Four Reasons Why Becoming a Pain-Free Movement Specialist Will Change the Way You Help People

May 29th, 2014

By Kevin Murray BSc, CPT, CES
Director of Education

#1 – Education By Way Of Principles
The Pain Free Movement Specialist curriculum is a principle-based outlook on movement and function. Principles are nature’s laws that forever endure, and cannot be broken. Principles are fundamental truths that have universal relevance.

Without principles, there is tremendous temptation to use methods, or other modalities that are not supported by, or based around correct principles.

Foam rolling, tennis balls, thera canes are just some of the modalities that come to mind. Make no mistake, a foam roller can be an excellent tool to guide the process towards creating positive change, but foam rolling itself is not corrective exercise.

When guided by correct principles, we can begin the corrective journey with any client, and be fully competent in guiding them down the direction best suited for their unique needs. It is during this process that we can then create an empowering environment where Pain-Free living is truly possible.

#2 – Understanding The Neuro-Matrix
When working with the client in pain – the nervous system is king. At Function First, we are guided by biomechanics, not ruled by them. Low back pain is much more than “tight hip flexors” or “excessive lumbar lordosis” or “over pronated feet”.

Pain is complex, and we cannot help the chronic pain population with just one simple solution. Understanding that pain is a complex system, we need to remember this principle; the longer an individual has been in pain, the less of a relationship the pain has to tissue damage. What does this mean?

Simply put, your clients’ pain could be related to fear avoidance, biopsychosocial stressors, motor control complications, low irritability thresholds, and the list goes on-and-on.

Pain neuroscience is a critical component behind Function First Mastery, which is why it’s part of both the online curriculum, and the subsequent live events that follow in levels two, three and four.

#3 – 1.5 Billion People Need Our Help
The numbers don’t lie… Heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined does not total the number of folks currently suffering from chronic pain. It’s clear the Health Care system in North America and other industrialized nations are on life support themselves, and cannot keep up with the number of chronic pain patients with the current blueprint.

There is good news however… A consciousness uprising has begun. Individuals are becoming more proactive and taking the initiative to act, rather than be acted upon. People are becoming more response-able (responsible) and are looking for alternatives, a different approach to solving their pain troubles. They want to be empowered and in control of their pain.

The Pain Free Movement Specialist curriculum is built around meeting this objective. At its base, it’s been created for those professionals who demand the most out of themselves; those whose purpose is to inspire and empower through the implementation of crystal clear corrective exercise principles, insights, objectives and outcomes.

#4 – 20 Years & Counting
Since 1994, Function First has been on the cutting edge of corrective exercise innovation and intellect, educating thousands of professionals at conferences, workshops, seminars and mentorships on how to create Pain-Free living through movement.

The Pain-Free Movement Specialist curriculum is the first of its kind, and is the culmination of all that Anthony has learned and assimilated in over 20 years of working with the chronic pain population. A frequent question that inevitably arises at live events is “how can I learn more?” We are so proud to provide this deep and immersive curriculum relating solely to working with the chronic pain population.

From day one of its inception, the purpose behind creating such a comprehensive online curriculum was to provide a backstage pass so we could reveal everything that makes the Function First Approach so powerful, and to make it available on a digital platform. With over 14 hours of content, we have left no stone un-turned.

You – the agents of change who are leading the Pain Free movement have spoken. The Pain-Free Movement Specialist curriculum is now available and we invite you to join us as we break from old traditions, old ways of thinking, and challenge the status quo to better serve this under serviced demographic that desperately needs our help.

Pain-Free Movement Specialist Backstage Peak

May 15th, 2014

You asked for it so we put together a backstage peak for you to get a glimpse of more of the content of the Pain-Free Movement Specialist. Many thanks to all who have signed up and inquired about this one-of-a-kind educational program.

If you have not gotten started and plan on attending Level II in San Diego on September 13-14, don’t delay. You’ll want plenty of time to get proficient with the material.

Questions? Email education@functionfirst.com

Need more info? Go here

Want to get started? Go here

The Chronic Pain Exercise Difference

May 7th, 2014

You’re all pumped up for your new client. You spoke with her on the phone and she really needs help. She is in her late 40s and 25 years a lawyer—hunched over law books and computers. After 3 bouts of physical therapy for her neck and shoulder pain in the past year, she is ready to get on an exercise program. In fact, she has sought medical help multiple times for her neck and shoulders over the past 5 years. Although still in a lot of pain, she has been cleared for exercise.

She knows she isn’t moving well and doesn’t want to get “hurt” working with a trainer who pushes her too much, so she has sought you out. You explained to her about posture and tight and weak muscles, and how after you assess her you’re sure you’ll find “lots” to work on.

Before she arrives, you are already anticipating the kyphosis, forward head posture, tight hip flexors, and internally rotated shoulders. This will be a piece of cake.

Uh-oh. After greeting her, you can immediately see she is not the structural train wreck you anticipated. In fact, after your assessment, you find her posture is fine and she moves pretty well. This doesn’t make sense. Nothing is fitting cleanly into your corrective exercise recipe.

Now what?

First, you have to understand what chronic pain means to the body and brain. And although biomechanics are a definite factor in mechanical stress, with chronic pain it’s not so easy.

At Function First we say that we are “guided by biomechanics but not ruled by it,” which means we must first thoroughly understand how the body moves – period. And it is our opinion that you have to start here first. No sense in jumping right into working with the chronic pain client if you have an empty toolbox.

There are many modulators to chronic pain, and exercise is one of them when programmed properly. And the beauty of an exercise intervention is the positive cascading effects it can have on the individual physically, mentally and emotionally.

Sure, by the process of elimination you can find things that do not hurt your client. But that’s not the best approach, because if you do reproduce their pain, you can’t un-ring the bell. You have excited the neurotag associated with their pain and may have lost the client forever. And perhaps worse, you may have scared them away from exercise for good.

Have you seen the statistics on chronic pain?
Pain Stats

Have you thought about the opportunity to make a difference? If not, Click here

The Pain-Free Movement Specialist Introduction

April 21st, 2014

The time has come for the fitness industry to rise to the occassion and better serve the 1.5 BILLON people world wide that are suffering from chronic pain.

See what the opportunity is and how Function First can share what has worked for us over the past 20 years working with the chronic pain population.

An Interdependent, Centered Approach

March 27th, 2014

By Kevin Murray CPT, CES, PES
Director of Education

“Almost every significant breakthrough is first a break with old tradition, with old ways of thinking, and old paradigms”. Thomas Kuhn, physicist, historian, and philosopher of science whose controversial 1962 book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions originally introduced the term paradigm shift. Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People further elaborated on this concept. Paradigm shifts guide us to new ways of thinking, shedding light on new ideas and concepts previously unseen. They are “Aha!” moments, when you suddenly view everything from an entirely different perspective, ultimately shifting your paradigm.

The Function First Approach is constantly evolving. A new era of growth, contribution and change awaits the movement industry, and we embrace this opportunity as industry innovators and educators. The Function First Approach is a principle-based outlook on movement and function. Principles are nature’s laws that forever endure and cannot be broken. Principles are fundamental truths that have universal relevance. If your parents or grandparents ever wonder why they’ve lost an inch or two, they need to look no further than the physics principle of gravity. Although we cannot see it, gravity is always there. It’s a universal principle.

One of the fundamental principles that guide the Function First Approach is simply this: the body is an interdependent unit that always functions as a whole. And just as the body is interdependent, the Function First Approach operates much the same way. It’s not a methodology, but rather a principle-oriented, systematic approach, utilizing various perspectives to help guide the implementation of a corrective strategy. One such perspective contributing to our approach of viewing the body as a whole is that of Thomas Myers and his 2001 groundbreaking book Anatomy Trains®.

I’ve had the privilege of working side by side with Tom over the last several years, and in 2012 was appointed one of his Associate Teachers for Anatomy Trains®. While traditionally, manual and movement professions have been viewed as independent of one another, the movement industry over the last decade or so has grasped onto many of the principles and insights of manual-based philosophy and teachings. Surrounded by such brilliant minds and immersed into the “manual world,” so to speak, I quickly discovered that, while the process behind manual and movement applications are indeed drastically different, our objectives, outcomes and ultimate vision are almost always identical.

The anatomy-based knowledge of manual professionals is astonishing, and Tom’s is particularly so. In the same respect, Tom is often taken aback in his journey of movement comprehension. His own paradigms shift as he understands more about movement and function. Tom has taken a keen interest in our approach to Corrective Exercise, movement and function, which is why Anthony and I are thrilled to be collaborating with him in his hometown of Walpole, ME this July for three full days of advanced insights and movement strategies for creating lasting change. Combining the Function First and Anatomy Trains expertise into one event creates something far greater than we could ever accomplish separately. Together, we create an interdependent paradigm, completely revolutionizing how we approach working with clients, patients or athletes, while simultaneously bridging the gap between manual and movement industries.

We understand that one of the most effective strategies for expanding your knowledge and growing your skill set is to surround yourself with like-minded individuals at live events. There is no substitute for immersing yourself into new ways of thinking, to step into the unknown and leave with a new sense of what’s possible for you and others.

2014 is an exciting time for us at Function First. We are celebrating 20 years since we first opened our doors. As we reflect on this accomplishment, we also look to the future and to our pledge to continuously raise the bar to even greater heights. Our revolutionary unlimited personal training package, X-Factor small group training, reactive training with the Core-Tex™, collaboration with Thomas Myers & Anatomy Trains, and the soon-to-be-launched online curriculum based entirely around the Function First Approach to Corrective Exercise are just some of the projects that are keeping us busy.

Have you ever wanted to help someone in pain, but weren’t quite sure how? Function First is among the world leaders in Corrective Exercise intelligence. Since 1994, Anthony has been on the cutting edge of Corrective Exercise innovation and intellect, educating thousands of professionals at conferences, workshops, seminars and mentorships how to create Pain-Free living through corrective exercises. What if you could begin your personal journey of Corrective Exercise Mastery with Anthony and me anytime, anywhere, and at your own convenience? On May 1st, the Function First online curriculum will be accessible worldwide and available to anyone looking to geometrically grow his or her Corrective Exercise comprehension and application.

The Function First online curriculum and Corrective Exercise Mastery is the culmination of all that Anthony has learned and assimilated in over 20 years of working with the chronic pain population. It’s designed to share all the principles, strategies and tools that make the Function First Approach so effective and powerful by taking advantage of the most current research in pain neuroscience, biomechanics, motor control and all that encompasses the bio-psycho-social model to overcoming pain.

If you’re ready to become a master of helping people overcome pain through exercise, are committed to raising your standards of excellence, and are dedicated to acquiring the expertise to create lasting change in your clients, patients and athletes, then here is our invitation to you. Join us on this journey: an interdependent, centered approach with the ability to transform lives.

10 principles of the Function First Approach to Corrective Exercise

January 15th, 2014

1. Corrective exercise is a journey, not a destination.

With all that we are up against as humans, to assume we are ever really “done” is unrealistic. Between long-established musculoskeletal history, genetics, environmental factors, new activities, psychosocial stressors, nutritional factors, etc., there is always room for improvement. Does that mean that we never attempt anything until we are almost perfect? Quite the contrary. One of our fundamental principles is that every corrective exercise program ascends in biomechanical and neurological complexity to prepare the client for the day’s ensuing life, fitness or work demands.

2. Corrective exercises are a means to an end, not an end in and of themselves.

If I am doing a good job with my clients, I am constantly clearing my schedule. My goal is to improve the quality and confidence of my clients’ movement so they can pursue the activities that they enjoy and the health benefits that their bodies need.

Corrective exercises evolve into strategic movement preparation before activity. More remedial exercises may provide a restorative day when needed. All the while, the client’s activity level is ramping up toward more traditional fitness goals.

3. We change the invisible before we change the visible.

Movement synergies will be observed and can be immediate before any noticeable structural changes in the body. Proprioceptive input and the resulting changes in motor output are not dependent upon significant structural/postural changes.

Interestingly, some of this will be also be attributed to movement-confidence factors as a result of the trainer/therapist relationship to the client/patient, the environment and hosts of other psychosocial factors.

4. All forms of myofascial release have a corrective function but are not corrective exercises.

We regularly employ forms of self myofascial release (SMR) with our clients as a valuable tool toward their independent care. I believe SMR can be a critical component of the overall corrective strategy but it is no more an “exercise” than myofascial release provided by a practitioner.

Therefore, SMR alone is an incomplete intervention and should always be complemented by corrective exercises that require motor control/motor learning components necessary for lasting change.

5. Corrective exercises are programmed and progressed following pre-determined objectives, just like any other exercise programming.

As Steven Covey says, “begin with the end in mind.” There are movement efficacies (without pain) that we want our clients to achieve. When they demonstrate these to us, we progress. Some demonstrate this in the first meeting, and some take several weeks. If progress is not occurring, we modify our strategy.

Repeating the same remedial corrective exercises or spinal stability exercises for months on end does not provide the needed stimulus for progress.

6. A corrective exercise has less to do with intensity or complexity than it does with purpose and competency.

In the Function First Approach model, supine diaphragmatic breathing and a multi-planer lunge with an arm reach can both be considered corrective exercises. Does the exercise have a specific objective toward what you hope to influence on this client? Does it provide the necessary levels of variability and demand to promote improved competency?

With corrective exercises, progressions are much more than added resistance, reps or durations.

7. If you believe that you can positively influence your client’s movement with the right exercises, then you must also believe that you can negatively influence their movement with the wrong exercises. Anthony Carey's The Pain-Free Program

The above statement is my modification of a statement I read by Shirley Sahrmann, PhD. Beyond the obvious of what creates pain, it is important to consider the effects of load and repetition on the motor systems response. We don’t lunge for the sake of lunging or squat for the sake of squatting. Is it the right exercise at this time for this client?

8. If variability is not built into your corrective exercise programming, the motor system is not given the stimulus to expand and further develop the body’s movement catalog.

Repeating the same remedial corrective exercises or spinal stability exercises for months on end does not provide the needed stimulus for progress. The goal is competency and not perfection because no two repetitions are ever exactly alike. Building in variability to your program expands the motor systems available catalog and resources for both predictable and unpredictable movement.

In the initial 6-8 weeks at Function First, we modify the client’s home program every two weeks to ensure variability in their program.

9. Continued use of terms such as “weak,” “tight,” or “inhibited” perpetuates an isolationist view of the body and distracts clients/athletes from the primary objective: improved movement.

The relevance of a “weak,” “tight,” or “inhibited” muscle is not lost on us. But it is only one variable in a very comprehensive interaction of all the systems in the body. Focusing on a muscle or muscles in this way suggests a linear relationship to your goal. Assuming an “if this than that” relationship with the human body is a path to limited success.

10. Corrective exercises applied to the individual with chronic pain are as much about movement novelty, graded exposure, reducing apprehension and instilling movement confidence as they are about addressing movement dysfunction.

As a non-licensed fitness professional, it is outside my professional boundaries to “treat” anyone or diagnose an injury. Yet 99 percent of my clients come to me due to chronic pain. Pain does not dictate what we do with the Function First Approach but it does limit our options. We respect the pain and all its biopsychosocial components.

We are of the opinion, based on the interpretation of the research, that the postural-structural-biomechanical model is still very relevant to the chronic pain sufferer. But that relevance is weighted differently in our programming on a client-by-client basis.

The first threshold we have to cross is the one that reduces psychological apprehension and guarded movement. And sometimes this has nothing to do with the client’s postural-structural-biomechanical challenges. That comes later.

Lorimer Mosely on Chronic Pain

November 13th, 2013

The understanding of pain mechanisms-in particular chronic pain-has taken a quantum leap in the last few years. This is a rare case where the research is much further ahead than how patients/clients are treated day to day.

What we do at Function First is always evolving as we are exposed to more and more science. The good news is that much of what we have always done continues to work. The better news is that we have a clearer picture on why the Function First Approach works so well for so many.

This video is a TED talk from one of the preeminent researchers in pain science. I have shared this with many of you in the past and wanted to be sure everyone in the Function First family had an opportunity to watch. The best part of this video is that Dr. Mosely is an extremely engaging and entertaining speaker. As someone who often speaks on difficult topics, it is refreshing to see a man of his background provide such an enjoyable presentation.

An Approach vs. Method: You can’t get there from here

October 3rd, 2013

As for methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have troubel. Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’ve opened many workshops with a slide containing Emerson’s above words. To me it speaks volumes in perspective when working with the human body.

If I knew then what I know now….

How many of us have said that? As health and fitness professionals we should be assuming a best practices, evidence based strategy in our work with clients, athletes and patients. And as new research provides valuable insights along with practical experience, we evolve.

Personally, I have had to completely let go of and modify many of my long standing beliefs about the work I do. From my college experience in the mid ‘80s until today, much has changed. I have worked with chronic pain clients for 20 years, and the last several years alone have brought a monumental shift in the understanding of chronic pain and the neuromatrix involved in its perception. For me, this has influenced how I design exercise programs and how I educate my clients. But it has not changed everything. In fact in many cases it has provided a clearer understanding to why what we do has worked so well for clients who have not been successful elsewhere.

We have referred to what we do as the Function First Approach from day one. I did not name it a method and I did not name it after myself. Why? Because from the beginning I realized that an approach is more of a philosophy geared toward specific objectives AND that a great deal of what I was doing was based on the knowledge I gained from others. A method, on the other hand, is self-limiting and quite honestly a bit presumptive.

Merriam-Webster provides one definition: Method- (1) : a way, technique, or process of or for doing something (2) : a body of skills or techniques

At Function First, our core values are to improve the quality of motion and the quality of life of every client we are given the privilege to work with. Frankly, we can’t do that if we try to force every client into a recipe that we whipped up before we ever met them.

I assume that anyone who has ever called what they do the ___________(fill in a name) Method is very confident and passionate about how and why they do what they do. I would also suggest they have painted themselves into a corner. I personally know several brilliant people who have created a “method” and my point is not to make them wrong. But the reality is that those who have created a method will likely grow and evolve long before any of that information makes its way down to and is applied by their followers.

Holy Grail

Are all the answers in one spot?


So why does this matter? Because practitioners who use or follow one specific method do so at the exclusion of other potential interventions that might help. Dedicated to a guru? If you are, realize that you see the world only through that person’s lens.

Does Facebook drive you crazy reading posts by those ridiculous practitioners and what they are doing with their clients/patients? I bet you can’t even get half way through their blog post or video before you stop in disgust.

Thank God we can scroll down a little further and see a post by that brilliant professional who actually “gets it”. Now this one really knows what he/she is talking about, right?

Or perhaps they both do?

Your disdain for the first post could be what psychologist B.F. Skinner referred to as Cognitive Dissonance-ignoring or refuting other information regardless of how valid if it conflicts with or threatens our views. Your attraction to the second post might have you experiencing Confirmation Bias. This is when we surround ourselves with people that think and act like we do to keep ourselves comfortable in our decisions. We follow their work, use their ideas as our own and become offended and defensive toward those that have opposing views.

Can we grow personally and professionally if we impose these self-induced limitations upon ourselves? For me, the first step was and continues to be the ability to realize whether I am ignoring important facts as I hold on to long standing beliefs that may no longer be valid.

As an educator, it is my responsibility to deliver information accurately and to be clear on communicating that which is evidence based, that which has worked for me and that which has worked for others-which may or may not be evidence based. The good is news is that I have some pretty happy and grateful clients from around the world. The bad news is that they may not have improved for all the reasons I originally thought.

I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

Plantar Fasciitis-A Function First View

August 21st, 2013

Foot problems can be a nightmare for anyone who exercises upright. The fact that the foot must interface with the ground consistently can jeopardize your workouts (and therefore your health) when there is a problem there. Plantar fasciitis is a common foot problem that effects people that engage in all kinds of activates; from recreational walking to higher impact versions of exercise.

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia-the thick webbing of fascia at the bottom of the foot. The symptoms are most commonly felt at the heel where the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon mesh with one another. The pain is usually sharp and progressively gets worse over days or weeks. Plantar fasciitis does not occur overnight.

The symptoms are usually the worst when the foot first hits the floor in the morning. But symptoms may also be triggered after standing following long periods of sitting. In both instances there is a “pulling” at the attachment on the heel. Very often the symptoms lessen after the foot and body have been warmed up. This is because the fascia must lengthen when the foot is flat on the floor and tighten as we push off. “Warmer” tissue will be more compliant to lengthening and therefor create less pulling at the heel attachment.

Traditional exercise interventions for helping treat or prevent plantar fasciitis involve stretching the calf. This is because both calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) attach to the bottom of the foot and plantar fascia via the Achilles tendon. Flexibility in the calf transfers to improved flexibility in the plantar fascia. But the only way to effectively stretch both calf muscles is to stretch with the knee straight and bent. Bending the knee releases the gastrocnemius and allows better application to the small, deeper soleus.

If we take an integrated look at the body as we do at Function First, we can see that the tightness in the plantar fascia can be connected not to just the calf, but to the hamstrings and all the way up the lower back. And we must also realize that the calf muscles don’t only get tight in a front to back motion. They also can be tight side to side when the foot pronates or supinates. Therefore, for many people the calf stretching exercises they do provide limited or temporary help.

Muscles should never be stretched cold. And if you are experiencing plantar fasciitis symptoms this is even more critical because as you attempt to stretch the cold muscle you can actually do more damage. With plantar fasciitis you must also be very careful not to stretch to the point of pain. It should be a gentle, comfortable pull. If you do not have plantar fasciitis it is OK to stretch to the point of mild discomfort.

Try this dynamic calf stretch that functionally elongates the structures from the bottom of the foot to the lower back and through the side to side dimension:

Stand facing a wall with the toes of one foot elevated 3-4” off of the floor using a book or the like. Make sure the foot is pointing straight ahead. Place your hands on the wall for balance. Lift the knee of the other leg straight up toward your chest. From here, bring the leg straight back behind you. As the leg is moving behind you the torso should lean forward toward the wall. This should cause the knee to straighten more on the leg that you are stretching. As the knee straightens more the stretch should become more noticeable up the back of the entire leg. Immediately bring the knee back up toward the chest and repeat. This is a dynamic but controlled stretch so there is no hold. Do this for about 10 repetitions.

Next, lift the knee again and hold the leg up so that the thigh is parallel to the floor. From here, move the knee across your stance leg and then all the way to the other side like a gate that is opening and closing. Your hips/pelvis should turn as you do this. Repeat this movement dynamically 10 repetitions to each side.

The final motion is bend the knee of the support leg about 15 degrees. The stretch should be felt lower and deeper on the calf now. From here repeat the side to side motion 10 more times to each side.

Core-Tex and Power Plate combo

July 31st, 2013

Add some 3 dimensionality to your whole body vibration training. Combining the amazing benefits of the Power Plate with the reactive variability of the Core-Tex super sizes your benefits from both products.