How to Build a Basic Workout Program: The 5 Functional Movement Patterns Everyone Should Train

Whether you have been working out for years or just getting started on your fitness journey, training the movement patterns that you already do daily in life is vital for improving longevity and reducing injury risk. Excretes programming can be extremely complex, but making sure that the basics are taken care is always the most important place to start. Before chasing random exercises, I recommend focusing on the five fundamental movement patterns:

Push → Pull → Squat → Lunge → Carry

These patterns show up everywhere in daily life and sport. When you build strength and control in these categories, your entire body becomes more resilient, powerful, and efficient.

Let’s break them down.

**1. Push

(Build strength for reaching, pressing, and supporting your body weight)**

Push movements train the muscles of the chest, shoulders, and triceps and help you perform everyday actions like pushing a door, lifting something overhead, or getting up from the ground.

Examples:
• Push-ups
• Overhead press
• Bench press
• Landmine press
• Incline dumbbell press

Why it matters:
Push strength supports shoulder health, improves posture, and builds the upper-body capacity you need for sports like skiing, tennis, and swimming.

**2. Pull

(Strengthen your back and improve posture and shoulder mechanics)**

Pulling patterns counterbalance pushing work and are essential for shoulder stability and spinal health. Most adults are under-trained in pull movements due to modern sitting and tech posture.

Examples:
• Rows (all variations)
• Pull-ups or assisted pull-ups
• Lat pulldowns
• Face pulls
• Band pull-aparts

Why it matters:
Pull training protects your shoulders, enhances core stability, and supports activities from carrying groceries to improving running mechanics.

**3. Squat

(Build lower-body power and core stability)**

The squat is a fundamental human movement pattern—standing up from a chair, getting in and out of the car, and navigating stairs all require it.

Examples:
• Bodyweight squat
• Goblet squat
• Back or front squat
• Heel-elevated squats
• Split-stance squat variations

Why it matters:
Squatting builds strong quads, hips, and core and improves joint resilience at the knees and ankles. It’s also a cornerstone for building power in sports like skiing and running.

**4. Lunge

(Build strength in single-leg control, balance, and real-life movement)**

Life—and sport—rarely happens on two feet at the same time. Lunging patterns train single-leg strength, stability, and coordination.

Examples:
• Reverse lunge
• Walking lunge
• Lateral lunge
• Step-ups
• Bulgarian split squat

Why it matters:
Single-leg training improves balance, pelvic stability, and load tolerance—making it crucial for injury prevention, especially for runners and skiers.

**5. Carry

(Train the core, grip, and full-body stability)**

Carries are one of the most underrated functional movements. They challenge your trunk, shoulders, and hips in a dynamic and realistic way.

Examples:
• Farmer carry
• Suitcase carry
• Overhead carry
• Front rack carry
• Waiter carry

Why it matters:
Carries build full-body coordination, improve spinal alignment, and train core stability in a way that directly translates to daily life—lifting, walking, traveling, and even fall prevention.

How to Use This Framework

A simple way to build a balanced workout is to choose one exercise from each category, and perform 2–4 sets of each.

A sample session might look like:

• Push: Dumbbell floor press

• Pull: Single-arm cable row

• Squat: Heel-elevated goblet squat

• Lunge: Reverse lunge

• Carry: Farmer carry

This structure ensures you’re training the body in a holistic, intelligent way, avoiding overuse and addressing the patterns that matter most for long-term musculoskeletal health.

Why This Framework Works So Well

✔ It keeps workouts simple and repeatable
✔ It builds strength that actually translates to real life
✔ It prevents the most common movement imbalances
✔ It’s adaptable for beginners through advanced athletes
✔ It fits perfectly into rehab-to-performance transitions

Need help building a plan tailored to your injuries or goals?

This is exactly what I do in my concierge sessions—helping active adults in West LA build long-term strength, recover from injuries, and move with confidence.

If you want a personalized plan, biomechanics assessment, or guided training, you can schedule directly at move-pt.com.