The FLO philosophy / Functional Life Optimisation
Built for
real life.
Practical strength.
Adaptable movement.
More life to take part in.
Movement is a means to keep doing what matters. FLO brings attention to the person, the task and the possibilities in between.
Explore the method01Three ways of paying attention
One movement.
Three lenses.
Coaching looks beyond completing a repetition. Select a lens to see what the coach is considering.
FLO1 — Technique
How effectively and safely a movement is performed. Coaches watch position, control and sequence first — quality before load.
FLO2 — Effort
How challenging the task is relative to you. The same drill can be scaled up or down so the work fits your day, not someone else's.
FLO3 — Discomfort
How physical feedback informs adjustments. What you feel is information. We adjust range, tool or tempo — we don't push through it.
02A vocabulary for everyday movement
Seven patterns.
Endless context.
Everyday activities often combine several movement patterns. Explore each one to understand how it works and where you might use it.
01 / Push
Getting up off the floor.
Use your arms to press something away—or move yourself away from a surface. Think pushing a door or pressing against the floor as you get up.
02 / Pull
Opening a heavy door.
Draw something towards you, or bring yourself towards it. Think opening a heavy door or pulling an object closer.
03 / Hinge
Picking up a box.
Bend mainly through your hips, moving them back as your body lowers. Think reaching down to pick up a box.
04 / Squat
Sitting and standing with ease.
Bend through your hips, knees and ankles to lower yourself, then stand again. Think sitting down and getting out of a chair.
05 / Lunge
Climbing stairs, stepping over.
Step into a split stance and control your weight between your legs. Think lowering yourself to tend a plant or reaching towards the floor.
06 / Rotate
Turning to reach the back seat.
Turn your body with control, coordinating your feet, hips and torso. Think turning to reach something beside or behind you.
07 / Gait / Carry
Groceries home in one trip.
Move from place to place while managing balance and shifting weight—with or without a load. Think walking home carrying groceries.
03Progress with purpose
Build the movement.
Then build on it.
Simple
Start with a movement you can understand and practise with control. Complexity is not the starting requirement.
Compound
Bring movements together when the foundation is appropriate. Coordination becomes part of the challenge.
Complex
Explore more demanding combinations when appropriate. Progress depends on the person and task, not on reaching complexity at any cost.
Progress is appropriate to the person and the task. More complex is not automatically better.
04Room to move
Life moves
in every direction.
Six degrees of freedom (6DoF) describes three directions of travel and three directions of rotation. It is a way to think about movement, not six required exercises.
Travel
Forward / back · side / side · up / down
Three directions of translation.Turn
Turning · tilting · rolling
Three directions of rotation.05The foundations beneath the movement
Eight principles.
One connected body.
Coaching cues that connect the whole movement. Explore them with a coach, rather than treating them as a checklist to force into every exercise.
- 01
Head-to-tail alignment
Find an organised position from your head through your spine, appropriate to the movement.
- 02
Stable shoulders
Build control around the shoulders as you move and use a tool.
- 03
Functional arm alignment
Position your arms to support the task, rather than forcing a shape.
- 04
Intelligent grip
Use a grip that suits the tool and the movement, with coaching as needed.
- 05
Core activation
Connect your trunk to the work so the movement has support.
- 06
Hip recruitment
Learn how your hips can contribute to practical movement.
- 07
Leg drive and ground connection
Notice how your feet and legs connect your effort to the ground.
- 08
Power breathing
Coordinate breathing with movement and effort, guided by the coach.
FLO / Move for more life
Movement with meaning.
The method becomes useful when it meets your everyday life. Start with a conversation.
Start a conversation