“The explosion of online fitness platforms claiming to offer custom workout programs is misleading millions,” states Michele Bond, M.S., whose research in the International Journal of Exercise Science has revolutionized movement assessment protocols. As a contributing author to “Fascia, The Tensional Network of the Human Body – 2nd Edition” and a Kinesiologist with over two decades of experience, Bond is exposing the limitations of algorithm-based exercise prescription.
“No matter how many questions an app asks you, it cannot assess your movement patterns through a screen,” Bond explains. Through her proprietary system, The Kinesiogram™, she’s demonstrated that true custom programming requires hands-on movement assessment to identify individual biomechanical patterns.
“The problem isn’t just that these programs aren’t truly customized – it’s that they can actually reinforce poor movement patterns,” Bond shares. Her research shows that generic exercise prescriptions, even when dressed up as “personalized,” often fail to address underlying movement dysfunction.
“When someone inputs their age, fitness level, and goals into an app, they’re getting a pre-programmed template with minor modifications,” Bond reveals. “But movement quality can vary dramatically between two people with identical profiles.”
Through extensive clinical observation, Bond has documented countless cases of people following “custom” online programs that exacerbated their movement issues. “One client followed an AI-generated program for months, thinking it was tailored to their needs. The assessment revealed they were reinforcing dysfunctional patterns with every workout.”
“The only way to truly customize an exercise program is to first understand how someone moves,” Bond emphasizes. “You need to assess their movement patterns, fascial tension, core timing, and biomechanical efficiency. No questionnaire can capture this information.”
Through The Kinesiogram™ assessment, Bond evaluates fundamental movement patterns that determine exercise appropriateness. “We look at how the body actually functions during movement – something impossible to assess through an online questionnaire or video,” she explains.
The implications of this research extend beyond just exercise selection. Bond’s work shows that proper program design must account for individual movement characteristics that can only be observed through direct assessment.
“Think about it this way,” Bond illustrates. “If you needed surgery, would you trust an app to determine the procedure based on a questionnaire? Exercise prescription requires the same level of professional assessment and expertise.”
The solution isn’t avoiding technology altogether. “Technology can be a valuable tool for delivering programs,” Bond notes. “But the program design must be based on proper movement assessment first.”
This represents a fundamental shift in how exercise programs should be developed. Instead of relying on algorithms and questionnaires, Bond advocates for movement-based assessment as the foundation of program design.
“One of the most concerning trends I see is people following programs that look good on paper but don’t match their movement capabilities,” Bond shares. “This disconnect often leads to frustration, poor results, and potential injury.”
The impact of improper exercise prescription can be long-lasting. Bond’s research indicates that following mismatched programs can create compensatory patterns that become increasingly difficult to correct over time.
Success in exercise programming requires understanding individual movement patterns first. “There are no shortcuts to proper program design,” Bond emphasizes. “Movement assessment must come before exercise prescription.”
Through decades of experience, Bond has refined the process of creating truly customized exercise programs. “When we base programming on actual movement patterns rather than generic templates, the results are dramatically better,” she explains.
Ready to discover what a truly customized exercise program should look like? Visit www.michelebond.com and sign up for the mailing list to learn about movement-based program design and receive notification about the upcoming online training community launching in early 2025. Experience the difference real customization makes in your exercise journey.