%20(1500%20x%20550%20px)%20(1500%20x%20650%20px).png)
Before starting any new training program, most people focus on the goal — getting stronger, improving posture, or reducing pain. But very few stop to ask an important question: how is my body actually moving right now?
A functional movement screening (often shortened to FMS) answers that question. It’s a structured way to evaluate how your body moves through key patterns such as squatting, reaching, bending, and rotating. The goal is not to test how fit you are but to understand the quality of your movement.
In simple terms, a movement screening highlights where your body is balanced, where it compensates, and what needs attention before you start training harder.
Jumping straight into a workout without understanding your movement is like building a house without checking the foundation. You might not notice the cracks right away, but over time, they show up as stiffness, fatigue, or injury.
Without a proper assessment, it’s easy to:
A screening ensures every exercise that follows is safe, effective, and tailored to your body. It takes guesswork out of training and replaces it with clarity.
As I discuss in Rebalance Your Body: Why It’s the Key to Strength, Longevity and Pain-Free Movement, understanding your body’s alignment is the foundation of long-term strength and joint health.
A traditional FMS includes seven standard tests that measure mobility, stability, and coordination across the major movement patterns. Each test helps identify where your body might be compensating.
In my own approach here in Los Angeles, I take that concept further. Alongside the standard movement patterns, I use a posture-tracking device called Rectify. Clients wear it for a few days to capture real-world data on how they sit, move, and stand throughout daily life.
During the in-person screening, I evaluate:
This gives a complete picture of how your body functions — not just during exercise, but in everyday life.
Many people only seek an assessment after something goes wrong: back pain, a shoulder impingement, or chronic tightness that never improves. But those issues often start months or years earlier when the body begins to compensate for minor restrictions.
By skipping a screening, you’re essentially training blind. Even with great effort, results plateau because the underlying dysfunction remains. Over time, that leads to:
Getting screened first ensures you build a solid foundation. It’s the first investment in training that actually lasts.
Once the screening is complete, the findings become a personalised roadmap. You’ll see exactly which areas need mobility work, stability activation, or better movement coordination.
You’ll also receive a few tailored exercises right away so you can start improving before your next session. That means every workout that follows is based on real data, not assumptions.
Think of it as upgrading your internal operating system before adding more programs. The better your movement foundation, the stronger and more resilient you become.
If you’re searching for FMS Los Angeles or movement assessment near me, the goal isn’t just to “pass” the screen — it’s to understand your body better. My process goes beyond the standard seven tests by combining high-precision tracking with hands-on assessment and detailed analysis.
Whether you’re returning to training, recovering from pain, or looking to improve performance, this screening gives you clarity on what your body truly needs.
Fill in the form below to book a 1:1 personal training session with me in my facility in West Hollywood to begin with a full movement screening and learn how your body can move, recover, and perform at its best.