Prehab Rehab 101 - The Groundwork Positions (4 hrs)

The Prehab Rehab 101 – The Groundwork Positions Online Course is an accredited 4-hour continuing education program presented by international movement specialist Dr. Mark Cheng. Engineered for physical therapists, athletic trainers, manual therapists, and corrective exercise coaches, this self-paced course explores five developmental groundwork positions—Periscope, Sphinx, Crawling, Tall-Kneeling, and Half-Kneeling—to systematically evaluate breathing, stabilization, contralateral coordination, and functional force transfer from the floor up.

Why Professionals Choose Prehab Rehab 101

• Developmental Neuromuscular Sequencing: Leverages foundational ground-based postures to reset motor control, eliminate kinetic chain compensations, and restore efficient movement organization.
• Multi-Board Professional Accreditation: Pre-approved for continuing education credits across 10 athletic training, chiropractic, and healthcare regulatory boards including BOC, NATA, and ACBSP.
• Practical Clinical Toolkit: Features video masterclasses presented by Dr. Mark Cheng, an illustrated course workbook, companion course modules, lesson quizzes, and ongoing lifetime access.

Professional Practice Note: Restoring active neuromuscular control and kinetic chain alignment often requires addressing persistent soft-tissue restrictions first. To see how negative-pressure myofascial protocols fit into movement preparation and daily treatment plans, read our clinical guide: How to Use Massage Cupping in Clinical Practice.

Prehab Rehab 101: Professional Movement Overview

Prescribing standing loaded exercises to clients who exhibit compensatory stabilization or disrupted breathing patterns often reinforces poor biomechanics and accelerates tissue overload. The Prehab Rehab 101 – The Groundwork Positions Online Course provides clinicians and performance specialists with a diagnostic and corrective framework rooted in developmental kinesiopathology. By using the ground as an objective kinesthetic reference, practitioners learn to evaluate movement organization, breathing mechanics, intra-abdominal pressure management, and asymmetrical loading without the balance demands of standing postures.

Taught by renowned clinician and movement educator Dr. Mark Cheng, this 4-hour curriculum moves through five core floor-based postures: Periscope, Sphinx, Crawling, Tall-Kneeling, and Half-Kneeling. Rather than treating these postures as static stretches, Dr. Cheng demonstrates how to use them as dynamic assessment tools and progressive corrective drills. Practitioners master how to spot compensatory shoulder shrugs, lumbar hyperextension, and contralateral coordination faults, adjusting each position to build resilient, functional movement strategies for athletic rehabilitation and general wellness populations.

As an authorized distributor of professional continuing education and clinical supplies, Massage King delivers accredited learning assets designed to broaden your movement assessment skills, protect client longevity, and satisfy mandatory CE/CPD recertification requirements.

What You Will Learn: Core Movement Assessment Competencies

• Developmental Movement Diagnostics: Use the floor as a kinesthetic biofeedback surface to isolate movement compensations and evaluate spinal organization.
• Breathing Mechanics & Pressure Control: Assess diaphragm mechanics and intra-abdominal pressure regulation during supported extension and crawling tasks.
• Scapular & Upper Quarter Stabilization: Coach the Periscope and Sphinx positions to integrate cervical-thoracic alignment, visual orientation, and scapulothoracic control.
• Contralateral Gait Coordination: Break down developmental crawling patterns to restore reciprocal trunk control, rotary stability, and cross-body force transmission.
• Sagittal & Frontal Plane Midline Control: Utilize Tall-Kneeling drills to challenge gluteal activation, upright postural stabilization, and anti-extension mechanics.
• Asymmetrical Force Transfer: Progress clients into Half-Kneeling setups to identify hip-pelvis asymmetries, train rotational control, and prepare for upright athletic loading.

Course Curriculum: The Five Core Groundwork Postures

Meet Your Course Educator

Program Specifications & Inclusions

Course Video Overview & Movement Breakdown

Target Audience

Ideal for physical therapists, athletic trainers, sports chiropractors, osteopaths, corrective exercise specialists, licensed massage therapists, strength coaches, and movement educators seeking a grounded, developmental progression model to evaluate and correct motor control deficits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need special gym equipment to perform or coach these groundwork drills?

No. The groundwork positions require only clear floor space or an exercise mat. Dr. Cheng focuses on using gravity, body weight, and the floor surface as the primary training and diagnostic apparatus.

Can these positions be used with post-surgical or deconditioned clients?

Yes. Because the positions are developmental and ground-supported, they significantly reduce joint compression and balance anxiety compared to upright exercises. Dr. Cheng provides clear modifications and regressions for restricted or recovering clients.

Which professional organizations have accredited this course?

This course is approved for continuing education hours across 10 major licensing and credentialing bodies including BOC, NATA, CATA, ACBSP, and state athletic training boards. Use the CE Approval Finder below to review specific state and board approvals.

Evidence-informed movement diagnostics and functional rehabilitation excellence for dedicated practitioners.