Adaptive Exercise

One thing I've learned over the years as a trainer is that experience matters, but staying curious matters too.

Recently, I completed a continuing education course focused on kyphosis (rounded upper back posture). One of the exercises discussed was the face pull—an exercise I've been using for years.

The course explained how using two resistance bands and keeping the pull higher can significantly increase the range of motion and create a much greater challenge for the muscles responsible for posture, shoulder stability, and upper back strength.

After making this adjustment in my own training, I decided to implement it with Taylor.

The difference was immediate.

Even though Taylor was already familiar with face pulls, this variation required much more control and strength throughout the movement. Because of the increased challenge, I'm providing physical support to help him stay successful while he learns the new pattern.

This is what progression often looks like. It's not always adding more weight or making an exercise harder just for the sake of it. Sometimes it's finding a better way to perform an exercise so that clients can get more benefit from every repetition.

As trainers, we should never stop learning. As clients, Taylor and others benefit when we continue to refine our methods and look for ways to improve.

Great work today, Taylor!

One of the keys to long-term progress is knowing when and how to modify an exercise to create a new training stimulus.

Recently, John and Brian have been working on Superman raises to improve posterior chain strength and postural awareness. While they had already mastered the traditional version of the exercise, we recently introduced a new variation by having them perform the movement while positioned over a stability ball.

This adjustment serves several purposes. The ball allows for a greater range of motion during the movement, challenges trunk stability, and encourages stronger activation of the muscles responsible for maintaining good posture. By carefully modifying the setup, we can continue progressing the exercise while keeping it engaging and appropriately challenging.

Small changes in exercise selection and positioning can make a significant difference over time. Rather than simply repeating the same movements indefinitely, we continually evaluate each athlete's abilities and look for opportunities to build upon previously mastered skills.

John and Brian both did an excellent job adapting to this new variation and continue to demonstrate the consistency and willingness to learn that drives long-term success.

This is exactly why exercise progress should never be judged by where someone starts.

When Bryce and I first began working on lunges, the exercise looked very different than it does today. Lunges were a significant challenge, so we modified the movement to match his current abilities. We started with his front foot elevated on a step and he held onto my hands for balance and support.

As Bryce became stronger and more confident, we systematically adjusted the exercise. The platform got lower over time. My hands were replaced with a resistance band. Then the amount of support continued to decrease session after session.

Now Bryce is performing lunges independently.

What you're seeing in this video is only his second session completing lunges without support from me or a resistance band for balance. More importantly, you can see the confidence that has built along the way.

This is what individualized programming looks like. Meet the client where they are, provide an appropriate level of support, and gradually fade that support as skills improve. Small progressions repeated consistently over time often lead to results that once seemed impossible.

Great work, Bryce!

What you see in this video did not happen overnight.

When Jacob and I first began working on this lunge progression, we started with his front stance leg elevated on a step to reduce the overall difficulty of the movement. From there, I had him lower his back knee to a large medicine ball while holding onto my hands for support and balance.

Over the following weeks, we slowly and systematically progressed the exercise.

✔️ Lowering the height of the front platform
✔️ Gradually decreasing the size of the medicine ball target
✔️ Improving balance and stability
✔️ Transitioning from holding my hands to holding a resistance band for support

Each phase had a purpose.

The goal was not to rush Jacob into the final version of the movement. The goal was to build the strength, coordination, balance, motor planning, and confidence necessary to eventually perform it independently.

This is a major part of adaptive exercise that people often do not see:
The real progress happens in the details of the progression itself.

Now Jacob is demonstrating controlled lunges nearly all the way to the floor with significantly improved balance and confidence compared to where we started.

Proud of the consistent effort he continues to put in every week 💪

Not every athlete needs the same level of adaptive support.

One thing I always emphasize is meeting each individual where they are.

In this older video, my client Kev is performing Sandbell Toss Overs, one of my favorite functional exercises. Movements like this challenge coordination, strength, balance, and body awareness all at once. In many ways, it is similar to a deadlift pattern, but often much more engaging and fun for athletes.

For Kev, this exercise did not require extensive adaptive strategies or physical prompting. My role here was simple:
✔️ Clearly model the exercise
✔️ Make sure he understood the task
✔️ Observe his movement quality
✔️ Provide encouragement and praise

That is an important reminder in adaptive fitness. Sometimes the best coaching strategy is knowing when to step in… and when to step back.

Functional exercises like these can help improve strength and movement patterns that carry over into everyday life and tasks of daily living.