ANATOMY OF STRENGTH TRAINING

A Course by Dr. Tony Boutagy

Understand What
You're Really Training

Most coaches and lifters skip the fundamentals and end up guessing
at what they're really training. This course bridges that gap — giving you
clarity on muscle function, movement mechanics, and joint actions
so every exercise and cue has purpose.

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Evidence-based education, trusted by 50,000+ coaches and lifters.

WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR

For Coaches

You've completed Cert 3 & 4, but anatomy still feels abstract. You want to translate textbook diagrams into real-world movement so you can cue, coach, and correct with confidence — not guesswork.

For Experienced Lifters & Fitness Enthusiasts

You're training hard but not seeing consistent results. Understanding anatomy gives you the "why" behind every exercise — empowering you to adjust your form, avoid injury, and train smarter for the long term.

Learning Outcomes

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

By the end of this course, you'll:

UNDERSTAND

How muscles and joints interact during major lifts

IDENTIFY

And correct common technique errors with precision

BUILD

A mental model of movement that strengthens all future training decisions

APPLY

Anatomy knowledge directly to program design and client assessment

Curriculum

INSIDE THE COURSE

Module 01

The Foot: Foundations of Human Performance

Strength, control, and efficient movement all begin at the foot. This module shows you how foot mechanics affect the ankle, knee, hip, and spine and why correcting dysfunction here can dramatically improve technique, resilience, and results.

Module 02

The Hip: Strength, Stability & Integrated Function

The hip is the central link between foot mechanics and full-body movement, and when it’s weak or imbalanced, the effects show up everywhere — from gait to squatting to lower-back stress. In this module, you’ll learn how the deep rotators, abductors, and hip flexors work together with the foot to stabilise the femur and control force production.

Module 03

The Low Back: Stability, Force Transfer & Injury Prevention

Most people experience low-back pain because they compensate without realising it. This module teaches you how the spine actually works, how to spot the movement patterns that overload it, and how to build long-term resilience through evidence-based assessments and training strategies.

Module 04

The Shoulder Girdle: Control, Stability & Pain-Free Strength

This module shows you how to identify common dysfunctions like upward-rotation faults, tilting, and winging — and how to restore smooth scapular-humeral rhythm for stronger pressing, safer overhead work, and pain-free training.

Module 05

The Elbow, Wrist & Hand: Strengthening the Upper-Body Support System

Your hands and forearms are the upper body’s primary force-transfer system and one of the most common sources of pain and performance breakdown. In this module, you’ll learn how wrist mechanics, grip strength, elbow alignment, and shoulder stability work together to prevent tendinopathy and improve strength across every pressing, pulling, and carrying movement.

Module 06

Breathing Mechanics & Dysfunctional Patterns

Most clients develop dysfunctional breathing patterns without realising it — patterns that quietly affect stability, posture, shoulder mechanics, and overall performance. This module shows you how to identify dysfunctional breathing, understand the underlying physiology, and apply simple, evidence-based retraining methods that improve movement quality, recovery, and strength.

Module 07 - Bonus lesson

Cardiovascular Training for Strength & Conditioning

Building an aerobic base is one of the most effective ways to improve strength training results, yet it’s often overlooked. In this module, you’ll learn how Zone 2 training, micro-intervals, and cardiovascular physiology enhance recovery, increase training volume, and build the work capacity needed for long-term progress.

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Why It Matters

BEYOND MEMORIZATION

This course isn't about memorising muscles — it's about understanding movement.

Whether you're coaching others or training yourself, this knowledge becomes the foundation for everything that follows: strength, fat loss, performance, and longevity.

Before you can improve performance, you must understand the system
you're training.

— Tony Boutagy, PhD

Student Feedback

WHAT STUDENTS SAY

The course material is presented articulately, precisely and methodically, and really bridges the gap between what information is available to new trainers and what they really need to know. I recommend jumping in on this course.

Tracy Welsh

The course is outstanding. Tonys knowledge and the way he breaks down the information over the 8 weeks is just amazing. I cannot recommend his courses enough.

Evania Dunstone

The course was fantastic. The material and the weekly lessons were brilliant. I liked the flexible nature of it, such as being able to watch the replays later.

Jason Koster