Bands are Not a Punishment!

If you have been here for a while, then you are familiar with our Functional Movement Screen (FMS). The FMS is a prerequisite before ever stepping foot on our training floor. Why are we such firm believers in this screen you ask? Let me explain…

For starters, the purpose of the FMS is so that we can train you the best and safest way possible for YOU. If you stepped through our doors, it is because you want to get better in one way or another and you want to hire a coach to take you from where you are to where you are trying to go. The FMS reveals those nagging aches and pains, it reveals old injuries, and it often reveals asymmetries or potential risks. I can’t even tell you how many times I have screened someone and they didn’t even know they had something going on until they performed the screen.

Let’s think about if we didn’t screen. Let’s say Sally Mae walks in for the first time. I have never seen her move. I didn’t know her past or present injuries. I have no idea if she has great mobility, hypermobility, or total immobility. Then I hand her a kettlebell and teach her how to kettlebell swing- YIKES! I had no idea her hamstrings were tight, no idea that she had back surgery 17 years ago, no idea that she had no control of her core. Can you imagine the risks I just put before her just by handing her a kettlebell and not doing any kind of movement screen? The scary thing is that there are few training facilities that offer a movement screen. So while sometimes you may not like the FMS, be thankful that it is catching potential injuries AND keeping you in the game longer. If you’re hurt, then you take that risk of not being able to train at all.

So why rescreen every 12 weeks? Well, life happens and things change. While we are training smarter to get better, we will be able to see that some screens are improving. On the other side, life happens and things change and we may catch another potential risk. Maybe your late night basketball sessions with no stretching or mobility work are tightening up those hamstrings, or maybe your new job that involves a lot of typing and sitting are locking up your thoracic and causing some shoulder immobility. If we catch these things, then we can help you work through them before causing an injury.

So with that being said, even if you have been here 1, 2, 3+ years and you started with 1 band, then no bands, then 3 bands…it’s okay! Kill it where you can and take a step back where it’s necessary. Like I said, it will help you stay in the game longer. So if you think your bands are a punishment, think again! They are to protect you, because we love you 🙂

-Coach Meagan