About HMI
Human Movement Improvement was built by James and Christine Kling to give trainers and clients a complete, transparent system for assessing and correcting movement.
Human Movement Improvement (HMI) is a complete corrective movement system developed over more than a decade of hands-on practice at Body Basics, a personal training studio in Boise, Idaho. It was built by James and Christine Kling to fill a gap that most fitness professionals encounter: plenty of screening tools, but no clear path from assessment to correction.
Why HMI Exists
Most movement screening tools — including the widely used Functional Movement Screen (FMS) — identify problems but stop short of telling you what to do about them. HMI was built to bridge that gap. It combines a structured assessment protocol, a curated library of mobility screens, and a targeted corrective exercise system that works together as a single, logical process.
The result is a system that any qualified trainer or movement professional can learn, apply consistently, and use to deliver measurable results — session after session.
The Three Components
Corrective Movement Philosophy
A six-step scientific framework — Observation, Hypothesis, Prediction, Test, Implementation, Completion — that guides every assessment decision. It removes subjectivity and keeps the process transparent and repeatable.
Human Movement Analysis
Eight compound movement assessments evaluate how the body performs integrated patterns like the squat, hinge, and lunge. Thirteen single-joint mobility screens then pinpoint which specific restrictions are driving the compensation.
Corrective Exercise Strategies
Every failed mobility screen has a corresponding Smash, Stretch, and Activate protocol. Soft tissue work releases restriction, stretching restores range of motion, and activation builds neuromuscular control — in that sequence, every time.
Mobility, Stability, and Body Awareness
HMI is built around a fundamental principle: mobility is the precursor to all movement. Stability and body awareness can only exist within a person's available range of motion. Trying to build strength or stability in a restricted joint is counterproductive — and often harmful.
By addressing mobility first, HMI creates the foundation that all other training depends on. Once range of motion is restored, stability and coordination can develop properly, and the client can train without compensation patterns that lead to injury.
The Corrective Focus System
Rather than overwhelming a client with every possible correction at once, HMI prioritizes one to three "corrective focuses" at a time. Each focus has a corresponding set of exercises, a movement modification (reducing weight, range, or complexity), and if necessary, a movement restriction (avoiding a pattern entirely while still training related muscles).
This focused approach keeps sessions manageable, allows progress to be tracked clearly, and ensures that every correction is actually tested and confirmed before moving on.