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Functional strength training exercises - best progressions for subsystem integration movements, total body endurance, stability, hypertrophy, and strength, and a sample total body routine.

Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

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I have almost completed my CPT certification and am half-way through the Human Movement certification to inform my massage practice. The different modalities of reading, watching audiovisual materials, and attending live or recorded webinars have been important to my learning style and for review.

Brookbush Institute has the most detailed, specific and effective tools for online learning for movement and/or bodywork professionals. I love the combination of the videos as well as the text available online.

I recently completed the CPT course. It was demanding yet practical. I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting an education about human movement.

I have my personal trainer certificate through here and am almost finished my human movement specialist certification. Overall, the education that Brookbush has packaged together for clinicians and trainers is invaluable. I am a physio assistant so coming from more of a rehab background I appreciate that this education has been beneficial both as a trainer and in a rehab setting. I love that I have been able to do all learning at my own pace and able to work around my schedule. Thank you for setting up this platform! Highly recommend :)

I have been a massage therapist for 10 yrs and I feel like all the “pieces” I’ve learned throughout the yrs have been put into place and can see the full picture. I am also a member to tons of great content since I love to learn! I plan to get my CPT through them as well.

I have been following Brent Brookbush for nearly a decade- back when I was a personal Trainer and now as a Physical Therapist. BBI is an incredible resource for any movement nerds and corrective exercise specialists! The information is thorough with multiple real world applications. I am looking forward to an in-person Manual Therapist course the second they do one a little bit closer to Virginia ;)

I have taken both the Human Movement Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer certificate programs and have found the value in understanding the how and ways the body moves and functions and from evidence, non-biased, outcome, conceptual, theoretical, and practical approach to helping my clients/patients look better, feel better, and move better.

Over the last years I've returned time and again to Brookbush Institute for stellar coursework as I've worked toward a Human Movement Specialist certification. (I'm currently ACE CPT, and in training with Anatomy Trains for Structural Integration Manual Therapy.) Every Brookbush Institute module is fantastic and each one includes detailed informational videos, written descriptions of how to-do, and, more importantly, why to-do!

I am a 70 yr old chiropractor and no other healthcare provider was able to come up with an exercise protocol particular to my structural and balances and muscle deficits and keep me in the game. And as for continuing education on human skeletal movement, the website is phenomenal full of great exercises for particular mechanical dysfunction.

The H.M.S. is the most valuable certificate I have earned and was a fraction of the the cost of my others. Define the best bang for your buck!

Brookbush is the most efficient Personal Training Certification I have ever come across. All the lessons are well thought out and very straight to the point.

I am getting my Master's degree in Kinesiology, and I would like to say that I have benefited greatly from the rich, comprehensive, well-documented scientific content of Brookbush Institute that links theory to practical applications. Proudly I've got my CPT certificate, and I am on my way to get my HMS certificate.

Having courses count towards different certifications makes it so users can transition seamlessly from one certification to another. In my case, going from earning the BI CPT to earning the BI HMS was an easy decision and I am proud to have earned both certifications. I have also had the pleasure of going to a Live HMS workshop that was well taught by Instructor Boettcher and that was excellent to see how the methods and techniques are implemented.



I have been a member of BBI for years and every course I have taken has been incredibly informative. I learn more from these courses than I do at local CEU courses for my PTA license. I also earned my CPT and HMS certifications through the platform. It was so convenient and the content was top notch! Forever member.

We learn principles in academia, we learn cool new modalities via whatever specialty certification, but BBI really concentrates on the nuances of passive treatment and they do a fantastic job. The format in which BBI instructs soft tissue specialists (DPTs, Chiros, ATs) like myself feels like almost like an apprenticeship. You get a thoroughly detailed explanation of the “why’s”, and a visual comprehension of how to apply. Personally, I believe application is where the good and the great are distinguished.

Brookbush has been incredibly helpful since I was in massage school and now as I’m in my career! I run my own practice and it gives me the resources I need to not only improve what I already know, but also help me navigate better, more efficient ways of treatment.

Totally loving the convenience and affordability of this program with my crazy lifestyle! I feel like I am getting a quality education without a massive cost! My favorite part is the videos I can watch in the courses. I learn so much better that way. Once I really spent more time on the site, I figured out how to maneuver around a lot better! I enjoy the sense of humor, as well as the easy explanation, and short tests. And if I am really tired, I can have the computer read me the lessons. 😁

Challenging concepts are explained in very understandable terms without dumbing down the material, and I find this program to be superior in quality to other personal training programs.

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Total body exercises that integrate multiple muscles (including the core muscles) should be incorporated into any routine that is part of a functional training program, because these functional exercises are most likely to have a positive impact on everyday activity.

This course discusses variations, progressions, and regressions of total body exercises (a.k.a. integrated exercises, functional exercises, functional training exercises, functional movements, whole-body exercises, total body workouts, etc). Almost all of these movement patterns include a compound upper body exercise with a compound lower body exercise, with the intent of integrating multiple muscle groups into a functional movement pattern. These functional exercises challenge core stability and neuromuscular control, and have particularly high transference to daily life and intense physical activity. Further, this course includes detailed directions for cueing to optimize recruitment (e.g. increase core stability and glute recruitment), optimize foot placement (e.g. shoulder width, or the correct distance between the right foot and left foot), address muscle imbalances (e.g. scapula position, pelvic position, etc.), and increase force production for use during strength training.

Additionally, this course covers the more advanced functional anatomy relevant to the analysis of compound movements and the recruitment of muscle synergies, including the contribution of core subsystems (e.g. 

) and the use of whole-body exercises during neuromuscular re-education (a.k.a. integration exercises). Note, analysis of integrated exercises is also excellent practice for developing the analysis skills that are necessary to breakdown the complex motions involved in everyday movement.

This course is built from a systematic research review, it is pre-approved for credits toward the Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Certification, and pre-approved for continuing education credits for movement professionals (personal trainers, fitness instructors, physical therapists, athletic trainers, massage therapists, chiropractors, occupational therapists, etc.). We hope this course inspires the inclusion of whole-body (functional exercises) for all goals in fitness, performance, and physical rehabilitation. For example, total body work-outs for fitness enthusiasts (e.g. a series of whole-body exercises), functional strength training for athletes (e.g. holding your position in the paint during basketball, or pushing a defender out of position during football, etc.), or regaining function following an injury (e.g. step-up to press to prepare for pushing open a heavy door).

Shoulder Exercise and Pressing Progressions

Leg Exercise and Triple Extension Progressions

Power Training: Upper Body and Total Body Exercise

Sample Progression: Legs with Pull (Posterior Obliques Subsystem)

Static sagittal plane lunge to bilateral row 

Dynamic sagittal plane lunge to bilateral row  

Bilateral row, to balance, front foot unstable

Unilateral row, to balance, front foot unstable

Single-leg squat to bilateral cable pull-down

Goal: Upper Body Strength Endurance/Stability

Upper Body Strength/Endurance and Stability

60 seconds (note, exercise performed in circuit)

Static Lunge to Unilateral Row with Airex Pad under Front Foot

Prone Stability Ball Row to Tricep Extension

Goal: Upper Body Hypertrophy (Strength/Stability Supersets)

Moderate (75-90% 1-RM)/Light (60-75% 1-RM)

 3 minutes (alternatively, can be performed in a circuit)

Course Summary: Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

 Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions Course Study Guide

Study Guide: Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

Introduction

For a comprehensive review of unstable load and surface training:

Integrated exercise progressions combine upper and lower extremity exercise into functional patterns with the intent of improving inter-muscular coordination and strength during whole-body movement patterns. Although these progressions may not allow for enough load to maximize hypertrophy or strength sports performance, they are incredibly beneficial for field sports, improving functional strength, and may aid in optimizing movement patterns by targeting core subsystems. It is recommended that individual exercise progressions are practiced before they are combined into integrated movement patterns:

Relative flexibility progressions are general guidelines for exercise selection that can be used while correcting postural dysfunction/movement impairment. Within the progression for each integrated movement pattern, relative flexibility progressions for the movement patterns they comprise should be respected. Additionally, the introduction of the integrated movement patterns may be progressed from patterns least likely to result in compensation to patterns requiring optimal mobility and neuromuscular control.

The core subsystems recruited during integrated exercise progressions match the core subsystems used during the individual exercise progressions; however, each integrated exercise progression places additional emphasis on the integrated function of a corresponding core subsystem. Integrated exercise progressions are used in the Brookbush Institute's Corrective Exercise Template to target core subsystems assessed as under-active.

 - Deadlift and Shoulder/Overhead Pressing

Dr. Brent Brookbush demonstrating a single leg squat to pulldown

Kinesiology

Legs with Back/Pulling

Illustration of the Posterior Oblique Subsystem with Muscles Labeled

Legs with Chest/Pushing

Anterior Oblique Subsystem (Attachment of the Adductors and Obliques)

Legs (including Deadlifts) with Shoulders/Overhead Pressing

Dr. Brent Brookbush demonstrating a lateral lunge with front rack position

Research Corner

The integrated exercise pressing progressions discussed below are built upon several "general progressions" that can be applied to any exercise. In this course, these progressions were applied to the movement pattern in conjunction with the relative flexibility progressions and then edited based on feasibility and effectiveness.

It is recommended that the courses on individual exercise progressions are reviewed before adding integrated exercises to a client/patient's routine.

It is recommended that individual exercise progressions are practiced by the client/patient before integrated exercises are added to a client/patient's program.

The form should not be sacrificed for the sake of complexity. Pay careful attention to how these exercise progressions are performed, especially the alignment of the lumbopelvic hip complex.

Foot Position

Knees Over Toes (Tibia and Torso Parallel)

Head, Torso, and Scapula Neutral

Stride Length During a Lunge

Front Rack Position

Points on Form

Start with the client or patient assuming good standing form/posture: 

2nd toe pointing forward and under the ASIS

Pelvis neutral (absence of anterior or posterior pelvic tilt)

Torso, scapula, and head in neutral alignment

Once a good standing posture has been established, have the client or patient descend by “sitting straight down” while attempting to maintain the angle of the tibia and torso close to parallel.

Once your client or patient has achieved the bottom position, have them perform the drawing-in maneuver, “squeeze” their glutes, and attempt to thrust their hips forward to attain the original standing posture.

Cue your client or patient to achieve full hip and terminal knee extension (just short of locking the knees).

At the top of the squat, have your client or patient perform a “form/posture check” and make any necessary adjustments.

 Assisted squats, ball wall squats, leg press machine

Squat Form and Modifications

Legs with Pull Progression

Single leg squat to bilateral cable pull down

Squat to Row

Step-up to Row

Static Lunge to Row

Reverse Lunge to Row

Single-Leg Squat to Bilateral Cable Pull Down

Legs with Pull  Videos and Progressions

Legs with Shoulders/Overhead Press Progressions

Front squat to press

Legs with Shoulders/Overhead Press Videos and Progressions

All progressions may be repeated with the following progressions: 

to balance (step up, but only planted foot touches step)

All progression of the dynamic lunge to shoulders can be repeated with the following progressions:

to balance (back leg only touches the ground at the back position, balance on stance leg at the top).

Side Step & Frontal Plane Step Up with Shoulder Series

Dynamic Lateral Lunge with Shoulder Series

Front Rack Lateral Lunge and Progressions

Legs with Shoulders (Continued) 

Single Leg Touchdown with Shoulder Progressions

with anterior to posterior pull on an unstable surface

Single-Leg Touchdown with Scaption and PNF Carry Away

Single-leg Touchdown with Anterior to Posterior Pull

Single Leg Touchdown with Shoulder Videos and Progressions

Legs with Chest Press/Push Progressions

 are a great precursor to legs with chest press/push exercise progressions. It is suggested that 

 are added to your core program a month or more before adding this exercise progression to your resistance training routine.

Dynamic reverse lunge to bilateral chest press

Step-up to Chest Press

Dynamic Lunge to Chest Press

Legs with Chest Press/Push Videos and Progressions

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Crisco, J. J., Panjabi, M. M., Yamamoto, I., & Oxland, T. R. (1992). Euler stability of the human ligamentous lumbar spine. Part II: Experiment. 

Gracovetsky, S., Farfan, H. F., & Lamy, C. (1981). The mechanism of the lumbar spine. 

Gracovetsky, S., Farfan, H., & Helleur, C. (1985). The abdominal mechanism. 

Macintosh, J. E., Bogduk, N., & Gracovetsky, S. (1987). The biomechanics of the thoracolumbar fascia. 

McGill, S. M., & Norman, R. W. (1988). Potential of lumbodorsal fascia forces to generate back extension moments during squat lifts. 

Barker, PJ., Hapuarachchi, K.S., Ross, J.A., Sambaiew, E., Ranger, T.A., and Briggs, C.A. (2013) Anatomy and biomechanics of gluteus maximus and the thoracolumbar fascia at the sacroiliac joint.

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Shin, S. J., Kim, T. Y., & Yoo, W. G. (2013). Effects of various gait speeds on the latissimus dorsi and gluteus maximus muscles associated with the posterior oblique sling system. 

Kim, J. W., Han, J. Y., Kang, M. H., Ha, S. M., & Oh, J. S. (2013). Comparison of posterior oblique sling activity during hip extension in the prone position on the floor and on a round foam roll. 

Stevens, V.K., Vleeming, A., Bouche, KG., Mahieu, N.N., Vanderstraeten, G.G., Danneels, L.A. Electromyograhpic activity of trunk and hip muscles during stabilization exercises in four-point kneeling in healthy volunteers. European Spine Journal, 2007. 16: 711-718.

Kim, J. W., Kang, M. H., & Oh, J. S. (2014). Patients with low back pain demonstrate increased activity of the posterior oblique sling muscle during prone hip extension. 

Franettovich, S. M., Honeywill, C. O. N. O. R., Wyndow, N., Crossley, K. M., & Creaby, M. W. (2014). Neuromotor control of gluteal muscles in runners with achilles tendinopathy. 

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Hungerford, B., Gilleard, W., Hodges, P. (2003) Evidence of altered lumbopelvic muscle recruitment in the presence of sacroiliac joint pain. Spine 28(14), 1593-1600

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Begalle, R. L., DiStefano, L. J., Blackburn, T. and Padua, D. A. (2012) Quadriceps and hamstrings coactivation during common therapeutic exercises. Journal of Athletic Training, 47(4), 396-405

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Bibliography

Questions, comments, and criticisms are welcomed and encouraged

Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

Related Courses:

Course Summary: Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

Study Guide: Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

Introduction
1 Sub Section

Research Corner
3 Sub Sections

Points on Form
5 Sub Sections

Squat Form and Modifications

Legs with Pull Videos and Progressions
5 Sub Sections

Legs with Shoulders/Overhead Press Videos and Progressions
1 Sub Section

Legs with Shoulders (Continued)
3 Sub Sections

Single Leg Touchdown with Shoulder Videos and Progressions
2 Sub Sections

Legs with Chest Press/Push Videos and Progressions
2 Sub Sections

Bibliography

Related Courses:

Comments

Guest

Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

Related Courses:

Course Summary: Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

Study Guide: Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

Introduction1 Sub Section

Research Corner3 Sub Sections

Points on Form5 Sub Sections

Squat Form and Modifications

Legs with Pull Videos and Progressions5 Sub Sections

Legs with Shoulders/Overhead Press Videos and Progressions1 Sub Section

Legs with Shoulders (Continued) 3 Sub Sections

Single Leg Touchdown with Shoulder Videos and Progressions2 Sub Sections

Legs with Chest Press/Push Videos and Progressions2 Sub Sections

Bibliography

Related Courses:

Comments

Guest

Introduction
1 Sub Section

Research Corner
3 Sub Sections

Points on Form
5 Sub Sections

Legs with Pull Videos and Progressions
5 Sub Sections

Legs with Shoulders/Overhead Press Videos and Progressions
1 Sub Section

Legs with Shoulders (Continued)
3 Sub Sections

Single Leg Touchdown with Shoulder Videos and Progressions
2 Sub Sections

Legs with Chest Press/Push Videos and Progressions
2 Sub Sections