Common Compensations 1.

5
By Zac Cupples, PT, DPT, OCS
A Compensatory Tale

Picture this:

You program an exercise for your client. One with a specific intent and idea of what it
should look like.

Equipment is ready, explanation to the client on point, ready to see them move in all
their glory!

Then it happens.

The client starts the move and you are scratching your head. What the hell was that? I’m
not even sure how they are doing that. Where do I start?! Where am I?!?! How did I get
to this place?!? MAKE IT STOP!!!!!

We’ve all been there. We have this “ideal” in mind, and the client is the farthest from it.

How often do we ask though, what that “farthest from it” actually is?

Prepare to no longer be lost! In Human Matrix: The Code for Maximal Health and
Performance, we wade through the confusion and simplify many of the compensatory
movements seen.

You’ll be able to:

• Identify the compensatory movement strategy your client exhibits

• Categorize where in the compensatory continuum your client is on when they
move
• Most importantly, target your exercise selection and coaching so your clients
move better, feel better, and perform better!

Before you get there, you must build awareness. You have to be able to notice
differences in the ways your clients move, and compare that to a standard, an ideal.

That’s where this exercise comes into play.

With this activity, you are going take your clients through some of the major movements
taught at Human Matrix, and just take note of what you see.

Let’s get wild and crazy.

The Movement Appraisal Process

In order to maximize your learning with this exercise, you’ll perform a step-by-step
sequence that teaches you to visualize and critique your client’s movement strategies:
 1. Coach the activity
2. Compare your client’s movement to the “standard”
3. Describe how your client’s performance is different than “the standard”

Let’s take a closer look at these steps.

Step 1: Coaching the Activity

Your clients can only perform exercises as well as you can coach them. At Human
Matrix, we coach clients effectively via a specific sequence.

Below is the step-by-step process we perform when taking a client through a new move:

Provide State Receive

Rationale Demo Breakdown
feedback
Adjust
goal

Let’s talk about each piece.

Provide Rationale

Providing rationale helps the client buy-in to what you are selling (which is hella good
movement).

More often than not, your clients aren’t going to know why a particular exercise you are
juiced up about will help them. They don’t get excited about tucking, but you do!!!! How
can you bring them towards the light?

That’s where providing rationale comes into play. Explaining why you are going to do an
exercise allows you to meet the client at their story. It links the exercise to their goal.

Here, you will explain:

 • Why you selected an activity
• How that activity will help them reach their goal

Let’s look at a couple examples:

Clinician: “RZA, I’m going to have you do an incline dumbbell press. This move is
going to improve how your shoulder moves by stretching the muscles surrounding your
chest. You’ll also get stronger so reaching into cupboards will be more comfortable.”

Coach: “Hey Nicki Minaj. I want you to try this Lewitt exercise. As you can see, this
position looks a lot like the midpoint on your squat, so it’s a great drill to help you get
stronger with that move. Your legs are going to be ripped!!!”

State Goal

The goal involves telling the client two things:

1. How the move should look

2. How the move should AND should NOT feel

Part two is especially important, as if they feel something they shouldn’t, that gives you
an opportunity to change the move to better meet the goal.

OG: “Hey Busta. With this Lewitt exercise, the goal is to feel your hamstrings and abs
doing the work. The tuck is going to kick in the hamstrings, and the breathing is going to
help you feel the abs. If you get any issues anywhere, like knee or back discomfort, let
me know and I’ll modify how you are doing it. It should look like this…”

Demo

To demo is to show the exercise in total, which provides the client an overview of what
to expect. Demoing helps the client see how the move should look. You’ll achieve this by
performing the exercise.

Reassure the client in this part that they do not have to memorize all the steps. You
merely want to give them the exercise 30,000 ft view if ya know what I’m sizzlin’.

You: “Here’s what the move looks like, Queen Latifah. Don’t worry about memorizing
everything, we will go through it together step-by-step.”

If you think they are going to get lost because there are several steps to a move, I’ll often
demo exercises in steps. If we are doing a stacking drill (like hooklying tilt), then I might
demo each individual step like so:

1. Demo the tuck

2. Watch the client
 3. Demo the breathing sequence
4. Watch the client
5. Demo the reach
6. Watch the client

If they struggle with an earlier time (e.g. their tuck dun’ suck), then you may not even
show them the later steps until they’ve achieved mastery.

Breakdown

Now the fun begins. This is where you take your client through the uncharted waters of a
new move. It’s a whole new world. Call yourself Aladdin or Jasmin (I usually go for
Genie, but that’s just me)!

This time, you’ll break the exercise down into its constituents; making sure the client
masters each piece before moving onto the next one. Go super-duper slow to increase
client success.

At Human Matrix, we emphasize this movement concept called “the stack.” We deep
dive into this action at the seminar, but basically you are trying to put the thoracic and
pelvic diaphragms on top of one another. This positioning allows for better intra-
abdominal pressure and mobility potential within the body. Ahhh. Stop Zac. Sometimes
I just can’t help myself when I teach this stuff!!

Anyhow, when coaching the stack, you’ll want to teach it in a very specific sequence
(there are exceptions to this sequence, but that’s a talk for another day):

Inhale with
3-5 second
Tuck Exhale maintained Reach
pause ab tension

Each piece builds on the next one, allowing for the client to get the most out of the
exercise.

Don’t move onto the next step until the previous one is mastered. For example, if the
client cannot achieve a full exhale and create some ab tension, ya boy isn’t going to
sweat the pause afterwards. They aren’t ready for it yet.
Master the basics before getting fancy.

Receive Feedback

Your client has performed the first round a move, and your waiting with bated breath as
to how it went.

Did it work? You’ll only know if you ask the client.

Receiving feedback helps determine if the client’s execution matched your exercise
intent. Aligning these components increases the probability of success.

If your goal was for the client to work the abs and glutes, and they feel knees, back, and
have an autoimmune flare-up, then you know you’ll need to make an adjustment
(#staytuned).

Try and keep the feedback somewhat open-ended to start. I usually start my questioning
broad, then narrow the focus. You want the client to reflect and explore the exercise, yet
not leave them hanging if they lack awareness.

Let’s say we are performing a basic move that teaches “the stack.” The initial goal was
for the client to feel hamstrings and abs. Here is how receiving feedback might go:

You: “So how’d that first round go, Fat Joe?”

Fat Joe: “It went well I suppose.”

You: “How’d it feel?”

Fat Joe: “Uh. I’m not sure. I think it was okay!”

You: “Did you feel hamstrings and abs?”

Fat Joe: “Oh. Definitely.”

You: “Great! And no back and knee discomfort?”

Fat Joe: “Nope. No hurt anywhere!”

You: “YASSSSSS!”

Adjust

Adjustments occur based on the feedback you received from the first round of a given
move. These changes occur in order to increase exercise efficacy.
Many different adjustments can be made:

• Technical changes (e.g. tuck more; go slower)

• Duration changes (e.g. 30 seconds instead of 20 seconds)
• Volume changes (e.g. 5 reps instead of 8)
• Cessation (e.g. that’s the last set)

Let’s take our scenario from the feedback session but flip the script. Here’s how you
might make adjustments based on undesirable feedback:

You: “So how’d that first round go, Fat Joe?”

Fat Joe: “Ehh. It was alright.”

You: “Did you feel hamstrings and abs?”

Fat Joe: “Uhh….I think so??”

[NOTE: “I think so” or “kind of” always means no. More often than not, this is the
client’s way of not trying to disappoint you. It’s up to you to let the client know that it is
okay to not get it right the first time. You can handle that by saying something like this
next part]

You: “It’s okay if you didn’t feel those things…I want you to feel good, not me ;)”

Fat Joe: “Well yeah, I didn’t really feel that stuff. I felt my back and my knees.”

You: “Thank you for telling me that! Let’s make some tweaks so you feel less of those
areas and more hamstrings and abs. I want you to focus on keeping your back flat and
exhaling slower. Let’s see what that does.”

[NOTE: There were a couple critical pieces in this last part. First, thanking the client
helps validate their experience, and will promote honest feedback. The second key is
making those key tweaks and reminding the client of what the goal is].

Step 2: Comparing Your Client’s Movement to the Standard

No two bodies are the same. It’s a given that everyone will move and look differently
each activity.

BUT…

There are certain things within a given exercise that make that move what it is. You and
I may bench press differently, but we know da bench when we see it. We also can
differentiate a bench press from a chin-up.
How often do we ask what makes a bench press a bench press though? Or a deadlift a
deadlift? Or even (gasp!) a squat a squat (since peeps get upset about that nowadays
#hateuscuztheyaintus)?

In order to answer this question, we must agree on qualities that differentiate exercises.
We must have standards, and we need to keep them higher than The Bank of America
surely does (The corporations, maaaaan!)!

Let’s look at two qualities that make up these standards:

• Visual standard: Does the exercise look like we’d consider a typical version of
it to look like (e.g. does the squat look like a squat, or does it look like a hinge?)
• Kinesthetic standard: Does the client feel the exercise the way it should feel
(E.g. Does the client feel their upper back during the row, or are they feeling neck
pain and shoulder impingement?)

You’ll get a little piece of these standards in this handout, with more of the sauce at
Human Matrix. Even better, you’ll learn how to coach your client to get them closer to
this standard, maximizing their results. Who doesn’t want that?!?!?! Contain yourself
please!!

Step 3: Describe how your client’s performance is different than “the standard”

With the standard in mind, you want to see how your client compares. Does it look
pretty close to the prescribed exercise, or are you scratching your head wondering where
you went wrong? Something I ask myself every day (sigh).

Clients can deviate from the standard in a wide variety of ways. It can be overwhelming
to see all the possible compensations, let alone what should be changed to make the
move mo’ betta. Clients these days. The…WORST.

Fortunately, we can simplify these issues by comparing what the client does to the
extremes.

Really, movement strategies boil down to one of two biases:

• Concentric backside (increased backside/posterior chain activity)

• Eccentric backside (increased frontside/anterior chain activity)
LEFT - Blue line = eccentric (long/stretched) backside. Eccentric on the back → concentric on the front. RIGHT – Red line =
concentric (short/contracted) backside. Concentric on the back → eccentric on the front

You’ll get a bit of this in the pre-course material, and whole lot at the seminar. For right
now, you are going to see what each of these biases look like with some of the common
moves we may coach and see where your client sits.

Once you narrow down what compensatory strategy your client likes to use, then the fix
is simple. We will do coaching and cueing to try and get them closer to the middle.
Closer to that standard.

And if you do those things? You ought…to…be…in…bidness!!!

Let’s go through this process with our clients now!!!

Appraising Common Movements

Now the fun begins! You are going to take your client through a few moves and note
what you see. How does it compare to the standard? What compensation does your
client like to use? If you try to make adjustments, how does the client respond?

As you go through this, I want you to be observant and reflective. Think and really pay
attention to what you see. Get familiar with your client’s movement strategy now, then
we will build context at the seminar.

Here is what I would do.

1. Print out the remainder of these pages

2. Take a client (or several) through the following exercises
 3. Fill out the sheets as you go

Give it a shot!
Lewitt

Goal:
• Improve hip and trunk mobility
• Teach “the stack”
• Work the hamstrings and abs

1. Watch how to coach the move here

2. Have your client perform the move

3. What do you see?

4. How does what your client did compare to the standard shown above?
 5. Where would you mark your client’s performance on the following continuum?

Minimal Tuck (The Land of No Tuck) Bridges WAY too high (The Bridge is Over)

The land of The bridge

no tuck is over
 6. Do you notice any of the following things happening as the client breathes?

There is a pooch belly during the exhale

Neck muscles look like they are performing a max effort
lift?

OMG YES!!! Whoa, how’d that get there!!?!?

Uhh, not really fam Nah. They are the poochless wonder!
Quadruped

Goal:
• Improve spine mobility
• Work the abdominal muscles
• Increase expansion in the lower ribcage and front of the chest
• Teach the ability to create abdominal tension

1. Watch how to coach the move here

2. Have your client perform the move

3. What do you see?

4. How does what your client did compare to the standard shown above?
 5. Where would you mark your client’s performance on the following continuum?

Entire trunk sags to the ground (AKA Saggy AF) The trunk is excessively rounded with the apex in the middle of
the back (AKA the awkward turtle)

Saggy AF Awkward
Turtle
6. Are they hyperextending at the elbow when they reach?

Wait, elbows can do that!??!?! Is that legal!??!

Nah. They are looking rock solid!!

Sitting

Goal:
• Improve spine mobility
• Work the abdominal muscles
• Work on tucking your pelvis
• A great position to teach upper body moves in

1. Watch how to coach the move here (don’t worry about the reach or being up
against a wall; just hold the weight)
2. Have your client perform the move

3. What do you see?

4. How does what your client did compare to the standard shown above?
 5. Where would you mark your client’s performance on the following continuum?

Slouching (aka the slouch) Excessive arching (AKA the percher)

Slouch The Percher

Half-Kneeling

Goal:
• Improve hip mobility
• Provide base for single leg activities
• A great position to teach upper body moves in

1. Watch how to coach the move here (don’t sweat the landmine press, just have
them hold the weight like the picture above)
2. Have your client perform the move

3. What do you see?

4. How does what your client did compare to the standard shown above?
 5. Where would you mark your client’s performance on the following continuum?

Excessive Arching (AKA J-Lo) Weight is shifted backward (AKA Nice job Martha)

J-Lo Martha
Goblet Squat

Goal:
• Improve pelvic, spinal, and ankle mobility
• Work the quads and glutes

1. Watch how to coach the move here

2. Have your client perform the move

3. What do you see?

4. How does what your client did compare to the standard shown above?
 5. Where would you mark your client’s performance on the following continuum?

Excessive upper back rounding (AKA Cinnamon Toast

Shooting/hinging the hips back (AKA do u even squat?)
Crunching)

Cinnamon Do u even
Toast Squat?
Crunching
 6. How about the knees? How would you rate them on the following continuum?

Knees way out (AKA just got off the horse) Knees caving in (AKA I gotta pee!)

Just got off I gotta pee!

the horse
Kettlebell Deadlift

Goal:
• Work glutes and hamstrings
• Improve backside mobility
• Better your toe touch

1. Watch how to coach the move here

2. Have your client perform the move

3. What do you see?

4. How does what your client did compare to the standard shown above?
 5. Where would you mark your client’s performance on the following continuum?

Excessive upper back rounding (AKA St. Louis Arch) Excessive arching (AKA The J-Lo)

St. Louis J-Lo

Arch
1 arm Floor press

Goal:
• Work frontside of torso
• Improve thorax mobility

1. Watch how to coach the move here

2. Have your client perform the move

3. What do you see?

4. How does what your client did compare to the standard shown above?
5. Is your client short arming the press or keeping the scapula packed?

Oh God. How could they? 

Nah, fam. They reach like a champion

1-Arm Row

Goal:
• Work backside of body
• Improve thorax mobility

1. Watch how to coach the move here (the upper body should look similar to above)
2. Have your client perform the move

3. What do you see?

4. How does what your client did compare to the standard shown above?
5. Does the elbow go WAY behind the torso and the front of the shoulder glide
forward?

Did they just elbow someone behind them?

Nope. It’s perfectly in line with the side. What a legend

Split Squat

Goal:
• Improve pelvic mobility
• Work the quads and glutes

1. Watch how to coach the move here

2. Have your client perform the move

3. What do you see?

4. How does what your client did compare to the standard shown above?
 5. Where would you mark your client’s performance on the following continuum?

Excessive Arching (AKA J-Lo)

Weight is shifted backward (AKA Nice job Martha)

J-Lo Martha
6. Do they have all types of trunk leaning going on as well?

What, are they taking a bow??

No way! They are as upright as can be!