The Movement Underground

The Movement Underground Discover whats holding you back…and build a body that wont. BE UNBREAKABLE.

Whether you are an athlete, or active adult tired of nagging pain and injuries, TMU offers the same care pro athletes get - For Every Body. WHAT WE DO

Eliminate Pain, Restore Movement & Optimize Performance
Professional Athletes and Performance Artists have a whole team of Performance, Recovery, and Rehab specialists in their corner to keep them healthy, and functioning at their optimal level… Who do you have in your corner? We have helped thousands of local athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and weekend warriors overcome pain, poor mobility, and get the most out of their body and life…

We can’t wait to stand behind you too.

11/15/2025

The Hands That Built Me

I still remember being a student in my AT program in the early 2000s...
Manual therapy? Massage? That was frowned upon.

"You're not a massage therapist—go stretch it out."
That was the vibe.

Fast forward a year...I'm working SEC Track & Field at Florida.
And I watched my boss, Andy Klock, work on one of the best sprinters in the nation.
And completely change how he felt, how he moved, how he performed.

And in that moment, I was hooked.

What I saw in that training room was undeniable.
It wasn’t magic.
It was work.
It was skill.
It was intention.
but it got results.

So I made a decision.
If I was going to be great at this...
If I was going to actually save people and athletes from my fate...
I wasn’t going to cherry-pick my tools based on dogma.

I was going to use every damn thing that helped my athletes win.
Results...By ANY MEANS NECESSARY.

Even if it meant rolling up my sleeves, getting my hands dirty,
and doing the kind of work that doesn’t scale well… but works.

So I dove into every manual therapy course I could find:
ART. Graston. FR. IASTM. Kinesiotaping. DNS. PRI. All of it.

For years, I built my head, my heart and my hands into tools I could trust.

And while the way I practice has evolved a lot since then,
I still believe manual therapy, when done right, for the right reasons...

Can be one of the most underrated tools in our toolbox.
Not a cure. Not a fix. Not a magic trick.
But a BRIDGE.

For pain. For recovery. For performance. For progress.

To the manual therapists out there getting trolled by “evidence-based” bros:
Keep going.
The pendulum always swings.
Just don’t get caught playing pretend and making up bu****it.
You want to be taken seriously? KNOW YOUR S**T.

Drop the mysticism.
Lose the ego.
Understand what your hands can do—
…and what they can’t.

Then do that work with love, skill, and fire.

That’s how we earn the respect.
That’s how we make impact.
That’s how we change the game.
One human at a time.

LFG

— Mike Stella, ATC

11/11/2025

Not everything needs to be fixed.

But when you’ve got a young, healthy, active person in pain...
Telling them to just “get stronger” is lazy at best.

Not wrong.
Just lazy...

I've had pro athletes share with me that a therapist has told them they have back pain because their core is weak....get that....PRO ATHLETES...

Like, seriously?

The fact of the matter is this...Strong people still hurt.

This comes from the big push of the "Evidence" over everything crowd who can't think outside the abstract of a meta analysis they didn't read...
...which, don't get me wrong, research is important, but can make it really easy to overgeneralize...

Most of the research out there favors GPP (general physical preparedness) because it has to.
That’s what happens when you study large, diverse, cross sections of people....

You get the averages...
You get norms...
You get general...

But guess what group-based studies don’t emphasize?
The outliers.
The high performers.
The anomalies.

The you... who’s doing “everything right” but still hurts.

And when that’s the case…
That’s not a GPP problem.
That’s a movement specificity problem.

I call these, "Movement Linchpins"...the small hinge that swings a big door.

📍Maybe it’s one joint that doesn’t have the workspace being demanded?
📍Maybe it’s one pattern that’s over-leveraged too long.
📍Maybe it’s restricted range at an area that doesn't hurt?

In our quest for answers...we’ve overcorrected.
In our rush to sound evolved, we ditched the idea that specific dysfunctions can create specific problems. (they can, in my experience, but it's tricky...)

We forgot that not all pain is lifestyle-driven, and can't always be solved with better sleep and stress management.

Sometimes…it’s a mechanical bottleneck.
Plain and simple.

You don’t need to chase perfect.
But if you’re young, fit, strong...and still in pain?
It might be time to stop generalizing your way through it.

Sometimes the missing piece isn’t more reps.
It’s more precision.

Today's post pairs perfectly with my convo w/ on which dropped today! Check him out!

Moral of the story...

Stop aiming for normal.
Start aiming for optimal.

11/08/2025

Look…
I’m NOT saying rolling around on a ball is gonna fix you.

It’s not magic. It doesn’t change tissue in any super meaningful way, other than how it feels...
But you know what else doesn’t “change tissue”?

-ibuprofen
-ice
-rest
-Passive stretches held for 5 seconds
-banded clamshells
-cortisone injections

It's ironic to me when influencers say s**t like Manual therapy doesn't work because it isn't permanent change...

Meanwhile, most of modern medicine is mostly pharmaceutical symptom modification.

So is this.

The difference? This one you can do yourself and can be taught in the time it took to film this video...

It's also Cheap, safe, and there are no downstream side effects to worry about, like blowing out tendons or chronic liver disease.. (winning)

In this clip, I’m working with one of my athletes...a runner who’s bounced back from a lumbar fusion and ankle surgery to go out and PR the NYC Marathon.

(She's a freakin' stud)

I don't know if you got the memo, but Marathon training is hard.

It's a ton of miles accumulated, pain and injuries aren't "if," so much as, "when"

My goal here isn't to cure cancer, or fix her Posterior tib tendon irritation with a ball...

Its to give her tools she can use to self manage, and keep her in the race.

So yeah, we'll spend 30 seconds giving it some love, then we'll take it further by modifying her strength training, throwing some direct loading strategies to help desensitize and stimulate collagen synthesis...

These Yoga Tune Up Balls from (shoutout Jill Miller 👏) helped us open up some space in the posterior tibialis, because she felt tight, compressed, and painful.

No, we’re not “breaking up” tissue.
We’re giving the nervous system some new input.
We’re creating an opportunity.

So no...it’s not a fix.
But it’s a lever we can pull that helps.
And I’ll take a simple lever over another round of cortisone and hope.

Try it.
Don’t live on it.
Use it to get to the next thing.

👉🏽 Save this if you’re dealing with tension or pain when you run or lift.
📩 DM me if you’re stuck and want real solutions...not just more ice and clamshells.

11/06/2025

Two years ago today, I sat down with and the crew on one of the biggest fitness podcasts in the world....The

At the time, I was just telling the guys my story.

But looking back…
This was the moment I broke through.
The first time I spoke my truth...
on a stage big enough for the world to hear.

From a would be college lacrosse star...
To a dedicated Athletic Trainer hell bent on getting results.

⚡️ That one step in 2004 changed everything.

I didn’t know it at the time…
But the knee blowout that shattered my dream,
also cracked open the door to my purpose.

That injury...
and the pain, rehab, depression, and identity crisis that came with it…
Didn't break me.
It made me.

Because when you’ve been stripped down to what feels like "nothing left"
And you choose to rebuild.

You don’t just come back stronger.
You come back undeniable.

Fast forward 20 years...
I own a 7-figure facility...known for getting results when others fail.
I teach other clinicians how to do the same.
And I am blessed lead a tribe of athletes and humans through the same storm I once nearly drowned in.

And while I never became the athlete I once dreamed of…
I became something even better.

A clinician with scars.
A coach with battle wounds.
The guy I needed 20 years ago.

If you’re in the deep, dark right now...
I promise, it’s not the end.

It’s the forge.

💬 Drop a 💥 if you’ve turned pain into purpose.
And if you’re still in the middle of your arc…
You’re not alone. Keep swinging.

11/05/2025

🚨 Stretching isn’t a solution.
It’s a stimulus.

And no, the “secret stretch for back pain” isn’t really fixing anything
unless you think feeling a stretch where it hurts constitutes a solution...

Let’s get this straight 👇
Flexibility is passive.
Mobility is active control through usable range.
And what most people call “tight” is actually just the brain putting on the brakes.

That’s right...
Your nervous system limits movement when it doesn’t feel safe.

Stretching might feel good (temporarily),
But it doesn’t rewire your motor maps,
or upgrade the way your brain predicts movement.

Mobility training done right = rewiring your movement software.

It gives your brain better sensory input,
which leads to more accurate motor output,
which leads to less protective tension and better performance.

Most rehab just chases pain to modify it.
I prefer to think of it as a performance software update...

Upgrading movement options
and improving how your body communicates with your brain.

Pain is complex. This is true.
And while stretching may perhaps be a part of the solution...
If often falls miserable short of being "the" solution.

Train mobility like a skill.
Strength X Length!
Not just a stretch.

Truth is... flexible people still hurt…
especially, when the brain doesn’t trust it.

Save this post if you’ve ever been told to “just stretch it”
…and still felt stuck.

And tag a friend who needs to stop foam rolling their IT band into submission 😅

11/04/2025

Shoulder pain when pressing?

Don’t "shut it down." Shift the approach and try these instead.

Too many people feel a little shoulder pain and immediately hit the panic button.
“No more pressing.”
“No more gym.”
“Shut it down and run to the doctor.”

Listen… I get it, pain is real...and sometimes real scary.

But the truth is, it’s just you body asking you for something.
A request...for change.

And sometimes, it’s just your body’s way of saying:
“Hey, I need something else.”

That’s where graded exposure comes in.
The goal isn’t to avoid all discomfort...

It’s to find tolerable movements, or adjust the variables
(angle, load, tempo, implement) etc.

Sometimes when we sensitize a tissue or joint, avoiding using it can be worse...
While we don't want to ignore pain...
we also shouldn't ignore progressing either.

Because pain isn’t tissue specific...
It’s context specific....

So that's why we can always find a more pain friendly alternative that still expose the tissues to needed stimuli, but also change the context enough to show the brain....
"see, this ain't so bad!"

So instead of tapping out and living in “shut down mode” for weeks…

Try some of these shoulder-friendly pressing variations.
These give you a similar stimulus, without flaring things up.

And over time? You build back tolerance...and strength.

The way out isn’t always rest.
The way out… is THROUGH.

📌 Save this post for your next upper body session.
📥 Tag a friend who’s stuck on the bench (but could still be benching).

11/03/2025

Something I changed my mind about…

Rehab & Training shouldn’t be a battle ground between machines and free weights.

Nowadays, it seems the entire industry is splintered into tribes...

Early in my career, I was all-in on “functional” training.
Machines were so "old school" and only for bodybuilding.

Everything had to be "sport-specific," “real-world,” “multi-planar,” “ground-based.”

If you weren’t using kettlebells, bands, or unstable surfaces...
You were doing it wrong… am I right? 😅 (vets chime in!)

Truth is, I was just regurgitating what was hot at the time.
I meant well, and loved this stuff...
But like most young coaches, I didn’t realize yet that the industry runs in cycles.
What’s “bad” today will be essential tomorrow.

Now, with a lot more reps under my belt...
I see tools for what they are: context-dependent assets.

Machines can be a godsend for isolating tissues,
Reducing joint load, and rebuilding strength in rehab.

And free weights?
They’re phenomenal when timing and readiness align.

The difference now?
I’ve stuck around long enough to see the pendulum swing back and forth.

And I’m no longer afraid to say:
👉 “Hey, I changed my mind about that.”

Because the truth...the real stuff that works...
Always stands the test of time.

Stay humble. Stay curious.
Evolution is the goal.
Not allegiance to a trend.

💬 Drop something you changed your mind about in your training or career...
I promise, growth is sexy.😉

📌 Save this if you're tired of rehab tribalism.
🧰 And remember: real practitioners build deeper toolboxes… not stronger echo chambers.

11/02/2025

🎯 “The shoulder is 3 joints, not 1.”

Yes… I know it’s more complex than that.

But this video wasn’t made for your orthopedic anatomy final.
It was made for the human being sitting across from me...
in pain, confused, and just trying to understand why their shoulder still hurts after doing 4 months of rehab with no progress...

So when I say “3 joints,” I’m referring to the 3 zones of movement that matter when it comes to good shoulder rehab.

1️⃣ Glenohumeral (the ball & socket)
2️⃣ Scapulothoracic (how your shoulder blade moves across your ribcage)
3️⃣ Thoracic spine/ribcage (because if you can’t rotate or extend here, your shoulder can’t move well)

You can argue about the SC joint, AC joint, labrum angles, and every last degree of rotation all you want.

But nuance without clarity is absolutely useless to patients.

And all the rotator cuff strength in the world won’t help if the surrounding areas are locked up or moving poorly...

This is how I communicate complex biomechanics to real people...
So they can finally understand that shoulder pain is often NOT just a “shoulder” problem…
It’s a movement problem.

And movement problems… require movement solutions.
Not just banded external rotation and checking off that box on the SOP rehab template.

👊🏼 For the clinicians watching...
We’re not here to flex textbook anatomy.
We’re here to get people better.

🧠 For the clients watching...
Don’t settle for a treatment plan that only targets one joint.
Your body is connected. Your care should be too.

If you're struggling with shoulder pain, and have "tried everything"...I'm here to tell you that all your missing is a plan...and that, we can give ya.

Comment "STRATEGY" and book a call with my team, and we'll show you what real shoulder rehab looks like 💪.

11/01/2025

I was hungry.

Not in the “I hope I get picked” kind of way.
In the “I’ll outwork every single fu***ng person in this room” kind of way.

When I got to the University of Florida in 2008, I thought I made it.
D1 SEC athletics. National championships. Gator football.
I was ready to prove I belonged on the big stage.
I lost my chance as an athlete...so I wasn't about to let this opportunity slip.

So I did what grinders do...
100+ hour weeks. No days off. Football, track and field, cross country, volleyball, cheer, and volunteered in the weight room, for good measure.

I showed up early, stayed late, and left nothing in the tank.

And I thought that would be enough.
I thought work ethic was the currency that bought opportunity.

But I learned the hard way…

In big-time sports, hustle doesn’t always equal promotion.
Competence doesn’t always get rewarded.
And the truth is, not everyone likes it when the rookie starts playing like a vet.

That year shaped me more than I realized.
Because despite the respect I earned on the field, I wasn’t asked to come back.
They picked someone else.
Someone with… er hem, "closer" connections, if you get my drift...

It wasn’t about who worked harder.
It was about who fit the mold.

That could’ve broken me.
In truth, It almost did.

But instead of folding, I doubled down.
I took that chip on my shoulder and built something no one could take from me.

Now I own the stage.
No more politics.
No more begging for opportunity.
Just results. Grit. And a commitment to being the best I could be.

That’s why I don’t glorify hustle culture anymore.
You shouldn’t have to sell your soul for a seat at the table.

Build your own damn table.
And light that chip on your shoulder until it becomes your fire.

10/31/2025

☕️ My pre-workout of choice?
Two shots of espresso and audacity.

Look, I’m not anti-pre-workout…
But some of you are out there dry scooping 450mg of caffeine with niacin flush, beta-alanine burnies, and a proprietary blend of shame and regret...
…just to hit a few lateral raises and scroll TikTok between sets.

The bottom line is that...

🚫 Pre-workout is NOT magic.
✅ It’s mostly just caffeine with marketing.

Sure, it can help if you're dragging, or use it as a ritual to get in the zone.

But if your training program sucks, your sleep is garbage, and your nutrition is all vibes...
No amount of watermelon sour gummy worm hype dust is going to save you.

Personally speaking...
I don’t love the tingles.
I don’t need the spike-crash.
And I sure as hell don’t want to feel like my soul is vibrating out of my skin before leg day.

So I keep it simple.
💣 Espresso.
🎶 Good music.
🧠 A clear plan.
🔥 And a brain that knows WHY I’m training.

👉 If you want to use pre-workout, cool.

But use it like a tool, not a personality trait.
Train with intention. Recover hard. Be consistent.
That’s the real performance enhancer.

Drop a ☕️ if you’re team espresso.
Tag your stim ju**ie friend who dry scoops with no water and no warm-up. 😂
Or, comment your favorite Spotify workout playlist, especially if its got 90s/00s Rock Vibes 🤙

I apologize… ..to absolutely f*cking NO ONE.”I’m not sorry for doing this better.Not sorry for expecting more from mysel...
10/30/2025

I apologize… ..to absolutely f*cking NO ONE.”

I’m not sorry for doing this better.
Not sorry for expecting more from myself, my team, or my clients.
Not sorry for building something that actually works.

We’re not here to fit in...we’re here to change the game.

If you want aides, cookie-cutter templates, or a heat pack while you sit there and rot...you’ll hate it here.

But if you want actual results, intention, and care that actually gives a damn…
Welcome to The Movement Underground.

No gimmicks.
No shortcuts.
Just science, sweat, and standards.

DM “Strategy” and find out what happens when you stop settling for mass-produced, sub-par, care.

10/29/2025

🧠 MOVEMENT IS INFORMATION 🧠

And when we lose movement variability, we lose data…
We lose adaptability.
We lose freedom.
We lose ourselves.

Imagine having to make a life altering decision, only you are given very little information? How do you feel? Uneasy? Anxious?

Exactly.

Pain isn’t always the result of tissue damage...

It’s often the brain’s BEST GUESS based on limited options.

When your movement becomes a predictable loop, your nervous system starts operating in scarcity mode.

It can’t confidently plan for the future, so it gets defensive. Enter stiffness. Tension. Discomfort. Avoidance. You start aging faster.

Sound familiar?

This is why I say:

We don’t just move less because we’re aging...
We age because we move less.

The human body isn’t just a mechanical meat suit...
..it’s a dynamic system of sensors, signals, and stories.

And your movement tells your brain who you are, where you are, and where you COULD GO.

If you only give it 3 patterns to work with, don’t be surprised when it gets anxious and loud every time you try something new.

Here’s the good news:
🔑 Movement problems need movement solutions.
🧬 And with a little strategy, we can assess YOUR specific movement limitations and train your brain to adapt again...without fear, fragility, or fallback surgery plans.

➡️ Save this post if you’re done feeling stuck.
Drop a 🧠 if you’re ready to rewire and reclaim your body.

Follow for more high-performance rehab, recovery, and pain science that actually makes sense.

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3553B Merrick Road
Seaford, NY
11783

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Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 8pm
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+16315267692

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The Movement Underground is a concierge performance therapy service designed to identify and eliminate the underlying causes of injury through the systematic evaluation of posture, movement, and stress. Personalized care, private sessions, and attention to detail allow for unparalleled results in minimal downtime. This is Recovery Lab.