Foundational movements: Developing the Human Weapon System from the ground up
The following information is part of the presentation delivered by Chris Frankel, PhD at the Inaugural U.S. Army Reserve Holistic Health and Fitness Summit at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, March 8-9, highlighting how the USAR can effectively implement the H2F system within its units while fostering broader knowledge and understanding. In the Holistic Health and Fitness, or H2F, environment, success isn’t just about intensity—it’s about intent. And that intent begins with understanding how Soldiers move. At the core of effective physical readiness is a concept known as foundational movements—a structured, evidence-informed approach to developing human movement capability that scales across training levels, equipment types, and occupational demands. Whether you’re a strength coach, physical therapist, pregnancy and postpartum performance training—P3T— instructor, or squad leader, embracing foundational movements can help you build more robust, adaptable, and mission-ready Soldiers. What are foundational movements? Foundational movements represent the essential building blocks of human physical competence and proficiency. They are not exercises in themselves, but categories of movement strategies that form the basis for everything from basic locomotion to complex occupational tasks. This framework breaks down movement into three key components: 1. Anchor Movements These are the core movement patterns: plank/bracing, push, pull, rotate, hinge, squat, lunge, step, crawl, and climb. Each serves as a foundation for strength, endurance, mobility, power, and coordination. 2. Primary Vectors Variables such as foot and hand placement, range of motion, and plane of motion that influence the physics and biomechanics of each movement. 3. Secondary Vectors Modifiers like equipment type, tempo, and load placement that add specificity or complexity to a movement. By becoming proficient, adaptable, and comfortable through training in different combinations of these elements, Soldiers can master not just exercises, but the movement skills that transfer to occupational readiness and remain reliable under high-stress conditions such as combat or crisis response. Why it matters for H2F The H2F system is about holistic readiness. That includes building bodies that can not only survive but thrive in diverse and demanding environments. Foundational movements provide a shared language and structure for developing programs across multiple domains—physical therapy, P3T, strength and conditioning, and tactical skills training. Some key benefits: Scalability: From initial entry trainees to elite operators, foundational movements provide a roadmap for progression. Durability: Building capacity in core movement patterns promotes robustness and fosters an anti-fragile system—one that adapts under stress and supports long-term operational readiness. Interdisciplinary integration: This model enables physical therapists, P3T instructors, coaches, and leaders to align training goals and language across the continuum of care and performance. Autonomy: Soldiers trained in this system gain movement literacy—equipping them to self-assess, self-correct, and maintain training quality in any environment. From the ground up: Building robustness first A key shift happening within modern human performance is moving from “resilience as a backup plan” to robustness as a first line of defense. That shift begins with how we teach and reinforce movement. In the foundational movement model, we don’t just throw reps at dysfunction—we develop competence through repetition with purpose. Movement becomes a skill to be learned, refined, and applied. This means focusing on positions, transitions, and timing—not just load. For H2F, this philosophy provides the connective tissue between training environments, equipment systems, and Soldier tasks. Whether you’re programming a strength block, developing return-to-duty protocols, or building a field-expedient training session, the foundational movement framework helps you do it with consistency and clarity. Bottom line: Foundational movements provide a scalable, mission-aligned framework for developing robust, adaptable Soldiers across all stages of the H2F continuum. It’s not just about better workouts—it’s about better outcomes. Interested in integrating foundational movements into your H2F strategy? BeaverFit can deliver this content and training directly to your unit—whether you’re looking to enhance internal capability or support your H2F team in the field. Contact us today to explore how we can support your mission. Contact Us Chris Frankel holds a PhD in Health Exercise Sports Science with more than 30 years of experience in the field: from research and teaching at the university-level, to working in fitness training and education with the U.S. military, pro- and college-sports programs. He is the Head of Human Performance Innovation at BeaverFit USA. Share this… FacebookFacebook Save Twitter