THE STRENGTH

MATTERS SYSTEM
OF ATHLETIC
DEVELOPMENT
REAL. SIMPLE. RESULTS.

#EVERYDAYATHLETE
 "ENRICHING THE LIVES OF
EVERYDAY ATHLETES"

I. INTRODUCTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Is Strength Matters? 3
Why Strength Matters Works? 4
The Strength Matters Model 5
The Strength Matters Process 7

II. THE SYSTEM OF ATHLETIC

DEVELOPMENT
What Is The Everyday Athlete? 10
The Ten Components Of Athleticism 14
The Strength Matters Assessment
System 16
The Hierarchy Of Athletic Development 17
The Seven Human Movements 18

III. GET STARTED WITH

STRENGTH MATTERS
The Next Steps 24
The Right Decision Guarantee 25

WWW.STRENGTHMATTERS.COM
 WHAT IS STRENGTH
MATTERS ALL ABOUT?
In Three Words: Real. Simple. Results.
The Strength Matters system of training is a complete set of simple concepts and
practical tools that have helped thousands of everyday athletes and coaches
achieve exactly what they want from their health and fitness goals. By mastering
this simple way of operating, ambitious everyday athletes systematically and
permanently improve their fitness goals while maximising overall health and
longevity.

Implementing the Strength Matters System of Athletic Development will help you
improve three things:

• Clarity Of Vision— Goals are important for a genuinely success-oriented person.

Without them, you’re just playing around. We’ll help you clearly define where
you’re going, and create the roadmap of how you’re going to get there

• Accountability—instilling focus, discipline, and accountability throughout your

day to day life so that you can execute on that vision—every day

• Health & Longevity—building a more cohesive, functional, healthy body that will
serve you for the long haul. This is a lifelong plan and not a flash in the pan 6-week
program.

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 3

 WHY STRENGTH MATTERS
WORKS?
Thousands of everyday athletes, coaches and personal trainers around the world
are running on The Strength Matters System Of Athletic Development. They are
getting more of what they want from their training, and you can too. What is it
about the Strength Matters System that makes it work so well for all levels and
abilities?

• Built For The Real World. The Strength Matters system is made up of simple
concepts and practical tools that can be easily applied to a fast-paced lifestyle.
There’s no theory, no convoluted language – just basic, useful tools and resources
that help people get more of the right stuff done every week, whilst working
towards long-term health and fitness goals.

• Holistic Model and Approach. At Strength Matters we don’t treat symptoms –

we go beyond the gym by strengthening the four pillars of health and fitness –
Activity, Hydration, Lifestyle, and Nutrition- whilst simultaneously attacking your
weaknesses in the ten components of complete athleticism in your workouts.

• Designed to Solve Issues Once and For All. By helping you focus on the “root
cause” of your issues – The Strength Matters System of training takes you below
the surface to produce real, permanent change.

• Brings Focus, Discipline, and Accountability. The Strength Matters System of

training is a simple framework for defining what’s important to you, what you need
to do to achieve it, and determine exactly what success looks like. By holding you
accountable for a handful of goals and numbers, you’ll get consistently better
results.  

The Strength Matters system works for all everyday athletes– across all levels and
all abilities. If you’ve got a body, you’re an everyday athlete. Strength Matters can
help you clarify, simplify and achieve your vision for true health and wellness.
 THE STRENGTH MATTERS
MODEL.
The Strength Matters Model provides a visual illustration of the Four Key
Components of health and fitness that must be managed and strengthened to
create long-term success. This model applies to elite and beginners alike, in any
sport and for any goal.

The Four Key Components Of Health And Fitness

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 5

 Activity. Health & Wellness is built inside
and outside the gym. This component is
so much more than just your daily
workouts. This is about assessing your
daily activity – from walking to sitting, we
look at the bigger picture for optimal
health and wellness.
Hydration. Simply put, how much water
are you drinking and how often? Water
regulates your body temperature and
lubricates your joints. It helps transport
nutrients to give you energy and keep
you healthy. If you're not hydrated, your
body can't perform at its highest level.
Yet, the average human consumes only
three of the recommended seven glasses
of water a day. This is as important as
your activity levels and we monitor this
closely.
Lifestyle. This means cutting through all
the feelings, personalities, opinions and
egos and boiling your daily habits down
to a handful of objective tasks that give
you an absolute pulse on where things
are in your life right now. Sleep, Stress,
Fun. They all matter and without your
lifestyle in check, your health and fitness
goals will always come second.
STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 6
"Simplicity Is The Ultimate
Sophistication - Leonardo
Da Vinci"
With the Activity, Hydration, and
Lifestyle Components strong, you start
to create a solid foundation of daily
habits where everything becomes
easier and you naturally start to make
healthier food choices. Only then, do
we add the final component, Nutrition.
Nutrition. This is the final piece of the
puzzle. The average person gains 11
pounds for every diet they go on. Our
philosophy to nutrition is that
everyone is unique. All diets work and
it’s a matter of finding the right
solution for the right person. Equally,
the same goes for performance. It’s not
a one size, fits all solution. We believe
in the functional medicine philosophy
of having a healthy gut, avoiding
medication and supplementation
where possible, all whilst helping you
fall in love with a healthy eating
lifestyle.
 THE STRENGTH MATTERS
PROCESS
The Strength Matters Process provides a proven way to put all the pieces
together, incorporating each of the Strength Matters Tools and assessments in
the right order to best strengthen each key component for your own health and
wellbeing.

Phase 1 – Induction (6 Weeks)

Phase 2 – Monthly Cycle

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 7

Getting Started
Select A Coach. To begin, you will need
to select a coach to guide you through
the wilderness that is health & fitness.
We recommend using a Strength Matters
Certified Professional for the best
experience and results.
The 60 Minute Meeting. Led by a
Certified Strength Matters Professional,
the 60 Minute Meeting introduces you
and/or your clients to the Strength
Matters System Of Athletic
Development, getting everyone on the
same page to decide if you want to use
the system and tools to achieve
your/their health & fitness goals.
Getting Focused &
Clarifying Vision
The Strength Matters Assessments. A
seven-day process to arm your coach
with the necessary information needed
to set priorities, address weaknesses,
resolve issues and track critical numbers
essential to working towards your health
and fitness goals.
STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 8
Your coaching team then uses the
results for the next 30 days for you to
experience and implement real
improvement.
The Review. Another 60-minute
meeting with your certified Strength
Matters Professional that starts by
reviewing your assessment results. You
will then begin to use the Strength
Matters vision tools to clarify your
vision on health & fitness, starting with
who you are, why you exist, what you
do and where you are going.
Together with your coach, you will
discuss your ten-year, three-year and
one-year goals and then work together
on addressing your immediate needs.
This is a spaced-learning approach
which has proven to be most effective
for quickly gaining long-lasting results.
Implementation
This is where we begin to implement the
Strength Matters System Of Athletic
Development and continue using the
process to complete your vision, clarify
your fitness goals, and work towards
your 10-year, 3-year, 1-year plan and
priorities for the next 90 days.
With you and your coach now focused
and all on the same page, you’ll use the
tools for the next 30 days to execute your
plan and experience significant
improvement.
Accountability &
Assessment
Monthly Sessions. A meeting with your
Strength Matters Coach every 30 days to
evaluate your performance, refocus, set
priorities for the next 30 days and
resolve any issues that might impede
progress.
"Results In 90 Days... Or Less... Or Tripple Your
Money Back... Guaranteed!
STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 9
Quarterly Sessions. A meeting with
your Strength Matters Coach every 90
days to evaluate your performance,
refocus, set priorities for the next 90
days and resolve any issues that might
impede progress.
You will experience measurable
growth and improvement every 90
days – This Is The Strength Matters
System.
Annual Sessions. A 90 Minute Meeting
with your Strength Matters Coach
each year to update the vision and plan
for the next year and next quarter.
The Result
A healthy, focused, well-balanced health
& fitness that makes continual progress
towards achieving your vision for health
and fitness
 THE STRENGTH MATTERS
SYSTEM OF ATHLETIC
DEVELOPMENT
What Is The Everyday Athlete?

In the U.S.A. and U.K., approximately 60% of all adults aged between 18-64 are
completely sedentary. They do no intended exercise, have completely inactive jobs
and spend more than 14 hours per day sitting on various types of chairs (sofas, office
chairs, dining chairs, car seats, etc.). A further 20% of all adults do a little bit of daily
movement, but not enough to maintain health.

The remaining 20% of all adults regularly exercise to an adequate degree. What does
adequate mean? This differs slightly from one government organization to another,
but generally, it’s quite a small amount of regular exercise. By this I mean, 30 minutes
of brisk walking or jogging per day and some regular resistance training to help with
strength and bone density.

According to the Oxford English dictionary, the definition of an athlete is, “A person
who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise.”

"The Everyday Athlete is a person who is proficient in

their everyday physical activity and exercise
regimen."

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 10

 The Scale Of Everyday The Everyday Athlete is someone who

Athleticism regularly partakes in purposeful physical

activity and/or has an active lifestyle and
An Everyday Athlete is a person who is
job. If you are reading this, you probably
proficient in their everyday physical
are the Everyday Athlete.
activity and exercise regimen. Consider
the following scale of athleticism:
The Everyday Athlete has a degree of
knowledge about how he or she should
9 – 10: Elite performer
carry out an exercise regime. This degree
3 – 8: Everyday Athlete
of knowledge is hugely variable
1 – 2: Pre-athletic
depending on sources, education,
0: Couch Commando
experience, background, and
environment.
Bear in mind that 60% of the adult
population would score zero out of ten on
Going back to our definition of Everyday
this athleticism scale because they’re
Athlete, it is the level of proficiency in
completely sedentary. A further 20% sit
planning daily activities and exercise that
in the pre-athletic section of one to two
we are interested in.
out of ten. The vast majority of the
remaining 20% are Everyday Athletes.

The Everyday Athlete is someone who

cares about his or her health enough to
do something about it and has reached at
least a very basic level of fitness.

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 11

 Introduction To The Strength • Locomotion

Matters System Of Program • Anti-rotation

Design • Rotation
• Hinge
At Strength Matters, it is our goal to
• Squat
educate the Everyday Athlete in best
• Push
practices for developing his or her
• Pull
everyday athleticism. We want you to be
able to continue to grow stronger and
All of which should be present in daily
healthier as you age. In order to do this,
movement and all training programs. If
we have established a number of core
not, the ability to perform such a
components that make up complete
movement pattern may be lost because
athleticism.
the brain operates by a “use it or lose it”
principle. For those who are familiar with
• Strength
the works of Dan John, Paul Chek or
• Speed
Steve Maxwell, you may have seen these
• Power
before in one form or other. 
• Mental Resilience
• Endurance
• Cardiovascular Capacity
• Balance & Coordination
• Agility
• Stability
• Mobility

It’s easy to make a mountain out of a

molehill when it comes to program
design, but we’ve made it as simple as
possible. In our humble opinion, there are
seven human movement patterns:

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 12

 THE RIGHT DECISION
GUARANTEE...
RESULTS IN 90 DAYS… OR LESS…
OR TRIPLE YOUR MONEY
BACK… GUARANTEED.
www.strengthmatters.com
 THE TEN COMPONENTS OF
ATHLETICISM
If there was one key message to take
away from our system of athletic
development, this would be it: -
"Focus on your weaknesses. Take all the
components that make up complete fitness
and athleticism and self-assess.
Acknowledge that the whole single organism
that is your body is only as strong as your
weakest component.
Forget running long distances and
bodybuilding. Focus on flexibility. Become
strong by lifting really heavy stuff. Become
agile and fast over short distances and your
performance will rise to new heights in all
the activities you value the most. Failure to
acknowledge your weak components will
lead to game-changing injuries and
everlasting weakness".
STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 14
Here at Strength Matters, we believe
there are ten components that make up
complete physical fitness or what we
refer to as complete athleticism.
Our goal is to help everyday people
become more athletic – this means more
efficient at carrying out every day
physical tasks and better at exercising.
No matter what your age is or where you
start your journey, you all possess the
following ten abilities to one degree or
another.
As a default, you’ll naturally steer toward
the components that require the least
effort (mentally and physically) and the
things at which you excel.
Your beautiful body can only reach a
certain level before it becomes injured or
plateaus if it’s being held back by one or
more ignored components.
 "Failure to acknowledge your weak
components will lead to game-changing
injuries and everlasting weakness."

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 15

 THE STRENGTH MATTERS
ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
Are You A Rookie, Explorer Or Pro?
Meeting people at their current ability
level is key to long-term success. It
was necessary to create a self-
assessment system to make it possible
to prescribe suitable workouts and
Programs for the Strength Matters
community.
One of the criteria for this system was
that it had to be simple enough for
someone with no anatomical
knowledge and little body awareness
to be able to reproduce with
reasonable accuracy at home.
The Strength Matters Hierarchy Of Athletic Development: Level 1 Overview
STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 16
First, we considered all the
components that make up complete
athleticism. In our opinion, those are
power, strength, endurance,
cardiovascular capacity, balance &
coordination, mobility, agility,
stability, speed and mental resilience.
We then scrutinized over these
deciding which are more important
than others and we came up with the
following hierarchy:
 The Strength Matters Hierarchy Of Athletic Development: Level 2 - Applying
The Ten Components

Balance & coordination, stability, and mobility trump all other components.

Unless a base level of these Layer One elements is present, injury and failure are around
the next corner. You shouldn’t train for power, speed or agility without having a base
level of strength.

Without a base level of cardiovascular capacity, training for any Layer Three
components will be hampered, if not completely fruitless. Building strength,
cardiovascular capacity, agility, endurance, and power is very straightforward if the
body can move well first.

You may have noticed that mental resilience doesn’t exist on our pyramid. Mental
resilience is a master quality that governs all the others.

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 17

 THE SEVEN FUNDAMENTAL
HUMAN MOVEMENTS
The human body and the functions it can
perform are an amazing amalgamation of
millions of years of evolution and
adaptation. I often read about the
incredible physical feats of soldiers
during WWII, which puts the most elite of
modern soldiers to shame.
The capabilities of Spartans, Centurions
and Vikings were even more superhuman
in the eyes of today’s armchair athletes.
Why is today’s typical body less superior?
Because 2,000 years isn’t long enough for
devolution to occur at the same rate that
our physical performance has
deteriorated. We’re still born with the
same musculoskeletal system as our
recent ancestors.
Like a baby, our grip should be one of the
strongest things about our body. We
should be able to remain in the deep
squat position comfortably for long
periods as we socialize and eat.  food, build shelter or escape from danger.
STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 18
We should also revisit the squat position
multiple times per day to get up and down
and occasionally pick up heavy things.
The organs of our digestive system are
perfectly adapted and aligned to pass
waste while also in the deep squat.
We should be able to walk long distances
where swinging arms and upright head
posture are key components for
efficiency, awareness and injury
prevention. This facilitates the ability to
sprint explosively over very short
distances when required for the sake of
feeding or avoiding danger.
Our feet are perfectly adapted to react
instantaneously to the ground beneath
each step. The fluidity of actions and
movements at all joints throughout the
entire body are highly dependent on the
sensory feedback from foot contact. We
can even use our entire body to climb for
 Many times, per day we should be able to
bend over from any position, pick things
up (of various loads) and carry them
without risk of injury. We should be able
to push and pull on things in all directions
and sometimes throw or catch them.
Sometimes we fall over and tumbling to
break the fall and getting back up again
without difficulty should be part of the
process.
The human body is the great adaptor and
will acclimate to any stimulus that is
regularly applied. The powerhouses that
should be our hands and all the structures
that are neurologically connected
become weak.
We force our feet to live in tight shoe
prisons so there’s no need for the bones
to splay and absorb. The foam or rubber
soles eliminate all valuable sensory input.
The arches collapse, ligaments stiffen and
the feet become concrete blocks
perfectly adapted to living in a shoe at the
end of an inactive leg.
"We stare at digital screens for hours every day... This leads to a plethora
of crippling reactions further down the chain".
STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 19
The brain learns that there’s no need to
maintain neural pathways with the
biggest and most powerful muscles so our
butts go to sleep. The ability to maintain a
strong and stable midsection, which
protects the lower back and transmits
forces throughout the body is no longer
required.
We stare at digital screens for hours
every day bringing the position of the
heavy object that is our head forwards.
This leads to a plethora of crippling
reactions further down the chain. In older
years, it’s highly likely that many of us will
fall over. If the fall itself doesn’t break us,
at some point we’ll lack the strength and
mobility required to get back up again.
Deploy violins. Wait—there’s hope!
Regardless of age, your body will adapt to
any stimulus you regularly and frequently
apply. The rate of adaptation may take a
little longer for more senior humans, but
it’s never too late. If you regularly
perform each of these movements every
day, you’ll never lose the ability.
 Understanding The Seven 3. Squat. This is the original human sitting
Fundamental Human position. Includes rocking, single leg
Movements squats, goblet squats.

Human movement patterns have been

4. Anti-rotation. This means eliminating
broken down a number of times in the
movement through the torso while the
past by pioneering industry leaders such
shoulders and hips move. It also means
as Paul Chek, Dan John and Steve
having the ability to stabilize the spine in
Maxwell (big thanks to all of you for your
the event of external forces being
inspiration).
applied. Includes steering a shopping cart,
countering an external force in the form
We don’t think our version is any better,
of an accidental push or a nudge, single
but the following movement categories
arm or single leg resistance training.
make more sense to us when
programming for the Everyday Athlete.
5. Rotation. This is very similar to anti-
rotation, but in this case, the torso
All daily movement and training
produces movement instead of resists it.
programs should include the following
Includes reaching for something,
patterns:
throwing, boxing, windmill.

1. Locomotion. This is the most

6. Push. This pertains to the upper body’s
important, but often most neglected
ability to press in all directions. Includes
movement. It includes crawling, stepping
putting a suitcase into an overhead
up, walking, walking while carrying
locker, getting up from the floor (or from
something, sprinting.
an armchair), a push-up, a dip or military
press
2. Hinge. When we hinge (bend over), we
use the biggest and most powerful
7. Pull.  This pertains to the upper body’s
muscles in the body, the glutes (or at least
ability to pull in all directions. Includes
we should). Movements include the
opening a door, picking something up
prayer movement, bridge variations,
from the floor, pulling yourself up onto
bending over to pick something up,
something, climbing or hanging from a
deadlifts.
ledge.

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 20

 Where Are We Going With How To Quickly Apply The
This? Seven Human Movements?

We all possessed almost perfect
movement patterns as small children
(before the chair and inactivity screwed
everything up). Re-establishing good
movement will not be like learning a new
language from scratch. You’ve already
learned the language in the first six years
of your life. The neural pathways haven’t
died completely. It’s just a case of
reminding your brain what should be
happening.
If you’re keen to start owning your own
movement, We’ll leave you with some
tips to get you started. These will not only
help new starters but are also extremely
beneficial for the advanced Everyday
Athletes.
DISCLAIMER: Don’t do anything that
causes or increases pain. If in doubt, seek
medical approval.

Each of the seven-movement patterns

has a continuum associated with it; a full
spectrum of movements and exercises
ranging from the most basic and
fundamental to the most explosive and
advanced.

We all possess an ability to some degree

to carry out each movement, but our goal
is to help you identify your weaknesses
and create balance. Anyone of any age
can start somewhere on each continuum
and we’ll show you where and how.

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 21

 Get up and down from the floor ten
times per day. If you’re in the habit of
watching TV during the evening, watch it
from the floor. Play games with your kids
or partner on the floor. Hang out on the
ground as much as possible. Have a roll
around while you’re down there. The
floor is not just a place a place for pets
and children. It’s sacred. It’s the learning
ground for all good movement.
Walk for at least 30 minutes,
uninterrupted, every day. Swing your
arms. Be aware of your surroundings.
Focus on breathing into your abdomen
(inhale: tummy goes out, exhale: suck
tummy in). For humans of all levels of
athleticism, this is essential. Make it a
habit by working it into your commute or
meet a friend for a morning walk.
STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 22
Go barefoot wherever and whenever
possible. (I’m not saying run barefoot—
that’s another blog entirely). Balance on
one leg every time you brush your teeth.
Left leg in the morning. Right leg in
evening. While brushing, play around
with the position of the non-supporting
leg and hip. Try hip raises. Make small
circles with your supporting knee. As you
advance, try doing it with your eyes
closed. Before leaving the house, put one
shoe on at a time while balancing on the
other leg. We should all be able to
balance on one leg with our eyes closed
for at least 30 seconds. People who run
regularly should pay particular attention
to this tip because running or jogging is,
statistically, the most dangerous activity.
 The root of almost all modern
musculoskeletal injuries is spending too
much time seated in a chair. If producing
a medical note is what it takes to
persuade your employer to provide a
stand-up workstation, most private
physical therapists worth their salt would
happily testify to the damage that being
seated is causing. If standing really isn’t
an option, take all calls standing.
DEATH OF THE DESK
STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 23
Spend some time every day in the deep
squat position. For the majority of people
this is uncomfortable and awkward so try
the supported deep squat. Hold onto
something sturdy such as a signpost or a
door frame, keep your feet pointing
straight forward with heels planted and
lower yourself down as far as possible.
Hang out there. Try to keep your chest up
and breathe. Try several deep squat
holds, several times per day—especially if
you spend more than a couple of hours in
a chair.
For those who can already squat deeply
without support, do 
 GETTING STARTED WITH
THE STRENGTH MATTERS
SYSTEM.
If you think Strength Matters can help you achieve your health and fitness goals or
you simply want to learn more about how you can apply the Strength Matters
Education System to your clients and members, you have two decisions to make: -

1. Do you really want to apply the Strength Matters System Of Athletic

Development?

2. If so, which of the two ways to implement the system will work best for you?
Personal Coaching or our Educational Pathway?

The most efficient way to learn more and to make those two decisions is a 60-
Minute Meeting with a Strength Matters Professional. If this seems premature –
we get it. We’re fitness people, too.

Please know, this is NOT a high-pressure sales pitch. It’s just the simplest, best way
for you to connect with a Strength Matters expert for a detailed overview of the
system, the tools, and the process.

There’s no charge for this meeting and no obligation. It’s a valuable learning event
that will answer all your questions and fully equip you to decide how best to move
forward with Strength Matters (or not).

CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A FREE

60 MINUTE MEETING

STRENGTH MATTERS SYSTEM / PAGE 24

 THE RIGHT DECISION
GUARANTEE...
RESULTS IN 90 DAYS… OR LESS…
OR TRIPLE YOUR MONEY
BACK… GUARANTEED.
www.strengthmatters.com