Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Align System?
The Align System is a series of strategies that help people bring their bodies back into optimal, pain free alignment. It is based on tried and true scientific methods that pioneers in the fields of anatomy, physiology, kinesiology and neurology have brought to the forefront of research. The Align System ties all these methodologies into a holistic, comprehensive, step based approach to explain the why and the how behind human anatomy and human movement.
What is Smart Movement?
Smart Movement is a movement practice that is based on knowledge on how to perform a movement, that is progressed properly (I will perform the movement that my body needs at the current level that my body is able to perform it correctly) and that is goal oriented (I am moving this way to achieve this goal). One of the biggest pitfalls of movement practices is that it starts practitioners with an exercise progression that their bodies are not yet able to handle or that their brains are not yet wired to perform. So we encourage people to Move Smart, take the time to understand WHAT they're doing, HOW they're doing it, WHERE to start and WHY they're doing the the move to begin with.
What do you mean User Manual? I already know how to use my body.
Our modern lives have changed the way we move and engage our musculature. The body is an adaptation machine. It takes in stimulus, processes it and allocates and reallocates resources as needed based on the stimulus received. So yes while we theoretically know how to use our bodies, what we don't know is how the body works and how it changes in response to our lifestyle choices. This is the information that we believe that everyone should know: Education on HOW our joints are built, Education for WHY we are in pain, Education for WHAT movements to perform to get out of pain, Education for HOW to perform those movements, Education for developing Everyday Awareness of our movement.
Why do I need to learn about this? Just tell me what to do.
Simply telling people what to do is not what we are about. What we are about is an easy to digest yet detailed approach for concepts and movements. Doing the work is a small part of the movement practice. Understanding what to do, why to do it and when to do it is what gives long term value and provides consistent results. So yes, if you want, you can skip straight to the practice part of our programs, however we strongly encourage you to also go over the concepts, knowledge and everyday awareness sections since the knowledge they provide is what will help you in the long term to take care of your body and perhaps help other take care of theirs as well.
I'm new to your stuff, where should I start?
Your starting point should be related to your goal. When users come to us, they generally have one of two goals. They are in pain and they want to get rid of it OR they simply want to move better so that they can live better lives. Register for a free account with us or subscribe to one of our membership plans. Upon registration you will be directed to our members dashboard. If you are in pain, start with the "I'm in pain" dashboard section. If you want to move better, you can choose the "I want to move better" dashboard section and proceed with the Movement Basics course.
I've never worked out before where do I start?
If you have never really exercised before we recommend that you start with our Movement Basics course. This is the perfect starting point because: 1. It explains crucial movement mechanic concepts that are relevant for anyone at any age, across any movements not just exercising patterns. 2. It teaches not only WHAT exercises to perform but also HOW to perform them correctly and WHAT to avoid when performing them. 3. It builds proper movement progressions over 6 weeks. You’re going to learn how to MOVE smart, as we say.
Will this help me with my exact injury?
We don't know exactly what your injury is, but we are assuming that it's related to poor joint positioning. The goal of our "I'm in pain" section is to break down the body into joint pain areas. Each joint section highlights the joint musculature, it's interaction with the nervous system through movement, why pain generally occurs at that joint and strategies to self-assess the pain, relief the pain and strengthen the joint. Our online program offers relief to the majority of our users. Our coaches and online community are also available as an additional resource should you need more help.
Can this help me even if im ...years old?
Yes, our concepts are relevant for anyone at any age, across any movements. Our progressions are designed to build up movement patterns from the ground up.
Is this only for people in pain? What does this do for me if i'm not in pain?
If you are not in pain then your goal may be to move better. We offer comprehensive courses that will likely help you improve your movement by highlighting concepts you may not yet be familiar with. You will also learn how to progress or regress your current movement practice based on what your body needs or how it feels on any given day.
Equipment Questions
What equipment do I need?
At the very minimum you will need a foam roller, a lacrosse ball, a yoga mat/gymnastic mats, mini resistance bands and large resistance bands. You can find these tools and many more on our Store page.
Why is equipment required?
You will need equipment for the release and re-engage steps that are part of our system. The release work is self myofascial release. Because it's a release you perform on yourself, it requires tools to reach and apply pressure to certain muscle structures. The re-engage work requires applying resistance to the muscles in order to engage them in the patterns they need to work in. For some patterns we can apply resistance using our body weight and for other patterns we use tools such as resistance bands or hanging bars.
Where should I buy the equipment from?
All the tools that are needed or recommended can be found on our Store page. We won’t ever recommend you spend your money on anything we wouldn’t spend money on ourselves. Please note that most Store links will direct to amazon products that we ourselves have tried and vetted. When you click one of our links to an outside site and buy something there, we might get a commission. These links don’t cost you anything. The price is the same for you whether or not we include these affiliate links.
Membership Questions
What's included the the membership?
We have 3 memberships: Fix My Pain, Fix My Movement and Fix It All. They can all be found on our Membership Page
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Fix My Pain gives access to all digital content meant to help you understand and get rid of pain felt in a particular joint area. This membership grants access to our Forum area where you can ask specific questions, upload pictures and videos and receive detailed feedback from our team of Movement Experts.
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Fix My Movement gives access to all our courses meant to help you understand, improve or fix your movement patters. We offer movement courses meant to complement and strengthen specific activities. We also offer progressive courses that will teach you how to efficiently engage the larger musculature around your hips and core. This membership also grants access to our Forum area where you can ask questions and receive answers from our team of Movement Experts.
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Fix It All gives you access to our entire ALiGN platforms and so it incorporates all the benefits included in the Fix My Pain and Fix My Movement memberships.
How does the membership work?
Each membership has a 3 day free trial period. If you do not cancel your chosen membership during the first 3 days, then you will be charged the membership price on a monthly cadence until the membership is cancelled. If you choose to upgrade or downgrade your membership please cancel your current membership and then purchase the new desired membership. If you encounter any issues related to the membership, or have specific questions not covered here, simply contact us at fixme@align.training.
How do I cancel my membership?
Simply log into your account, navigate to my subscriptions and cancel the membership or program you want to cancel. Canceling a subscription post the 3 days trial period, does not trigger a refund.You will have access to your membership until the end of the current billing period. If you encounter any issues related to the membership, or have specific questions not covered here, simply contact us at fixme@align.training.
What's your refund policy?
Our refund policy is simple; you have 3 days to try our platform and understand if it works for you. If after 3 days you have not cancelled your membership, we will charge you for the month in progress. There are no refunds for a recurring monthly membership once a month has started. If you encounter any issues related to the membership, or have specific questions not covered here, simply contact us at fixme@align.training.