What is a Corrective Exercise Specialist?

My view of myself has morphed over the years from “Personal Trainer and MELT Instructor” to “Corrective Exercise Specialist”, and it’s time to describe what I mean by that.

As a personal trainer, I cannot diagnose any medical condition. However, what I can do is identify muscular imbalances to the best of my abilities. Theoretically, there can be as many imbalances as there are people but, in practice, there are certain misalignments which can been seen over and over. The normal lifestyle for many people includes sitting for long hours, often in front of a computer or in a car. Over time, this can create a posture with the head jotting forward, the shoulders being rounded, the pelvis misaligned, and the knees moving inward while the feet are pointing outward. Calves and hamstrings are tight while the hip muscles are often weak.

Ultimately, every person has a unique combination of those issues. When somebody approaches me for personal training, it is simply imperative to me to address those deviations first. To load a body with one or more of those problems would be like loading a car for a road trip that is neither balanced nor aligned.

For most imbalances, there are exercises, comprised of stretching and strengthening, to improve or even neutralize them. Since most people come with a combination of imbalances, the challenge is to find the right path of exercises. It also includes education so that the client understands what habits have led to the current issues. At this point, it’s as much an art as a science. There is the personality of the client that must be considered; existing limitations (for example arthritis in the hands or even MS) that require modifications; the life circumstances of the client which may put constraints on time.

For the exercises, I can draw on an entire arsenal. I have studied the corrective exercise approaches from NASM and from The BioMechanics Method, developed by Justin Price. I have extensive knowledge of Sue Hitzmann’s MELT Method, a self-treatment technique for connective tissue. I recently took the course ‘Core Barre’ with Monica Hoekstra who has developed the Systems of Smart Movements® which is yet another approach to corrective exercise. Both MELT and Core Barre can even been taught to groups. Core Barre in particular combines the effectiveness of corrective exercises with a certain elegance of movement which makes people feel good about themselves.

Corrective exercises themselves are too many to name but they all include the muscles of the shoulder girdle, hips and lower back and what is commonly called “the core”. I have found over and over that, once the stabilizing structures have improved, many aches and pains lessen or disappear.