “mapping your body.” You do a pose or movement on one side, then go to
the other side, and invariably feel a difference. You begin noticing the asymmetry between the right
and left sides.

Common realizations are:

1. You become more aware of how you stand, your posture, and your walking gait.

2. You tend to shift more weight into one of your legs.

3. Balance is steadier on one side more than the other. This becomes apparent in both the legs
and arms.

4. You feel how your feet and hands are responsible for a significant portion of the function
and health of your limbs and how one leg and arm is stronger than the other.

5. You notice how the strength of one hand is not just in the hand but in the entire limb into
the shoulder joint. This is also the same with the feet, legs, and hips.

6. Most people begin realizing they have never consciously controlled their breathing. If they
were runners, athletes, or just did cardio in the gym, they never gave much thought to how
they were breathing. Most were just motivated to elevate the heart rate as they panted like
a dog and struggled through their cardiovascular training. It is essential to understand that
controlling your breathing improves the quality of the movement.

A BALANCED ATHLETE REALIZES THREE THINGS:

1. Perspective - Five aspects of movement

2. Precision - Mental focus is a required ingredient in cultivating movement principles and

techniques. When you experience this synchronized state, you become more integrated
and efficient.

3. Pursuit - From the contemplation of the five aspects of movement, you realize that
maintaining balanced is an ongoing process. We wax and wane with balance and are
constantly experiencing life, challenging training sessions, performance, and, of course,
along the way we are aging. The practice becomes a lifetime pursuit.

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WHO CAN BECOME A BALANCED ATHLETE COACH?

First and foremost, you have to be a Balanced Athlete to become a Balanced Athlete Coach. You
cannot teach and coach that which you yourself don’t practice.

Anyone who expresses and appreciates a love for teaching quality of movement, appreciates
attention to detail, and understands the importance of working within a system that provides the
required repetition for learning to occur can become a coach.

Our program can be incorporated into multiple settings that include physical therapy, strength and
conditioning centers, fitness clubs, personal training studios, yoga centers, CrossFit Boxes, and
physical education providers in academic settings. Our system can be used for one-on-one coaching
or in group training environments.

Balanced Athlete methodology presents advanced understanding of human structure and movement
in simple and digestible terms, piercing the depth of knowledge of the professional while
establishing workable theory for the lay person and athlete.

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PRACTICE ENVIRONMENT
“I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in
which they can learn. The knowledge is not us (the teachers) but it is
out there in the universe and we help to set up the environment in
which it can be heard, felt, experienced, and transmitted.” ~Albert
Einstein

PRACTICE

As a coach, use the word “practice” with your athletes to bring great power to the message you are
sending and the environment you are creating.

8. As a noun, “practice” refers to a theory that we embrace. In this case, it is the Balanced
Athlete.

9. As a verb, “practice” is something we repeatedly do to improve our skill and deepen our
understanding of the theory itself. Practice is a lifelong discipline and pursuit. It is has no
completion.

WHAT DOES A PRACTICE LOOK LIKE?

1. It refers to an environment in which both coach and athlete can focus. Movements should
be practiced facing a mirror to provide immediate response about alignment.

2. The coach cues ground up, using athletes’ names, challenging them to focus on principles
and techniques. The coach moves around and keeps challenging the athletes to focus on
what they see in the mirror.

3. High fives should be exchanged after practice to acknowledge victory and to encourage
camaraderie.

MIRROR

Should this work be done without the use of a mirror? Ideally ---NO. The reasons are simple to
understand.

Athletes’ Viewpoint - A mirror allows athletes to see the body while stationary and in motion. It
allows the athletes to almost step outside themselves to gain another dimension. It allows them to
make adjustments and receive immediate feedback on what it feels like to come into greater
alignment. Ultimately, a mirror creates personal responsibility for the athletes, reduces too much
focus on the coaches, and allows the athletes to realize they are 100% responsible for their ability
to focus, feel, refine, correct (if necessary), and strengthen their movement.

Coach’s Viewpoint - During a group training session, a mirror allows a coach to work with several
athletes at one time. The coach can use the mirror to encourage the personal responsibility that we
all must assume if we want to develop and maintain the ability to be and become a more Balanced
Athlete.

Of course, this practice can certainly be done without a mirror. However, it is important to keep in
mind that the potency of the program severely diminishes without the athletes’ ability to see
themselves, and the coach’s role becomes more cumbersome.

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MUSIC

I love music! I love country, rap, rock and roll, folk, electronic, and classical. In fact, there isn’t
much music I don’t like. The thing that amazes me about music is how it can take me to the past,
allow me to relive a memory, or whisk me off to a future fantasy. A song can make me experience
sadness, anger, happiness, and many other emotions. When it comes to playing music during a
movement practice, I have found it can be distracting or helpful to create a more synchronized
movement. I personally lean toward no music when teaching. I encourage both the athlete and
coach to start asking themselves a simple question. Does the music enhance the connection between
movement and the mind or detract from it? Your answer is the direction you should follow.

CONCLUSION:

How do you know if you are following this methodology? First and foremost, you are working the
system and gathering experience in your own body, and you are observing other athletes. With
exposure, you will begin to master the system and gain insights into ways the system can evolve
and grow. The Balanced Athlete is not a stagnant method. Based on the experience gained through
practice by both the coach and the athlete, it is fluid and constantly evolving

Both the coach and athlete will notice that movement becomes more fluid and efficient, mental
focus improves, and implementation of the movement principles and techniques progress. Both the
coach and athlete will develop an eye and feel for movement and self-corrections. More precise
movements will be evident. Ultimately, there will be less focus on the coach and more focus on
what the athletes see, feel, and experience as they practice.

This manual is a work in progress. Keep in mind the third realization that a Balanced Athlete makes.
“Pursuit”. This is why it is important for you to practice, teach, contemplate, stay connected on the
Balanced Athlete Facebook Page (Facebook.com/BalancedAthlete) and read the newsletter to
further your development and evolution of teaching integrated movement.

Sincerely,

Johnny Gillespie

Balanced Athlete® is a registered Trademark

© balanced athlete® 2015