Shoulder Control Master Manual

Copyright, Disclaimer, Other Fun Stuff
Copyright © 2018 by Mixed Martial Media Inc. – All Rights Reserved. No

part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means without express written permission of Eric Wong or Mixed
Martial Media Inc.
Published by: Mixed Martial Media Inc.

2100 Bloor St. W, Suite 6207
Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
M6S 5A5
E-mail: hey@pmcoach.pro
Web: www.PrecisionMovement.coach
This program is designed to improve your fitness. Not cure cancer,

gonorrhea, or any other disease you may have. While a lot of time and
effort has been invested in making this program as effective and safe
as possible, you may still hurt yourself while doing it. You may even
die. While both are unlikely, if either happens, it’s not my fault. It
could’ve been just the trigger for something that’s been hanging
around for a while, waiting to come out. That’s why before starting any
exercise program, including this one, you may want to get cleared by
your doctor. If you have any weird symptoms like dizziness, pain in
your left arm, forgetfulness, or anything else that’s not normal, stop
and seek medical help. If you choose not to obtain the consent of your
physician and/or work with your physician throughout the duration of
your time using the recommendations in the program, you are
agreeing to accept full responsibility for your actions. I don’t know
what the law says if your doctor is fat and unhealthy, though, in which
case you may want to get a new doctor. You can’t give what you don’t
have! This is my legal disclaimer as well as a tidbit of sound advice.
Table of Contents
Intro To Shoulder Control ........................................................... 4
Kinesiology Of The Shoulder ...................................................15

Intro To Kinesiology .............................................................................. 16
Bones And Bony Landmarks ................................................................ 17
Joints And Connective Tissues ............................................................. 22
Muscles .................................................................................................. 29
Movement Terminology ....................................................................... 32
Key Concepts ..............................................................................39

The Precision Movement ABCs ............................................................ 40
Alignment ......................................................................................... 40
Breathing ......................................................................................... 41
Control ............................................................................................. 46
The Precision Movement 4-Step Process ........................................... 48
Step 1 ............................................................................................... 49
Step 2 ............................................................................................... 54
Step 3 ............................................................................................... 58
Step 4 ............................................................................................... 61
Program Design .................................................................................... 65
The 3 Phase Program ..................................................................... 65
Models Of Learning ........................................................................ 66
The Daily Routine ............................................................................ 75
To Your Movement Longevity ..................................................76
Appendix .....................................................................................78
References ..................................................................................80
Intro to Shoulder Control
From the Desk of Coach E
Welcome to Shoulder Control - another in the Precision

Movement Control series of courses.
The Control series are a collection of courses that each focus

on specific areas of the body: hips, spine, lower limb, upper
limb and now the shoulder.
Shoulder Control is actually the 3rd in a line of programs

where I’ve focused on the shoulder - the previous two being
the Shoulder Flexibility Solution (2014) and Scap Control
(2015).
Since I began focusing and publishing programs on

flexibility, mobility and movement back in 2013, I’ve learned
a lot through research, personal practice, training clients
(and trainers), designing the programs themselves and the
feedback I get from my clients.
While creating and publishing programs is how I make a

living and take care of my family, the thing about what I do
that drives and fulfills me the most is the feedback I get from
the intelligent people like you who invest in my programs,
ask questions when they need clarification and most
importantly - complete the programs as designed.
I don’t use the word intelligent flippantly because the

articles, videos and courses I publish aren’t dumbed down to
a Twitter/Instagram level and they can’t be read or followed
mindlessly. They require an active and engaged mind from
one who is willing to learn anatomy, biomechanics and
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www.PrecisionMovement.coach
proper movement terminology and one who is willing to put
in the time to first build the foundation and progress from
there, step-by-step.
Today’s society that values instant gratification is in direct

contrast to what I value and teach, but I don’t care about
society at large - I care about those who hold the same
values I do and thus realize that there will be work required,
and are willing to do what it takes.
So yes, that makes you an intelligent individual and I’m

honoured to help guide and simultaneously share this
journey with you.
Anyway, enough about you, let’s talk about me. ;-)
If you’re new here, I’ll give you a really quick bio so you have
an idea of who designed and will be coaching you through
this course, but mainly so you don’t confuse me with
YouTube’s #1 Asian Fitness Guy Mike Chang:
1995: major back surgery with complications left me with a

huge ass scar, many Compensatory Movement and/or
Activation Patterns (M/APs) that I’m still learning from and
working through to this day and the acute painful
experience of how much it sucks to not be able to move
freely and without pain that is a powerful and continued
source of inspiration for my work.
2004: I earned my Honours Bachelor of Science in

Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo, where I was
lucky to study under a prof by the name of Dr. Stu McGill.
5
2004-2006: in the 2 years after graduating I studied
intensively under Paul Chek, whose corrective exercise and
nutrition teachings were way ahead of their time (and who
is still ahead of his time and a very interesting individual). I
also started a personal training business and had a loyal
group of general fitness clients.
2006: I began training MMA fighters, the first of which was a

fighter named Jeff Joslin, whom I had the privilege of helping
make his UFC debut. Training MMA fighters was my focus
until around 2011 and in that span I trained a couple of
other UFC fighters, many pros and amateurs, some national
level amateur boxers and BJJ competitors.
2009: I started sharing stuff online about MMA strength and

conditioning.
2011: I began to shift my focus from strength, power and

conditioning to flexibility and mobility, because of the needs
of my athletes, those who were following my programs and
myself.
2013: I published my first program on flexibility/mobility, the

Hip Flexibility Solution, which to date has been used by over
10,000 people. In the years following I also published the
Shoulder Flexibility Solution and Scap Control programs.
2017: Coming into my true calling, I launched Precision

Movement, whose mission is, “To help active people
eliminate pain, heal & prevent injuries and improve mobility
so they can get back to and keep doing the things they love.”
6
That brings us to today where we’re about to embark on the
latest chapter in this journey - Shoulder Control.
Shoulder Control [ShC] is a 3 phase program likely to be

different than any other exercise or movement program
you’ve followed - even previous Precision Movement control
courses.
One of the principles I live by is “evolution” and I define it as

continued learning, application and sharing the wisdom
gained with others to help them with their own evolution. [I
talk more about this principle and others in my book
POWER]
Thus, the way I approach program design is less like mall

sushi and more like Jiro.
I’m continually learning and creating new ways of doing

things to achieve better results so the programs I designed a
few years ago look much different than they do today. You’ll
see what I mean once you dive in.
But before we do, let’s set the expectations so their clear as

day and you know exactly what you’re getting into.
First, it’s important to understand what Shoulder Control is

NOT and does NOT include:
✘ A program solely designed to make you “feel the burn”

or end up “drenched in sweat”
✘ Exercises that you can learn while scrolling through

Facebook and watching Game of Thrones (after you
7
learn them, you may be able to perform some of them
while doing some other mindless activity, but I
personally recommend you dedicate time and
attention to the exercises, which reconnects you to
your body)
✘ A program where you can pick random exercises from

the 3 phases and do them however you want since the
program is designed with phases in a specific order
because techniques build on each other to give you the
best results in the least amount of time possible
✘ The solution to every shoulder problem ever - the

human body is too complex and everybody’s personal
experiences too varied for a single program to address
every individual need (we offer 1-on-1 coaching for
those requiring personalized programming, but
typically recommend to most people to start with a
course because if it works, it’s much less costly)
Now that you know what it is not, here are the 3 primary
goals of Shoulder Control:
SHOULDER CONTROL GOAL #1: help you eliminate long-

standing musculoskeletal pain by restoring full and optimal
function of your shoulder complex.
It’s my stance and that of many of today’s most progressive

professionals in the fields of movement and rehabilitation
that most chronic, nagging pain that affects healthy, active
people - the type that starts off minimally and gradually
8
worsens over time - is the result of either a dysfunctional or
compensatory Movement and/or Activation Pattern (M/AP).
Your body is supremely designed and if everything is

working the way it should and you’re taking care of yourself,
it should not break down or hurt and should be able to
recover from the stresses you subject it to.
But when a dysfunctional or compensatory M/AP occurs,

there will be added stress to certain tissues, whether it’s a
muscle that’s jumping in for another muscle that’s not
working, or a connective tissue that is now receiving greater
forces. Because these tissues are not designed for whatever
forces they’re now handling, they can be stressed to the
point where they can no longer recover and they break
down, causing pain and further compensation as a result.
This is why the primary goal of Shoulder Control is to restore

full and optimal function, because when everything is
working the way it should, your body will be able to handle
what you throw at it.
SHOULDER CONTROL GOAL #2: give you the understanding

and tools required to attain the mobility you need for your
particular activities and sports.
Before digging in here, remember that flexibility and

mobility are two distinct concepts:
flexibility - passive range of motion; the degree to

which your joints can be moved via external forces;
your ability to be bent
9
mobility - active range of motion; the degree to which
your joints can be moved via internal forces; your
ability to bend
There is definitely such a thing as too much flexibility

because if you’ve got a great deal of flexibility relative to
mobility, it means you have a large range of motion where
you don’t have any active control. This puts your connective
tissues at risk because without muscular control, they will be
the tissues where the forces are absorbed when you get into
that uncontrolled range.
We want to keep flexibility (passive range) as close to

mobility (active range) as possible for the highest degree of
injury prevention, thus, our focus should be on developing
mobility.
But when it comes to having a high degree of both flexibility

and mobility, there are only a few instances where more is
not better. For example, sprinters make great use of elastic
energy from the achilles tendon and if the calves are too
flexible/mobile, the tendon will not be optimally stretched to
generate the maximum amount of elastic energy for their
stride, so their running economy will decrease (they’ll use
more energy) and they’ll be slower.
Now, you may be thinking it’s a good idea to simply achieve

the maximum mobility you can, but then the law of
diminishing returns kicks in where the more time and effort
you put in results in relatively lesser gains.
10
Hence, it’s about finding the right balance of time and effort
put in to develop your mobility up against everything else in
your life.
This is why when I create programs I spend the most time

on culling the number of exercises down and putting
everything in the best order I can - to give you the biggest
result in the lowest reasonable amount of time possible.
It’d be way easier for me to just shoot videos of every

shoulder exercise I know and call it something instantly
appealing like, “The 200 Best Shoulder Exercises Ever!”, but
even though there’d be many more exercises, the value
would be far, far less.
So instead, what you’ve got is a carefully crafted program

with everything placed where it is on purpose.
11
I went on a bit of a tangent there so let’s bring it back - the
mobility you need depends on what you do so in Shoulder
Control, I’m going to teach you how to identify your mobility
needs and provide the tools to achieve them. The time it
takes depends on your body and your goals.
SHOULDER CONTROL GOAL #3: reveal a path toward

movement longevity.
I define movement longevity as a lifetime of moving freely

and without pain.
It’s the least sexy goal there is because it’s far off in the
future and difficult to imagine, unlike getting those lean and
firm abs for that vacation in 2 months - even if you’ve had
the experience where your movement has been severely
hampered.
When you can’t move the way you want and moving is
restricted and painful, you’re not thinking about movement
longevity, you’re thinking about doing whatever you can so
you can simply lift your arm without wincing in pain.
But once that pain is gone for a while, it’s easy to forget what
it was like and in today’s society we’ve created so many
things in our lives that we “need” and “have to do” now, it’s
easy to forget about those actions we can take today that
will give us major benefits in the future.
This is one reason every once in a while I sit quietly and take
myself back to the months following my back surgery and
how painful both physically and emotionally it was to not be
12
able to move around and play sports, which was the thing in
my life at the time that brought me the most joy.
I’m welling up a little bit right now after writing that even
though it happened over 2 decades ago and you know what
- I’m grateful for that experience because remembering it
keeps me doing the things I know to do that will help keep
me moving until I’m old, grey and can fart in public without a
hint of embarrassment because everyone farts, right?
Being proactive is hard and something I’m continually

working on because there’s so much stuff to occupy our
time and attention in the present, it’s easy not to save any
for the future. [For a deeper dive into being proactive, read
the late Steven Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective
People”]
So I know the importance of movement longevity and

intellectually I’m sure you do too. The key - for both of us - is
to keep it present, notice when it goes out, then bring it back
and take actions in alignment with the goal.
Now we should be on the same page and you have clear

expecations on what this is, what’s involved and what’s
required from you.
You’re about to expand your knowledge of the human body

and expand the abilities and capabilities of your body,
specifically the shoulder complex.
At this point, if you’re itching to get started you can head

over to the Phase 1 Training Guide and dive right into the
13
program (do complete reading the Master Manual at some
point - the sooner the better),
But if you want to lay the most solid foundation possible,

continue reading this Master Manual through to the end so
you get the full background behind the program and
understand all of the concepts and little nuances that went
into its design to give you the best results.
Whatever path you choose, I’m excited, honoured and

grateful that you’ve chosen me as your Coach.
If you have any questions about the exercises included, want

a little clarification or greater understanding about a
particular concept or just want to say “what’s up”, please
make sure you join the community I’ve created called The
Precision Movement VIP Lab.
It’s a tight group of active, like-minded people and if you’re

not yet a member, you’re a perfect fit so join today because
even if you don’t have any questions, the answers to other’s
questions may be valuable to you as you work through the
course.
I look forward to walking this constantly evolving journey

with you and hearing about your results with Shoulder
Control.
PEACE~
Coach E
14
KINESIOLOGY OF
THE SHOULDER
15
Intro to Kinesiology
The Science and Language of Movement
Kinesiology is the study of human movement and if your

goal is to move well, it’s important to understand the
structures involved and associated terminology.
That’s why I’ve included this section in Shoulder Control.
I recommend you give it a once over to familiarize yourself

with the structures and terminology. There’s no need to try
to memorize everything. It’ll always be here for future
reference.
Then, when you watch the Kinesiology videos, you’ll pick up

the concepts and language even better.
Even if you gravitate towards one medium of learning,

studying the same info via different mediums (written +
pictures and video + audio) synergistically works to improve
your learning of the material studied, as the different
mediums are processed via different areas of your brain.
This is one of the subtle details that this course has been
designed with, all to maximize your learning and ultimately,
application of the material and benefits you derive.
And as you continue through the course, watching the

exercise videos and referring to the Training Guide, the
terms will sink in just like a foreign language does when you
move to a city where that’s all that’s spoken.
16
Bones and Bony Landmarks
The Body’s Frame
Scapula: Anterior
17
Scapula: Posterior
Clavicle
18
Humerus
Sternum
19
Ribs
20
Spine
21
Joints and Connective Tissues
The Passive Tissues
Glenohumeral Joint
Formed by the interface between the humeral head and

glenoid cavity of the scapula, the glenohumeral joint is a ball
and socket joint designed for great mobility.
22
Scapulothoracic Joint
The scapulothoracic joint is unique in the body in that it's

the only joint without ligamentous connection, being
connected purely via muscles. This allows for complex
movement and stabilizing patterns so the scapula can best
perform its role as the foundation for the arm.
23
Acromioclavicular Joint
The AC joint is connected primarily via ligaments and allows

passive movement to allow the shoulder maximum mobility.
24
Sternoclavicular Joint
Like the AC joint, the SC joint is connected via ligaments and

moves passively as the glenohumeral joint moves.
25
Joint capsule
The joint capsule of the shoulder is relatively thin and thus,

stability is sacrificed in favour of mobility. This is why you
hear of more shoulder vs. hip dislocation injuries. While I
refer to the capsule and ligaments as passive tissues
because they do not create movement, this is imprecise
because they are anything but as they provide a wealth of
sensory data to the brain with respect to kinesthetic
awareness i.e. position of the joint in space.
26
Bursa
The bursae are little protective sacs that ensure the bones
glide smoothly and don't crash into each other during
movement.
27
Ligaments
Ligaments provide for secondary stability of your joints for

those times when muscles either don't fire or have
insufficient strength to keep the joint secure. As discussed
with the joint capsule, they also provide a wealth of afferent
info to the brain with respect to kinesthetic awareness i.e.
position of the joint in space.
28
Muscles
The Active Tissues
In truth there are no cut and dry groupings of muscles of the

shoulder, because many muscles perform multiple
movements and their function of creating or controlling
movement changes depending on the movements being
performed and position of the joints.
I’ve simply divided the muscles into the following 4

categories for ease of visualization - nothing more.
Rotator Cuff Muscles:
29
Posterior Shoulder Muscles
Lateral Shoulder Muscles
30
Anterior Shoulder Muscles
31
Movements of the Glenohumeral Joint
“Gleno” = Glenoid Capsule of Scapula + Humeral =
Humeral Head
Neutral Flexion
Extension Horizontal Flexion
32
Horizontal Extension Abduction
Flexion
Internal Rotation External Rotation
33
Positions of the Glenohumeral Joint
The 6 Main Positions of the GHJ
Neutral Extended (Any Extension past Neutral)
In Front (Flexed to 90°) Overhead (Flexed to 180°)
34
Side (Abducted to 90°)
The Scapular Plane

(90° of abduction + 30° horizontal flexion)
35
Movements of the Scapula
Primary Movements of the Scapula On the Thorax
1.Protraction 2. Retraction
3. Elevation 4. Depression
36
5. Anterior Tilt 6. Posterior Tilt
37
Scapulohumeral Rhythm
The Natural Rhythm of the Glenohumeral and
Scapulothoracic Joints
1.Upward and Downward rotation with lifting arms

overhead
2.Protraction and Retraction with horizontal flexion and

extension
38
KEY CONCEPTS
39
The Precision Movement ABCs
Apply These 3 Principles to Every Technique
The Precision Movement ABCs are the 3 key concepts to

understand, memorize and ingrain into your being to get the
most out of every exercise and technique in Precision
Movement courses and contribute to the ultimate aim of
these courses, which is movement longevity.
Because these are the fundamentals that all techniques are

based upon, I may not mention them in every exercise video
or description as they remain consistent from one technique
to the next.
Alignment
When I use the term alignment, I typically refer to alignment

of the head and spine, shoulder complex, pelvis, hips, knees
and feet.
So, if you’re standing in alignment, this would mean standing

with feet pointing straight ahead and hip width apart, knees
straight but not hyperextended, a neutral pelvis and spine,
shoulders not rounded nor pulled back to the extreme,
palms facing thighs and typically a chin retraction to get out
of forward head while looking straight ahead.
When you’re performing a movement in alignment, your

goal is minimal deviation from these positions and postures
while executing the movement desired.
For example, if you’re standing and the move is pure

shoulder flexion of one side to the overhead position, the
40
scapula upwardly rotates and shoulder flexes with a straight
arm while avoiding spine extension and side bending of the
lumbar/cervical spine away from the moving shoulder.
If you’re standing and the move is to flex your hip to 90°,

minimize lateral hip shift to the support leg and side
bending of the spine toward the side of the moving hip.
For some movements, there will be a deviation from optimal

alignment but the goal is to stay as close to optimal
alignment as possible.
Even for exercises and technique where alignment may not

seem important, such as Active Self Myofascial Release
(ASMR), since the focus is on treating specific tissues, some
attention directed to putting keeping body in alignment is
beneficial from a neuromuscular pathway hardening
perspective - the more often and more varied the
accompanying M/APs and body positions you train in
optimal alignment, the stronger optimal alignment is
reinforced.
Alignment is one of the principles because when you move

in alignment, whatever that may be for that particular
movement, the stress is shifted towards the muscles and
away from passive tissues, building your strength and
stability while minimizing wear and tear to ligaments, bursa,
menisci, etc.
Breathing
Yes, it’s obvious, breathing is important. Breath is life -

without it we’ve got 5 minutes, tops. Compare that to how
41
long we can go without water or food and the importance is
clear.
But from a movement perspective, just how important is it

and how should we breathe?
First, when you’re doing exercises from this and every other
Precision Movement course, breathing however you breathe
is better than not breathing at all.
When you’re learning a new technique or performing a

challenging exercise that requires a lot of focus, the natural
tendency for most people is to hold the breath.
So, it’s about noticing when you’re not breathing at all or can
improve the quality of your breathing and taking action.
No need nor utility in getting upset or frustrated and

resorting to self-talk like, “I never breathe right” or worse - “I
can’t do this!” Just notice, fix and carry on.
Holding your breath shifts your nervous system toward a

sympathetic state, which is known as the “fight or flight”
system and associated with all things that would contribute
to fighting or fleeing.
Being able to focus on the muscles that should be firing to

create a particular movement and creating new
neuromuscular pathways does not contribute to fighting or
running away from an angry wildebeast and in fact does the
opposite, so holding the breath and getting more
sympathetic is not helpful to our movement goals.
42
However, when we’re breathing deeply, we become more
relaxed and shift to a more parasympathetic nervous
system state, where we’re more open to connecting to our
bodies and learning both intellectually and neuromuscularly.
This is why breathing is important and some breathing is

better than none. Now, when we are able to breathe in a
certain way, how should we do it?
Once you’ve learned and practiced the key points of an

exercise where they become unconscious, you then have
more conscious attention to shift elsewhere and the way
you’re breathing is a great place for that attention to land.
I teach a style of deep breathing that I call 360° Breathing,

which incorporates the following 3 points:
1. When you inhale, allow your ribcage to expand 360°

outwards - the key word here being allow because it’s
more about relaxing and letting go of active muscular
contraction rather than creating the expansion of the
ribcage. A useful mental picture is to imagine as if a
balloon were being inflated inside your chest.
2. When you exhale, whether passively or actively, deflate

the entire torso, not just the belly or chest.
3. On both inhalation and exhalation, utilize the primary

(diaphragm, intercostals) while relaxing all accessory
(upper traps, scalenes, levator scapulae,
sternocleidomastoid, pec minor, abdominals)
43
breathing muscles. “Breathe from within, or go
without.” I just made that up. Huzzah!
I find 360° Breathing both a more useful visual and better

suited for the work we do in Precision Movement vs. “belly
breathing”.
The main problem with belly breathing during movement

and exercise is that when you require stability of the core,
belly breathing is either not possible or destabilizing, putting
your lumbar spine at risk.
It’s why any half-decent S&C coach tells you to hold your
breath during the transition from descent to ascent when
doing heavy barbell squats - this keeps the torso as stable as
possible so you don’t wreck your spine.
Try this powerful little visualization with me:
Imagine a 4 year old (yours if you have one or you can

borrow mine) is jumping on your back during a plank...
“Boing, boing, boing! they cry out in glee,” as they imagine

your back is a trampoline.
Now, what do you think the likelihood your lumbar spine

gets damaged if this is happening and you’re belly
breathing?
Picture the plank… driving your breath to your belly and

pushing it out to get a full deep breath… a 4 year old’s little
feet and 30 pound body bouncing on your back like it’s a
trampoline.
44
See this in your mind’s eye.
Now picture the same scenario, but this time you’re 360°
Breathing and keeping the abdominals on while still allowing
the ribcage to expand outward. Not forcing it - allowing it.
In this case, the belly will nary expand while the ribcage will
expand less than when 360° Breathing when standing
relaxed, but there will still be some outwards movement of
the ribcage. You don’t need nor want to aim for some set
ideal number of degrees of expansion, just let things do
what they will.
In the case of 360° Breathing, during inhalation you’re also

receiving additional stabilizing forces at the lumbar spine
because of the increased intra-abdominal pressure due to
the pressure of the diaphragm pushing on the internal
organs that in turn add force from the inside-out against the
spine itself and outside-in against the contracted muscles. If
you can actually picture what I just described in this
paragraph, you have a gift - keep using and honing it!
Plus, if you’re not 360° Breathing and your accessory

breathing muscles are working in addition to the primary,
you’re using more energy because you’ve got more muscles
working and chomping back the ATPs that could be better
saved for later compared to 360° Breathing where it’s just
your diaphragm and intercostals helping you crush the
activity they were designed for - energy efficient airflow to
and from the lungs.
You know what - forget everything I just said about 360°

Breathing. Just try it. You might like it.
45
Control
I’ve probably said the word “control” more times since 2016
than any other. That includes the words beer, hungry, tired,
pumped, later and even ass-cracker.
That’s a lot of control. And that’s because I desire more

control for both myself and you and hold it as one of my top
movement priorities.
The short definition I like to use of control is “movement

reversibility”. I got this from a dude called Moshe
Feldenkrais.
Movement reversibility is your ability to stop and resume or

reverse a movement at any point along its path. At no point
during a reversible movement will there be no muscular
activity contributing to the movement.
With this definition in mind, a slow squat is an example of

control whereas a squat jump is not, because at no point
when you’re in the air will you be able to stop and reverse
the movement.
Thus, controlled movements do not make use of

momentum, because momentum involves segments of the
range where the movement is occurring via inertia and not
active muscular effort.
The reason why control is one of the 3 principles is because

developing strength throughout a range of motion ensures
that passive tissues receive minimal stress throughout the
movement because the muscles are active.
46
Passive tissue injuries are the most damaging and impactful
in both the short and long-term because they take a long
time to heal, keeping you on the bench and inactive. And
once they do heal, they often don’t heal to their previous
structure, whether dimensionally or from a strength
perspective.
In the case of ligaments, this means the stability of the joint

they support will be decreased.
In the case of tissues like intervertebral discs, bursae and

menisci, optimal alignment of the joint will no longer be
present, decreasing movement efficiency, possible
compensatory M/APs and increased stress on other passive
tissues.
Finally, exercises done with full control are relatively safer

than other exercises like jumps, ballistic stretches and other
movements that involve periods of being out of control.
It’s not to say that uncontrolled movements like jumps,

olympic lifts etc. are not good because they are and they all
have their time and place - it’s just that with the goal of
movement longevity, control is much more important.
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The Precision Movement 4-Step Process
Achieve Pain-Free Movement, Mobility and Movement
Longevity
Shoulder Control is a 3 phase program based on a new 4-

step process I’ve developed to help you achieve pain-free
movement, mobility and movement longevity:
STEP 1: Address Structural Limitations
STEP 2: Activate and Dissociate
STEP 3: End Range Expansion (ERE)
STEP 4: Functional Integration
This is an evolution of the process I first defined and

introduced in Lower Limb Control in late 2017, but which
started all the way back in 2013 with the Hip Flexibility
Solution.
The difference now compared to when there were only 3

measly little steps is the addition of the step I call End Range
Expansion (ERE). Three cheers for the new step... Hip hip,
hurray!
We’ll dive into the details of this new step but let’s go in
order so you can visualize the process and understand why
it’s so effective at achieving its intent.
One final note - following these steps is not a linear process

where you complete Step 1 before moving on to Step 2.
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They weave into each other - calling them steps is simply to
help you understand the logical progression of the process.
STEP 1:
Address Structural Limitations
Structural limitations are movement restrictions that are

NOT a function of the neuromuscular system that will limit
your flexibility.
Flexibility is passive i.e. your ability to achieve a range

without muscular effort (gravity, someone lifting your leg),
while mobility is active i.e. your ability to achieve a range
with your own muscular effort (lifting your leg on your own).
Mobility can never be greater than flexibility so if your

flexibility is limited, by definition your mobility will be
limited.
Thus, it's logical to first work on flexibility before trying

to improve your mobility.
The types of things that will limit your flexibility - in order

from most to least common - include limitations due to the
joint capsule or ligaments, tissue adhesions between/within
muscle and fascia (often the result of injury) and the
resulting scar tissue, bone-on-bone which may be a result of
genetics or adaptation and even nerves can limit your range.
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Structural limitations must be dealt with first, because
greater range of control is built neuromuscularly and if
structural limitations are present, the neuromuscular
system will not overcome them.
Today, we're going to focus on muscle/fascia (in Step 2 you'll

how to help fix the joint capsule).
Imagine a door that only opens to 45° because there’s a big

rock on the ground blocking it from opening any further.
You can WD-40 the hinges all you want but until you move
that rock, you’re not opening the door any further.
Perfect analogy for why addressing structural

limitations is Step 1.
One of the common techniques used is foam rolling aka self-

myofascial release.
When I first learned about foam rolling over a decade ago, I

did it daily for a month or so and experienced a significant
reduction in my general feeling of tightness, and noticeably
softer muscles when I stuck a finger into them.
After that, the benefits plateaued and I find if I keep up with

2 or so sessions a week, I maintain.
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However, I also added a little twist to the traditional
method...
Since first learning about foam rolling, I've added an active

component based on my experience working with the
popular Active Release Technique ubiquitous in the worlds
of physiotherapy and chiropractic, and how effective they
are at dealing with adhesions.
Active Self-Myofascial Release (ASMR) involves an active

contraction of the muscles that are opposite
(antagonists) to those being rolled or massaged
(agonists).
By actively contracting the antagonists, we’re eliciting a

neuromuscular reflex called reciprocal inhibition. Reciprocal
inhibition is a phenomenon where the muscle group
opposite to the one being contracted reflexively relaxes.
So if we’re foam rolling the quads, to get the best results

possible requires us to keep those quads relaxed. By flexing
the knee to activate the hamstrings while we’re rolling, we
utilize reciprocal inhibition to automatically relax the quads,
allowing us to go deeper into the muscle.
I first shared ASMR back in 2013 when I launched the Hip

Flexibility Solution and it's been a mainstay in my programs
since.
That brings us to today where I've been diving into the

research for my upcoming Shoulder Control course and I
came across this study that pitted ASMR versus traditional
"passive" foam rolling:
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Comparison of a foam rolling session with active joint
motion and without joint motion: A randomized controlled
trial.
The researchers split 30 people up into 2 groups: active and

passive foam rolling of the left quadriceps for a single
session of two minutes to compare the effect on knee
flexion range of motion (ROM) and pressure pain thresholds
(PPT) and here's what they concluded:
"A short session of foam rolling with active joint motion

appears to have a greater effect on passive joint ROM and
PPT than rolling without motion. These observed changes
may be influenced by the agonistic muscle activity during
active motion. This activity may modulate activity of the
antagonist muscle through reciprocal inhibition and other
neural pathways."
So, it seems like the hypothesis I had 5 years ago has been
held up in the research.
[SIDE NOTE] Yes, in sharing this I am tooting my own horn but I’m also
doing so to remind you of the old adage that coaches in the field are
often years ahead of their counterparts in research because a coach’s
success depends solely upon the results they achieve. We don’t have
the luxury of waiting for grants to fund our research - we need to do it
live with our clients and athletes and as quickly as possible to give
ourselves and our clients the best chance of success. Otherwise, we’re
out of business.
In addition to achieving better results via reciprocal

inhibition, conscious and specific activation of certain
muscles with the simultaneous relaxation of others while
applying self-myofascial release is a neuromuscular
challenge in and of itself, helping us develop new neurons,
keeping our brains plastic and youthful.
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Finally, there’s some emerging research coming out that
ascribes some of the benefits of massage and similar
therapies to stimulation of specific sensory receptors (ruffini
corpuscles, pacinian corpuscules, etc) that respond to
different types of touch and pressure i.e. level of firmness, a
poke or a stroke, etc.
I'm not educated on what specific types of pressure affect

what receptors and the benefits of doing so, but at the end
of the day, being touched and squished is afferent
(afferent nerve fibers arrive at the brain; efferent fibers exit
the brain) information and this sensory information is
processed by the brain in some way, so at the very least it’s
keeping these pathways alive (use it or lose it).
Crosswords are great for the aging brain but I’d wager the
total benefits of mental challenges like ASMR that connect
the mind and body are far greater.
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STEP 2:
Dissociate to Activate
I used to call this step “Activation and Dissociation”, but I’ve

changed to “Dissociate to Activate” for 2 reasons:
1) Verbs imply action and we love taking action around here.
2) We dissociate to get muscles activated - there aren’t 2

distinct pieces.
Subtle change that most would not have noticed but I strive
to communicate in the most accurate way possible.
#analaboutlanguage
The fitness community is becoming increasingly aware of

the importance of activation exercises as I've seen them
being programmed into warmups for muscles that will be
used in the main workout. For example, people often do hip
bridges to fire up the glutes before a lower body strength
training workout.
When muscles don't properly activate, they become weak

and atrophy because they’re not being used - use it or lose
it.
And when they’re weak, other muscles have to jump in to

pick up the slack.
This is one path to a Compensatory M/AP, which can result

in pain in a muscle that's compensating because it's not well
suited for the job.
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Thus, to address the root cause of pain due to a
Compensatory M/AP requires getting the inactive muscle
that's not working properly active and strong.
I’m sure this makes perfect sense to you so we don’t need to

go any further.
Now let’s discuss what it means to Dissociate…
The definition of dissociation is “to sever the association of”.
In the case of the Precision Movement 4-Step process, we’re

going to dissociate commonly associated M/APs.
Commonly associated M/APs exist where one movement or

activation pattern automatically leads to another.
Let's say you've developed the (dysfunctional) M/AP of

pinching your scapulae down and back when your arms are
overhead, meaning that whenever you use your arms
overhead, you automatically pinch the scapulae down and
back.
This is the natural consequence of training a pattern over

and over - it becomes habitual.
Now, imagine you go rock climbing where you're often

required to stretch out and reach to grab a hold - if pinching
your shoulders down and back is associated with reaching
overhead, you'll do this when climbing and it will drastically
limit your reach compared to if you elevate and protract the
scapula when you're reaching your arm up.
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You can see just how much your reach is limited right now
by standing facing a wall and lifting your arm overhead and
comparing the difference in reach when fully
retracting/depressing vs. protracting/elevating your scapula.
If you can do the movement well you'll find it's a difference

of about 5-6" - this is a significant amount for rock climbing,
boxing, reaching for objects on high shelves and more.
So dissociating M/APs opens up new ranges, new movement

possibilities and increases your chances of choosing the
most efficient and effective pattern for the task at hand.
Another benefit of Dissociation - one which is of critical

importance for the purposes of eliminating pain and
improving mobility - is that it can ACTIVATE inactive and
inhibited muscles, even those you've had a tough time firing
despite your best efforts.
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Associated M/APs often occur because one movement
needs help due to a weakness or restriction, so some other
part of the body moves to compensate.
Here's an example - when reaching overhead is restricted by

shoulder mobility, the body can compensate by using
lumbar extension to achieve the movement goal, thus
compensating for and reinforcing the restriction every time
this pattern is repeated.
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So if we need greater shoulder flexion range, one way
dissociation helps in this case is building greater strength of
the muscles that flex the shoulders at their true end range
due to the simultaneous activation of muscles that counter
the compensatory movement (rectus abdominis, external
obliques to flex the lumbar spine and prevent ribcage flare),
which ultimately causes the shoulder flexors to work
eccentrically.
When muscles work eccentrically, that means they are active

but lengthening instead of contracting (concentric) and the
research is clear that muscles can generate greater force
eccentrically than concentrically with studies typically
showing the amount being from 110-140% greater.
So through dissociation, we’re utilizing eccentric

contractions of the prime movers and will build greater
strength compared to relying just on concentrics.
This is how I can get the programs I design down to 15-20

minute routines without sacrificing results - because I apply
science to get the most out of every rep.
STEP 3:
End Range Expansion (ERE)
I’ve added this step because I’m continually refining my

approach and have developed a new protocol to expand
your end range of control that’s both simple and effective.
I’ve introduced it as a distinct step so you know exactly what

to do if your goal is greater range.
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Remember back to Goal #2 of Shoulder Control being to
“give you the understanding and tools required to attain the
mobility you need for your particular activities and sports.”
Depending on your current state of mobility and the

activities and sports you participate in determines how
much mobility you need and what exercises you should be
performing.
The more you need, the more you time and effort you’ll
need to dedicate to ERE sequences.
The protocol is simple, safe and effective - not to mention

challenging - and once you understand it, all you need to do
is apply it using the techniques I teach or any that you might
come up with to expand the specific range you’re after.
You can apply the protocol to every joint and range of the
body and as long as you follow the guidelines,
improvements you will make.
Here’s a general overview of the ERE protocol:
1. Take your time to get into proper alignment and

always bring yourself back to it when you deviate - the
more you practice with
a particular sequence, the better you’ll get at
maintaining and coming back to proper alignment
2. The first and last activation is always of the muscles

that bring you into the end range i.e. the shoulder
flexors if you’re working the arms overhead position -
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this actively brings you to your current end range and
activates the reciprocal inhibition reflex to help relax
the muscles that oppose the range you’re trying to
expand; entering the range actively also ensures we
don’t incite the myotatic stretch reflex, which limits end
range by contracting the muscles being lengthened if
they’re lengthened too aggressively and the
neuromuscular system perceives potential for damage
3. Gradually increase the contraction to the safest most

intense level for the first 5 sec of a particular activation
and gradually decrease the contraction over 5 sec
when it’s time to relax - we do this so as not to set off
the golgi tendon reflex which activates antagonistic
muscles and relaxes the agonists (muscles you’re
activating) if the agonists are fired up too much or too
abruptly and to develop greater control over our
muscles
4. Breathe naturally throughout the rep, especially when

you’re maximally activating - again, we’re working with
the neuromuscular system, this time telling it that we
have control over what we’re doing since we’re doing it
in a relaxed state of being and also to ensure we’re not
causing undue tension in the body since holding your
breath/shallow breathing = increased diaphragmatic
tension, which radiates out to the torso musculature
and beyond and prevents us from achieving full
range
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Generally speaking, the goal is to perform activations of the
agonists, antagonists and rotators of a given joint in the
range you’re trying to expand but it does depend on what
joint you’re working.
Circles at end range can also be used to beneficial effect.

What contractions and techniques used depend on the
range being worked, which is why I’ve called this a general
outline of the protocol.
With all of these muscle groups working at end range and

you being able to breathe deeply and in a relaxed fashion
while doing so, your brain sees this range as one that’s
under full control and it allows you to keep the range long-
term.
Contrast this to methods that don’t involve the brain, whose

effects quickly diminish once you stop using them.
Now, the strength you build by activating all of these muscle

groups sets you up perfectly for Step 4.
STEP 4:
Functional Integration
Functional – capable of serving the purpose for which it was

designed
The critical point in the definition is that functional is relative

to something else, not an inherent quality.
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That’s why every time I read or hear the word used to
describe the benefits of an exercise, "Do burpees because
they’re functional!" my blood pressure goes up by at least 20
mmHg.
Here’s the truth:
No Exercise is Inherently Functional or Dysfunctional
Yes, it works both ways.
Here are some concrete examples to destroy the myths of

exercises being either functional or dysfunctional:
● Doing pullups because they’re more functional than

the lat pulldown machine is nice in theory, but if you’re
sailing and you’ve got to pull the rope down powerfully
to raise/lower the sail, the lat pulldown is more
functional because it better matches the activity
● Doing lunges and driving through the heel to ascend is

a great fundamental strength exercise, but if you’re a
sprinter you want to land and drive off of forefoot,
making lunges done the traditional way a less
functional movement pattern than lunges done on
forefoot only, which some trainers might even say is
wrong
● One of the top 2 most criticized exercises of all-time –

the bosu ball or stability ball squat (when you’re
standing on it) is a perfectly reasonable exercise choice
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for a surfer from a function (not necessarily safety)
perspective, since both the exercise and surfing
require balance while standing on an unstable surface
● Finally, the second of the top 2 most criticized exercise

of all-time – the hip abductor/adductor machine, is
actually totally cool and useful from a function
standpoint for someone who practices Brazilian Jiu-
Jitsu since open chain hip abduction and adduction
strength is often used when fighting off their back (as
long as the athlete is able to insulate themselves from
the criticism sure to come from the less informed)
The key takeaway is that function is a concept that is relative

- not absolute – and it’s relative to your individual goals.
When it comes to movement there’s no black/white or
right/wrong.
In the case of Precision Movement courses, the techniques

chosen for Functional Integration typically involve more than
one joint and lean more toward closed chain versus open
chain movements.
Being able to activate a muscle group is great, but we need

to be able to activate a muscle group within different
patterns for it to be useful.
So instead of leaving it to chance, I prescribe specific

exercises to integrate newly gained ranges and strength so
that when you hit the gym, golf course, dojo or wherever it is
you do your thing, you’ve already begun the process of
transfer.
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Another technique you’ll learn that facilitates functional
integration is the Controlled Flow, which involves a transition
from one movement or position to another in a controlled,
momentum-less way.
The process begins with simple single-joint movements to

complex, multi-joint movements to stringing complex, multi-
joint movements together in a seamless way.
As you can see, it’s a logical progression that adheres to

human physiology.
I hope by now you understand that what you’re doing here

is based on science, not hyped-up pseudo-science that’s
unfortunately so prevalent online in the fitness scene today.
So I want to commend you for being here as many people
are afraid of the kind of thing you’re doing (i.e. learning and
hard work).
If you feel like some of this is going over your head I totally
get it and just remember that understanding isn’t a pre-
requisite for results, it’ll just help you apply and more
importantly, stay consistent because you understand the
mechanisms and solid background upon which this course is
built.
So don’t let it get to you and just stick it out, maintain an

open mind, IMPLEMENT and your understanding will
increase over time and you’ll still be getting results in the
process.
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Program Design
The Science Behind the Program
The 3 Phase Program
Shoulder Control is split up into 3 Phases, with each phase

including the following elements:
PHASE 1
1. Kinesiology
2. Assessments
3. Daily Routine
4. Active Self-Myofascial Release (ASMR)
5. Dissociation
PHASE 2
1. ASMR (continue treating problem areas)
2. Daily Routine
3. Dissociation
4. End Range Expansion (ERE)
5. Functional Integration
PHASE 3
1. Daily Routine
2. End Range Expansion (ERE)
3. Functional Integration
POP QUIZ: can you see how the Precision Movement 4-Step
Process progresses through the 3 Phases?
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Models of Learning
Shoulder Control [ShC] is a 3 phase program based on the

Precision Movement 4-Step Process to Pain-Free Movement,
Mobility and Movement Longevity.
The 4 steps are not executed linearly as they will overlap as

you go through the phases, however the general
progression is from Step 1 to 4: addressing structural
limitations (flexibility) to functional integration (multi-joint
movements, transitions and flows).
When you see the actual program, you’ll find that it deviates
from past programs and courses. This is due to my evolution
as a coach and program designer.
I’ve continued my studies as a student of the body and

movement, as well as how to create programs to best
facilitate implementation and learning. Part of this is my
greater appreciation of quality over quantity, due to what
I’ve learned about changing your brain for long-term motor
skill acquisition.
The field of neuroscience is hot right now and the term

neuroplasticity, which is the ability of our brains to adapt
and change (for better or worse), is at the forefront.
As such, we now have a greater understanding of how skills

are learned from a brain perspective and this is described as
a 3 stage process.
This is in perfect alignment with the well-established 3

stages of motor learning and it’s the layering of these
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models on top of each other that I’ve used to design
Shoulder Control (before the plus sign is the brain’s stage of
learning and after is the cognitive stage of learning).
Stage 1:
Chemical / Short-Term Memory + Cognitive
In Stage 1, we learn about the skill and what’s involved. This

is the stage you’re in when you first watch a video and learn
what the exercise and M/APs required.
You may find when you perform the exercise for the first
time that your technique/skill improves with each rep.
This is known as within session improvement and is due to

increased chemical signalling in the brain that facilitates the
neurons required to execute the movement, as well as
improvement in short-term memory, which helps you
remember what to do.
Cognitively in this stage you’ll be watching and memorizing

the technical pointers of what you should be doing and may
find yourself talking to yourself in your head.
It’s why I’ve built the program in a way where you’re usually
introduced to only 1-2 new movements at a time, so you can
really get what’s required.
Thing is, you’ll improve and might feel pretty good about
yourself and like you’re ready for much more than you’re
getting.
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But for long-term gains, you’ll need to go through Stage 2
and there are a couple of pitfalls to watch out for.
Stage 2:
Structural / Long-Term Memory + Associative
When you perform an exercise again in your next session,

you’ll likely have 1 of 2 experiences:
1) You’ll find your skill in the exercise has deteriorated

almost back to before you even knew about the
movement in the first place and you might have totally
forgotten what you should be doing.
2) You’ll “think” you’re doing the movement perfectly and

won’t put too much thought into its execution and feel
like it’s easy.
There is DANGER in both.
For the first, if you get frustrated because your

improvements have disappeared and you give up, you
obviously won’t progress from there.
So understand that this is completely normal because the

chemical signalling is transient and isn’t designed to last
between sessions, which is how we characterize long-term
improvement.
The key, my patient friend, is to keep at it.
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For the second point, the danger is when you think you’re
doing it right.
The reality is that you’re likely missing key elements and the
more you practice without these elements, the stronger this
incomplete M/AP will be and the harder it will be to
reprogram in the future.
So if it feels easy, you might be missing technical elements

so keep reviewing the videos and/or cheatsheets until you’re
confident you’ve got it down.
There is another reason the exercises may feel easy - when

you’re simply going through the motions and not putting in
a solid effort.
The techniques you’ll learn might seem easy from a

conceptual standpoint - especially in Phase 1 - but this is by
design.
However, they still require your focus because performing

them properly WITH the ABCs intact and WITH a high level of
muscular effort is not something you will ever do well 100%
of the time.
Even the simplest technique can be hard, for example, try

this - make a fist with your right hand.
Now, squeeze that fist as hard as you can.
Just making a fist is “going through the motions” while

squeezing the fist hard requires a lot more effort.
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With the techniques in Shoulder Control, you want to be
closer to the squeezing the fist example rather than just
making it loosely.
This is how to achieve long-term gains the quickest as

neuroscience research has revealed that the more effort put
in, the faster the structural adaptations occur in the brain.
No Olympic diver has ever scored a perfect 10 and while the

movements you’ll be performing pale in comparison to the
complexity of diving, the sentiment remains that you must
continually be focused on improving your technical
execution, putting in a significant physical effort and doing it
over and over.
This is the only path to long-term skill acquisition and

changing both your brain and body for long-term gains,
which will give you what we’re after - movement longevity.
So remember these 2 traps of Stage 2 and avoid them by

realizing that:
a) It may seem like you’re not learning or improving but your

brain definitely is every time you put in the work, but only
if...
b) You perform the exercises focusing on the technical

elements and with a solid effort.
I know it sounds trite but if it feels easy, make sure you

know what you should be doing and try harder.
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And as you get better at executing the technical elements,
the more mental bandwidth you’ll have to focus on keeping
your intensity level high so as you progress you’ll go from
focusing on technique to focusing on effort.
This has influenced the design of Shoulder Control by

keeping the number of exercises done within a session and
within a block down compared to previous programs where
more exercises would be included in a single workout and
within a week.
Stage 3:
Functional + Autonomous
Every movement you perform begins in a specific region in

the brain and uses specific neuromuscular pathways.
The more you do a movement, the more efficient these

pathways become and the easier it becomes to call upon the
movement.
This is known as facilitation.
It’s the reason why elite athletes continue to train the

fundamental movements of their sport with focus and effort
- because the more they do, the more refined and automatic
the movements they practice become.
When facilitation occurs, movements become automatic and

can easilybe called upon when required, whether for sport,
the gym or daily life.
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Boxing is a great real-world example of this process as elite
fighters continue working on the basic punches - jabs,
crosses, hooks and combos - over and over and over.
The reason why is because they are trying to make optimal

technique as automatic as possible, so they can be executed
quickly and precisely either in attack or as a counter, while
leaving mental bandwidth available to focus on strategy.
Another model of learning in alignment with everything

you’ve just read is the conscious competence model, which
describes the process that everyone goes through when
learning a concept or skill.
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When someone starts learning to box, they are in stage 1 -
unconscious incompetence.
At their first class or lesson, they learn some basics like the
stance and basic punches, bringing them to stage 2 because
they know what to do, but suck at it.
After a few months of consistent training, they develop

some skill, but they must still think about what they’re doing.
This is evident when someone who looks good hitting the
heavy bag gets thrown into sparring and they end up flailing
their arms wildly and turtle when they’re under attack.
They have to think about what to do so they cannot execute

under pressure because when they’re getting hit, their brain
loses its ability to make conscious decisions and instead
goes into survival mode.
It’s after years of training and sparring that the boxer enters
stage 4 - unconscious competence, where they no longer
have to think about how to throw punches and can instead,
use their consciousness to stay relaxed and strategize in the
midst of battle and even put punches and movements
together in ways they’ve never trained in the middle of a
fight.
This is the ultimate goal and this stage is where you’ll find
the elite athletes and movement practitioners - those who
show mastery of the skills they’ve practiced to the point
where they execute them automatically and efficiently.
It’s impacted the way I’ve built Shoulder Control through the
introduction of transitions between movements and flows in
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Phase 3, as well as the way the videos are structured to get
you to apply what you’ve learned in previous phases to new
movements.
Even though it’s unnecessary for execution, I’ve taken the

time to share the background behind the program design
because I truly believe that understanding leads to better
implementation and follow-through since you know the
depth behind what you’re following.
I hope it’s been illuminating and interesting to you and gives

you the confidence you’re on the right track.
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The Daily Routine
A new component of Shoulder Control not found in any

other program is the inclusion of the Daily Routine.
The Daily Routine in Shoulder Control is comprised of 3

techniques to do every day that will provide major benefits
as they all include rotational movements of the
glenohumeral and/or scapulothoracic joints, thus working
your shoulders through full ranges to help you build and
keep them by stimulating all of the muscles responsible for
the movements as well as the joint capsule.
The shoulder joint capsule is only worked at end ranges and

by taking it to end range actively versus passively, we’re
bringing maximum blood flow to it and maintaining the
neural pathways that bring important sensory data from the
capsule to the brain.
If we don’t use it, we lose it and it’s not just a loss in tissue
health and strength but also the neural pathways that
transmit data between all tissues (even bone!) to the brain.
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To Your Movement Longevity
Move Freely and Without Pain Now and Beyond
For every hair I lose off my ever-glistening skull, I hope I the

tradeoff is that I get a little bit wiser.
Wisdom I believe is the product of experience, reflection and

action - to gain wisdom requires new experiences to provide
new data to analyze and ultimately act upon to move me
closer to the vision for my life.
Sometimes it entails letting go of old ways of being, no

matter how comfortable, if it opens me to a new way of
being that is more beneficial.
Over a decade of the fitness aspect of my life was dedicated

to pursuing greater strength, power and conditioning.
In retrospect, I recognize the value of that because of my

enhanced appreciation for the other outcomes not
necessarily objective and performance-based, but more
subjective and feeling-based - nowadays feeling healthy,
loose, mobile and pain-free is a much greater priority
compared to adding 10 pounds to my 1 rep max Back Squat
or shaving 5 seconds off of my 400m run time.
Hence, my focus on movement longevity and passion to

continually evolve and share the ideas, concepts, techniques
and programs that will further this aim.
The fact that you’re here reading these words means you’re
aligned with me and I hope this course makes a significant
positive impact on the way your body moves and feels so
76
you can live life to the fullest and keep doing your thing now
until you give up the ghost.
Sincerely yours,
COACH E
77
Appendix
Glossary of Precision Movement Terms and Acronyms
There are a lot of unique acronyms, specific definitions and

coined terms I use when writing and speaking about
movement, so I’ve decided to create a Glossary that you can
find online at the link below:
>> Glossary of Precision Movement Terms and Acronyms

>> Know Exactly What Coach E is Talking About
I’ve put it up as a web page to make it easy to keep up-to-

date since many of the terms will be used across the entire
library of courses, articles and videos.
I suggest you check it first whenever you come across a

word or acronym you don’t know the meaning of before
consulting with Google because I can be very specific with
the words I use (as you probably know by now).
78
References
Articles and Publications
Abdulla, S. Y., Southerst, D., Côté, P., Shearer, H. M., Sutton,

D., Randhawa, K., ... & Chrobak, K. (2015). Is exercise
effective for the management of subacromial
impingement syndrome and other soft tissue injuries of
the shoulder? A systematic review by the Ontario
Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa)
Collaboration. Manual therapy, 20(5), 646-656.
Boettcher, C. E., Ginn, K. A., & Cathers, I. A. N. (2009). Which

is the optimal exercise to strengthen
supraspinatus?. Medicine and science in sports and
exercise, 41(11), 1979-1983.
Camargo, P. R., Alburquerque-Sendín, F., Avila, M. A., Haik,

M. N., Vieira, A., & Salvini, T. F. (2015). Effects of
stretching and strengthening exercises, with and
without manual therapy, on scapular kinematics,
function, and pain in individuals with shoulder
impingement: a randomized controlled trial. journal of
orthopaedic & sports physical therapy, 45(12), 984-997.
Cheatham, S. W., & Stull, K. R. (2018). Comparison of a foam

rolling session with active joint motion and without joint
motion: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of
Bodywork and Movement Therapies.
Cools, A. M., Borms, D., Castelein, B., Vanderstukken, F., &

Johansson, F. R. (2016). Evidence-based rehabilitation of
athletes with glenohumeral instability. Knee Surgery,
Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 24(2), 382-389.
79
Escamilla, R. F., & Andrews, J. R. (2009). Shoulder muscle
recruitment patterns and related biomechanics during
upper extremity sports. Sports medicine, 39(7), 569-590.
Escamilla, R. F., Yamashiro, K., Paulos, L., & Andrews, J. R.

(2009). Shoulder muscle activity and function in
common shoulder rehabilitation exercises. Sports
medicine, 39(8), 663-685.
Gillet, B., Begon, M., Diger, M., Berger-Vachon, C., &

Rogowski, I. (2018). Shoulder range of motion and
strength in young competitive tennis players with and
without history of shoulder problems. Physical Therapy
in Sport, 31, 22-28.
Heron, S. R., Woby, S. R., & Thompson, D. P. (2017).

Comparison of three types of exercise in the treatment
of rotator cuff tendinopathy/shoulder impingement
syndrome: A randomized controlled
trial. Physiotherapy, 103(2), 167-173.
Littlewood, C., Bateman, M., Brown, K., Bury, J., Mawson, S.,
May, S., & Walters, S. J. (2016). A self-managed single
exercise programme versus usual physiotherapy
treatment for rotator cuff tendinopathy: a randomised
controlled trial (the SELF study). Clinical
rehabilitation, 30(7), 686-696.
Matthews, M. J., Yusuf, M., Doyle, C., & Thompson, C. (2016).

Quadrupedal movement training improves markers of
cognition and joint repositioning. Human movement
science, 47, 70-80.
Moezy, A., Sepehrifar, S., & Dodaran, M. S. (2014). The effects

of scapular stabilization based exercise therapy on pain,
posture, flexibility and shoulder mobility in patients with
80
shoulder impingement syndrome: a controlled
randomized clinical trial. Medical journal of the Islamic
Republic of Iran, 28, 87.
Reijneveld, E. A., Noten, S., Michener, L. A., Cools, A., &

Struyf, F. (2016). Clinical outcomes of a scapular-focused
treatment in patients with subacromial pain syndrome:
a systematic review. Br J Sports Med, bjsports-2015.
Savoie, A., Mercier, C., Desmeules, F., Frémont, P., & Roy, J. S.
(2015). Effects of a movement training oriented
rehabilitation program on symptoms, functional
limitations and acromiohumeral distance in individuals
with subacromial pain syndrome. Manual therapy, 20(5),
703-708.
Turgut, E., Duzgun, I., & Baltaci, G. (2018). Stretching

Exercises for Subacromial Impingement Syndrome:
Effects of 6-Week Program on Shoulder Tightness, Pain,
and Disability Status. Journal of sport
rehabilitation, 27(2), 132-137.
Books
Schmidt, R. A., Lee, T., Winstein, C., Wulf, G., & Zelaznik, H.
(2018). Motor Control and Learning, 6E. Human kinetics.
Coker, C. A. (2017). Motor learning and control for

practitioners. Routledge
81

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Copyright © 2018 by Mixed Martial Media Inc. – All Rights Reserved. No

Published by: Mixed Martial Media Inc.

This program is designed to improve your fitness. Not cure cancer,

Intro To Shoulder Control ........................................................... 4

Kinesiology Of The Shoulder ...................................................15

Key Concepts ..............................................................................39

To Your Movement Longevity ..................................................76

Welcome to Shoulder Control - another in the Precision

The Control series are a collection of courses that each focus

Shoulder Control is actually the 3rd in a line of programs

Since I began focusing and publishing programs on

While creating and publishing programs is how I make a

I don’t use the word intelligent flippantly because the

Today’s society that values instant gratification is in direct

So yes, that makes you an intelligent individual and I’m

Anyway, enough about you, let’s talk about me. ;-)

1995: major back surgery with complications left me with a

2004: I earned my Honours Bachelor of Science in

2006: I began training MMA fighters, the first of which was a

2009: I started sharing stuff online about MMA strength and

2011: I began to shift my focus from strength, power and

2013: I published my first program on flexibility/mobility, the

2017: Coming into my true calling, I launched Precision

Shoulder Control [ShC] is a 3 phase program likely to be

One of the principles I live by is “evolution” and I define it as

Thus, the way I approach program design is less like mall

I’m continually learning and creating new ways of doing

But before we do, let’s set the expectations so their clear as

First, it’s important to understand what Shoulder Control is

✘ A program solely designed to make you “feel the burn”

✘ Exercises that you can learn while scrolling through

✘ A program where you can pick random exercises from

✘ The solution to every shoulder problem ever - the

SHOULDER CONTROL GOAL #1: help you eliminate long-

It’s my stance and that of many of today’s most progressive

Your body is supremely designed and if everything is

But when a dysfunctional or compensatory M/AP occurs,

This is why the primary goal of Shoulder Control is to restore

SHOULDER CONTROL GOAL #2: give you the understanding

Before digging in here, remember that flexibility and

flexibility - passive range of motion; the degree to

There is definitely such a thing as too much flexibility

We want to keep flexibility (passive range) as close to

But when it comes to having a high degree of both flexibility

Now, you may be thinking it’s a good idea to simply achieve

This is why when I create programs I spend the most time

It’d be way easier for me to just shoot videos of every

So instead, what you’ve got is a carefully crafted program

SHOULDER CONTROL GOAL #3: reveal a path toward

I define movement longevity as a lifetime of moving freely

Being proactive is hard and something I’m continually

So I know the importance of movement longevity and

Now we should be on the same page and you have clear

You’re about to expand your knowledge of the human body

At this point, if you’re itching to get started you can head

But if you want to lay the most solid foundation possible,

Whatever path you choose, I’m excited, honoured and