The Movement Assessment is a tool to assess a client's movement patterns and identify any limitations, asymmetries, or compensations in their movements. The purpose of the Movement Assessment is to provide insight into the client's posture, stability, mobility, and overall physical condition, which can inform the development of a safe and effective exercise program tailored to the client's individual needs and goals. By identifying areas of weakness or imbalances, the Movement Assessment can help improve programming choices that prevent injury, improve performance, and promote optimal physical functioning.

The Movement Assessment is divided into Lower Body and Upper Body sections, and is designed to provide a basic understanding of how the client moves. While this is the only official Movement Assessment, it's important to remember that assessing the client is an ongoing process carried out in every session. Always be intentional with your coaching to observe how the client is progressing — or not.

Please record 2-3 full repetitions of each movement. This will serve as a reference for constructing the training program and as a baseline to measure progress as you continue working with the client.

👉 NOTE: The following assessment are not the only assessments you're allowed to perform, but they are the foundational ones you need to start with.

Lower Body

1. Overhead Squat Flow w/ Dowel (Checking Squat Pattern)

The Overhead Squat Test is one of the most bang-for-your-buck tests you can perform. It is simple to set up, easy to perform, and provides enough information about the clients movement and mobility limitations to assist in creating an exercise program that will safely and effectively help them achieve their goals.

The squat portion of this test is used to assess bilateral, symmetrical, mobility of the hips, knees, and ankles.

The dowel held overhead allows you to assess bilateral, symmetrical mobility of the shoulders as well as the thoracic spine.

The ability to perform this test requires closed-kinetic chain dorsi-flexion of the ankles, flexion of the knees and hips, extension of the thoracic spine, as well as flexion and abduction of the shoulders.

How to perform:

• To perform this test, begin by standing with feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing forward. Next grasp a dowel, place dowel on top of your head, align hands so that elbows are at 90° angles and extend the arms directly overhead, keeping the dowel in-line with your head and over your foot print. Next, simply squat down as far as you can go, while keeping the dowel as high above your head as possible. The test will stop if any of the following conditions are seen or felt:
  • Pain or discomfort
  • Heels coming off the ground
  • Dowel falling forward towards the ground
  • Loss of balance
• This test has a series of checkpoints that need to be assessed to get a true understanding of the results. The following characteristics are being tested;
  • calf flexibility
  • knee stability
  • hip/pelvic mobility
  • core stability
  • thoracic extension
  • shoulder mobility

Overhead Squat Assessment Flow:

There are four common outcomes to this Overhead Squat Assessment. If one variation cannot be successfully completed move down to the next.

1. Complete Full Squat

To be considered a complete full squat you must see the following at the bottom of the squat:

• Upper torso is parallel with tibia or towards vertical.
• Femur is below horizontal.
• Knees are aligned over feet.
• Feet are pointing forward (not flared out).
• Dowel is aligned over feet.

Result: No Limitations: Full Squat achieved w/ No Compensations. Client has no programming limitations around squatting.

If client struggles to perform a Full Squat, continue to next variation.

2. Full Squat w/ Arms Crossed

If the client performs the squat test and struggles in anyway, we need to examine a bit further into the movement. At this point we will ask them to repeat the test, however this time we will remove the dowel from above their head and ask them to simply cross their arms over their chest and shoulders and then perform the squat test. If by doing this, the test yields a full squat, then this tells us that thoracic extension and shoulder mobility are most likely the issues we are dealing with.

Result: Thoracic Extension / Shoulder Limitation: Full Squat achieved w/ Arms Crossed in Front. Client likely to have programming limitations around posteriorly loaded squat patterns such as the Barbell Back Squat.

If Arms Crossed does not help client achieve a Full Squat, continue to the next variation.

3. Full Squat w/ Heels Elevated

Oftentimes a client will present with one or both heels lifting off the ground prior to obtaining the full squat. This can indicate a mobility issue with the calf and ankle. Place a wedge (15°-25°) under their heals to see if they can now perform a proper overhead squat w/ dowel. We are looking to see whether or not the knee can move forward out past the toe. If the knee cannot move past the toes, then there is a significant calf/ankle mobility issue. If the client is still struggling to achieve full depth with the dowel overhead, try it again with the Heels Elevated and Arms in Front to see if there is any improvement.

👉 NOTE: While this may "fix" a clients mobility restrictions, they still may have strength limitations that do not allow them to complete the extra range of motion gained by compensating with a heel wedge. If this is the case, assist them through the movement, or have them hold onto something stable. It is very likely that because they have not been able to access that range of motion, they will be very weak.

Result: Ankle/Calf Limitation: Full Squat achieved w/ Heel Elevation. Client will likely need assistance from wedges or blocks to preform full range of motion squat patterns.

If Heel Elevation does not help client achieve a Full Squat continue to the next variation.

Digging Deeper

• Is there a Bilateral Calf Limitation? This describes the client as having limitations in both ankles – they can’t get their knee past their toes on either leg. Or is there a Unilateral Calf Limitation? This describes the client as having a greater limitation in one ankle over the other — one knee travels over the toe significantly further than the other.
• We can check by performing a half-kneeling calf flexibility test. Have the client kneel on one knee. Align the front foot with a dowel and instruct the client to simply lean forward on the forward foot as far as you can go without that heel coming off the ground. Do this with both legs to see if there is a significant discrepancy.

4. Limited Squat

If the client is unable to perform the squat with Arms Crossed, and they still can’t seem to go fully into a squat, then we would need to look at other limiting factors such as either core instability or hip mobility. Another likely cause may be a severe strength deficiency.

Result: Core / Hip Limitation: Unable to achieve Full Squat. Client will likely need to improve core stability and hip mobility before advancing to squat movements that are unsupported or unstable (e.g., Leg Machines or Tripod Split Squats).

Upper Body

1. Shoulder Flexion/Extension

Ideal Range of Motion:
Shoulder Flexion: 170-185°
Shoulder Extension: 40-55°

Assessing shoulder flexion and extension helps to identify any limitations or asymmetries in the clients range of motion, which may indicate muscle imbalances, joint restrictions, or postural dysfunctions. This will enable the coach to select the appropriate exercises and/or modify them to suit the needs and abilities of the client, ensuring safe and effective training.

For example, if a client has limited shoulder flexion, exercises such as overhead presses and pull-ups may be contraindicated or need to be modified to avoid exacerbating the limitation. Instead, exercises that focus on scapular stabilization and mobility, such as scapular push-ups or rows, may be more appropriate. Similarly, if a client has limited shoulder extension, exercises such as push-ups, dips, or rows that require significant shoulder extension may need to be avoided or modified. Instead, exercises that focus on shoulder flexion and extension within a comfortable range, such as shoulder circles or wall slides, may be more appropriate.

How to perform:

• Position the client on the edge of the bench with their feet flat on the floor, and ask them to sit upright (chest up) with their arms by their sides and their palms facing each other.
• Ask the client to raise both arms overhead, keeping their elbows straight and their palms facing inward. This is shoulder flexion.
• Observe the client's movement for any asymmetry or compensations, such as excessive arching of the low back or shrugging of the shoulders. Note the approximate degree where compensation begins.
• To test shoulder extension, ask the client to bring their arms behind their back behind the midline of the body, with their palms continuing to face each other.
• Observe the client's movement for any asymmetry or compensations, such as rounding of shoulders or forward head posture. Note the approximate degree where compensation begins.
  
  

2. Shoulder Internal/External Rotation with Elbow at 90°

Ideal Range of Motion:
External Rotation: 90-105°
Internal Rotation: 55-70º

Testing internal and external range of motion of the shoulder joint is important when prescribing exercises such as overhead presses because mobility restrictions in these ranges can affect the ability of the client to perform the exercises safely and effectively.

For example, if a client has restricted internal rotation they may have difficulty performing overhead exercises without compensating by excessively arching their lower back or shifting their weight forward. This compensation can lead to injury or reduced effectiveness of the exercise. On the other hand, if a client has restricted external rotation, they may have difficulty bringing the arms into the correct position for overhead exercises, which can also limit their effectiveness.

How to perform:

• Have the client sit upright on the edge of the bench with their feet on the floor.
• Position the client's arm so that their elbow is bent at 90° and is abducted to 90° away from the midline of the body (or parallel to the floor).
• The coach will stand to the side of the client and fully support the weight of the client's elbow and arm with one hand, while using the other to guide the wrist through both internal and external rotation.
• To test external rotation, the coach will guide the client's forearm (at the wrist) posteriorly, using the supported elbow as the axis of rotation. Note the approximate degree/angle where passive range of motion stops.
• To test internal rotation, the coach will guide the client's forearm (at the wrist) anteriorly, using the supported elbow as the axis of rotation. Note the approximate degree/angle where passive range of motion stops