FMS Level 2 key terms

A bilateral overhead squat screen used to observe symmetrical hip, knee, and ankle mobility together with thoracic extension, shoulder flexion, and core control under a loaded pattern.

A single-leg stepping screen that challenges stance-leg stability and hip stability while the swing leg clears a hurdle, revealing bilateral differences in mobility and motor control.

A split-stance screen performed with feet in a straight line that tests hip extension and flexion, ankle and knee mobility, and trunk control while resisting rotation.

A bilateral reaching test comparing the distance between fists behind the back, used to estimate shoulder extension, internal and external rotation, and scapular mobility.

A supine screen in which one leg is lifted with the ankle dorsiflexed and knee straight while the pelvis stays neutral, assessing hamstring and calf flexibility plus core stability.

A quadruped screen requiring diagonal arm and leg lift while the trunk resists rotation, revealing asymmetries in core control, hip stability, and shoulder loading tolerance.

A push-up screen performed from a standardized position that checks whether the trunk moves as a rigid unit, exposing loss of core bracing and spinal extension under load.

The standardized rules that assign a score of 0 to 3 for each screen, including the exact start position, the movement standard, and the conditions that require a zero for pain.

A difference in score between the left and right sides of a bilateral screen; it is flagged as a risk indicator even when the lower of the two scores is otherwise acceptable.

A brief provocation maneuver performed after a related screen to confirm the absence of pain; a positive result overrides the movement score and requires a zero.

Any screen that reproduces pain earns a score of zero regardless of movement quality, and the finding is treated as a medical referral issue rather than a training target.

A kneeling provocation that loads the ankle into dorsiflexion to check for pain before or after lower-body screens, helping distinguish stiffness from joint irritation.

A shoulder provocation in which the hand is placed on the opposite shoulder and the elbow is lifted, used to screen for pain that would invalidate the shoulder score.

An alternative movement strategy the body adopts when a required segment lacks mobility or control, shifting demand to another joint or tissue and changing the observable screen pattern.

A recurring, observable deviation from an efficient movement pattern that is associated with reduced options, altered load distribution, and possible symptoms during activity.

The principle that motion and control at one body region influence adjacent regions, so a limitation in the ankle or hip can change what appears at the knee, pelvis, or trunk.

The tendency of the body to move through its path of least resistance, so a stiff segment causes excessive motion at a more mobile neighboring segment during a task.

A planning heuristic that alternates mobility and stability demands along the kinetic chain, used to reason about which segment is likely stiff and which is likely unstable.

The ability to keep the knee tracking over the foot without inward collapse during single-leg loading, reflecting hip abductor and external rotator contribution to alignment.

A combined pattern of hip adduction and internal rotation with knee valgus during loading, often linked to reduced hip control and increased stress on the knee.

Upward-backward motion of the upper spine that supports overhead reach and upright posture; when limited, the lumbar spine or shoulders often compensate.

Backward rotation of the pelvis that flattens the lumbar curve; during leg-lowering or leg-raise tasks it can signal limited hamstring length or an attempt to gain range.

A measurable loss of available joint range that limits a pattern, distinguished from a control problem by testing whether the motion exists passively or with support.

A staged sequence of inhibit, lengthen, activate, and integrate that moves a client from reducing overactive tone to reinforcing a new pattern under increasing demand.

The first corrective stage, using self-myofascial techniques such as foam rolling or ball pressure to reduce perceived tension in an overactive muscle before stretching or activation.

The corrective stage that restores extensibility of a short or overactive tissue through static or contract-relax stretching after inhibition, preparing the joint for controlled motion.

The corrective stage that recruits an underactive muscle with isolated, low-threshold contractions so it can contribute to the pattern before complex movement is reintroduced.

The final corrective stage, retraining the whole movement pattern with progressively more demanding, functional tasks so the new recruitment strategy transfers to real activity.

The rule for advancing a corrective plan by increasing leverage, load, speed, or complexity only after the client shows clean execution at the current level.

The nervous system's organization of posture and movement, including timing, sequencing, and force modulation, rather than simply the presence of muscle strength.

The ability to resist unwanted trunk rotation while limbs or loads create rotational force, a core quality screened by diagonal patterns and trained with unilateral loading.

The ability to prevent the lower back from arching when the trunk is challenged, achieved by coordinated abdominal and hip extensor activity rather than spinal stiffness alone.

Coordination of the trunk and pelvis that keeps the lumbar spine stable while the hips and legs move, central to leg-raise and single-leg screens.

The durable change in movement capability produced by practice, influenced by feedback type, repetition quality, and variability rather than sheer volume alone.

Systematic practice that replaces a compensatory strategy with a preferred one, using cues, external focus, and graded difficulty until the new pattern is automatic.

The fixed sequence in which screens are performed so that fatigue and prior testing do not distort later results, supporting consistent and comparable scores across sessions.

The initial recorded screen used as the reference for later comparison, informing exercise selection and showing whether a corrective plan is producing measurable change.

A repeat screen conducted after a training block to evaluate change, guide progression, and decide whether a corrective focus should continue, change, or be retired.

The point at which a screen finding, especially pain or a score of zero, exceeds the trainer's scope and should be sent to a qualified medical professional.

The legally defined boundary of what a fitness professional may assess, advise, and treat, which excludes diagnosis and shapes how screening results are communicated.

Explaining screen findings in plain, non-diagnostic language that connects a movement observation to a training goal, building buy-in without alarming or labeling the client.

Embedding corrective work into the broader training plan so mobility and control drills complement strength and conditioning goals instead of competing with them for time.