Why Movement Patterns Are the Bedrock of Moving Better, Faster, and Stronger
When it comes to building a strong, capable body, we like to keep things simple and effective. And by simple, we mean rooted in movement patterns that have stood the test of time in the training and rehab worlds.
One of the best ways to make picking exercises, workouts, training (and even rehab) more effective is to lean into this key principle – Train movements rather than muscles (most of the time).
There are plenty of ways to categorise movement, but one framework we’ve found invaluable is Paul Chek’s primal movement patterns—seven fundamental motions that form the blueprint for how humans move:
✅ Squat
✅ Lunge
✅ Push
✅ Pull
✅ Bend (this includes the hinge, but isn’t limited, as round back bending is a normal & useful movement)
✅ Twist
✅ Gait (walking, running, sprinting)
These aren’t just gym exercises—they reflect how we move in real life. Whether you’re picking up your kid, running for the bus, or shifting a sofa these patterns are everywhere. Look close and you’ll see which patterns are key in which sports. Interestingly, they mirror the developmental patterns we go through as infants, like grabbing chairs to pull ourselves up and learning to get to our feet (more on that in another blog).
Let’s dig into why these patterns matter and how we put our own spin on them at aps.
Why We Use Movement Patterns at aps
We use these 7 patterns as the backbone of training—whether it’s for injury rehab, athletic performance, or just moving better day to day. Here’s why:
💡 They match how your body is designed to move. If a movement doesn’t seem to fit into one of these categories, it’s probably just a variation of them.
💡 They train muscles in a way that carries over to real life. Instead of isolating muscles in artificial ways, these patterns recruit multiple muscle groups together—just like you’d use them outside the gym.
💡 They expose weak links. Struggle with squatting, lunging, or twisting? That’s useful information—it often reveals mobility or stability gaps worth addressing.
💡 They’re adaptable for any level. Whether you’re rehabbing an injury, new to training, or an experienced athlete, these patterns can be scaled to suit you.
How We Apply Movement Patterns
We love Chek’s framework, but with a combined 30+ years of our own ‘real world, real people’ experience, we don’t follow any one system rigidly. Here’s how we use movement patterns in the gym:
✅ Integrate into rehab & pain management for better results – Struggling with back pain? We might modify or regress your hinge pattern to something like a Kneeling Bend or a Swiss ball Cobra to train the pattern but at a tolerable level to reduce pain and build back up faster. The principle of ‘regress as far as needed but keep the pattern if you can’, works wonders.
✅ Emphasis on unilateral work – While the lunge is an obvious example, all primal patterns can take on a single-leg or single-arm emphasis to refine balance, co-ordination and improve stability. Not to force symmetry—but to improve how well both sides contribute, train left leg-right arm movements (and vice versa) and improve rotation/anti-rotation (aka the all important twist pattern).
✅ Train patterns, not just exercises. It’s not about mastering barbell squats, deadlifts or cleans—it’s about ensuring you can move well and adapt in different variations, perhaps focusing on more complexity, combining patterns for better flow, handling heavier loads to increase strength or introducing speed to level up power.
✅ Don’t go down the rabbit hole – ‘functional movement’ has gone a bit bonkers over the years… standing on one leg with 4 therabands attached to you whilst on a Bosu isn’t our vibe… we’re mostly talking about good compound exercises that represent these movement patterns we can load and progressively overload. Remember, you can’t go too wrong getting strong!
✅ Muscles still matter sometimes – For certain goals, like muscle growth, early stage rehab or sport needing certain extra joint-specific support (like rotator cuff or calf work for tennis), going after the muscle is probably more effective, with the aim of integrating that isolated strength and mass back into movements down the line.
Training Movement Patterns
🏋️♂️ Squat (Lower-Body Strength & Mobility)
🔹 Example exercises: Goblet squat, back squat, split squat.
🔹 Why it matters: Builds leg and core strength while reinforcing hip and ankle mobility.
🍑 Bend (Posterior Chain Power & Injury Resilience)
🔹 Example exercises: Deadlifts, kettlebell swings and Jefferson curls.
🔹 Why it matters: Strengthens glutes, hamstrings and all important backs!
🦵 Lunge (Single-Leg Strength, Coordination & Balance)
🔹 Example exercises: Walking lunges, step ups, cutting & weight-shifts.
🔹 Why it matters: Develops lower-body control and balance between legs.
💪 Push (Upper-Body Pressing Strength)
🔹 Example exercises: Push-ups, cable pushes & presses (grappler/overhead/bench).
🔹 Why it matters: Builds upper-body strength and shoulder stability.
🏗️ Pull (Back Strength & Posture)
🔹 Example exercises: Chin-ups & hangs, cable pulls & rows.
🔹 Why it matters: Strengthens upper back for posture, pulling power, and shoulder health.
🔄 Twist (Rotational Power & Core Strength)
🔹 Example exercises: Medicine ball throws, cable chops and twists.
🔹 Why it matters: Strengthens rotational control, key for sports, running, and injury prevention.
🚶♂️ Gait – (Locomotion & Athleticism)
🔹 Example exercises: Sprinting, loaded carries, sled pushes.
🔹 Why it matters: These are fundamentals of most sports and daily activities.
The Takeaway
Movement patterns are the foundation of smart, effective training. Whether your goal is to rehab an injury, move better, build strength, or improve athleticism, training these patterns ensures you’re moving in a way that actually carries over to real life.
Now that we’ve laid the groundwork, let’s take it a step further—why do we emphasise unilateral training so much? (Hint: It’s the missing piece for most people.) Check out our next article on why single-leg and single-arm training are key for strength and athleticism.