The Active Life Professional (AL-P) program
Become the go-to coach when clients have aches & pains
And get so good that physical therapists send you their patients.
A certification for coaches who are tired of piecing together corrective exercise, biomechanics, posture, and business courses that leave you with more questions than answers. Get everything you need, in one place.
The problem
Your clients have problems you don’t feel equipped to solve. Let’s change that.
Learn the biomechanical and neurological adaptations, orthopedic variables, and prescriptive programming interventions you need to confidently solve even the most complicated cases.
What we believe
Our 4 unpopular beliefs about the fitness industry.
And what they mean for coaches.
Coaches can do more than just make their clients sore, tired, and sweaty
Fitness coaches are often thought of as someone who runs a timer, counts reps, and acts as a cheerleader that can help clients with aesthetic and fitness goals like losing 20 pounds or “toning up” but not much more than that. We believe coaches can do more, a lot more.
There’s a massive gap between where healthcare leaves off and where fitness picks up
There are 55 million people in the U.S. with chronic pain, and 35% of doctors don’t feel like they have the ability to help them. These people end up working around pain, avoiding exercises or movements that hurt, cherry-picking workouts, and saying things like “I’ve got a bad knee.” They are stuck between where healthcare leaves off and where fitness typically picks up, with partial solutions, bandaids, and workarounds.
Coaches with the right tools can bridge the gap and become the healthcare providers of the future
Instead of modifying movements and creating workarounds, coaches with the right tools can responsibly and confidently be the solution to this chronic pain crisis.
When coaches bridge this gap, they make more money, in less time, avoid burnout, and have far more fulfilling careers
Most coaches struggle professionally because they are in a commoditized fitness market. They charge less than they should, take on too many clients, and try to over-deliver to differentiate themselves, which ultimately leads to burnout. Coaches who bridge the gap between healthcare and fitness can make more money with no competition from other coaches, and build a sustainable career.
Why coaches get stuck
Standard certifications minimize what coaches are capable of
Baseline certifications give you book education but lack the practical skills and depth to solve real-world problems. Coaches end up acting as glorified cheerleaders, rep counters, and pseudo-therapists instead of legitimate professionals positioned to solve real problems.
Piecing it together always leaves holes
Trying to gain the skills you need by piecing together corrective exercise certs leaves you with pieces of the puzzle but always feeling like something is missing. You’ve got some good tools in the belt, but you’re missing the foundational principles that put it all together.
The solution
Active Life Professional (AL-P)
24 months of education and mentorship giving you all the tools and systems you’ve been attempting to piece together, in one place.
The core competencies
- Biomechanics
- Practical assessments
- Prescriptive programming
- Orthopedic considerations
- Injury rehab/prehab principles
- Navigating healthcare as a coach
- Client education and behavior modification
- Breathwork and nervous system management
- Also included: sales, marketing & business systems
AL-P is an advanced education and mentorship experience for fitness professionals who want to build a career helping clients with chronic pain, lingering injuries, failed physical therapy, or those who’ve been told to “just stop” doing the activities they love. AL-P trains coaches to solve more valuable problems by equipping them with the technical skill set to assess and address the root causes of aches, pains, and movement limitations, paired with the business acumen to attract and retain these high-need clients.
Coaches in the program learn how to become the “last stop” for clients who’ve already tried doctors, PTs, and other trainers without lasting results. You’ll learn how to communicate with confidence, design intelligent, pain-free programs, and build a career where your expertise is respected and well-compensated.
Here’s why that matters
Practical curriculum to solve real-world problems.
- Understand the anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics that are keeping your clients stuck
- Write programming that actually helps your clients get out of pain and improve mobility instead of working around it
- Use principles that mean you never need “correctives” from YouTube, IG, and disjointed courses again
- Identify and solve chronic problems clients have been told to work around, and become the go-to professional for real solutions
- Create lasting results instead of using temporary bandaids
- Reduce guesswork and improve outcomes as a professional
- Create a pipeline of clients who take your work as seriously as you do
- Improve efficiency so you can deliver the best results without burning out
- Separate yourself as an industry leader and make more money, in less time, doing meaningful work with people who really need your help
Does AL-P actually work?
Take their word for it.
Real people. Real names. Real stories.
It’s worth it. I’m a full believer that every affiliate should have a Jane [AL-P] in their box, helping people get healthier, because I would quit CrossFit and never be back if not for Jane.
Core curriculum
From foundations to the hardest cases.
Six levels of assessing and programming. Tap a level to see what’s inside.
Assessing & Programming 101Core Foundations and Principles
- Frameworks for Decision MakingLearn the “Hierarchy of Needs” and “Load vs. Capacity” to understand how and why injuries happen.
- 9-Part Movement AssessmentAccurately assess joint function to uncover the root causes of pain and performance issues.
- Introduction to Pain & Planes of MotionUnderstand acute vs. chronic pain and how to speak the language of human movement.
- Basic Anatomy & SlingsGain clarity on tissue types, how the body transfers force, and why tension/compression matters.
- Intro to BreathworkStart connecting breath mechanics to stress, nervous system function, and client outcomes.
Assessing & Programming 102Application of Principles
- Progressive Overload & ReversibilityLearn how to safely program long-term adaptations and client success.
- Manipulating Training VariablesDiscover how to adjust volume, intensity, and movement selection for specific goals.
- Foundational Movement PatternsTrain clients to move well and build resilience, not just rack up gym PRs.
- Energy Systems & RecoveryUnderstand how different energy systems drive results and how recovery makes progress possible.
- Classifying MovementsGo beyond muscle groups. Learn to program based on how movements affect the nervous system.
Assessing & Programming 201Solving Complicated Cases
- Exercise Dosing & BiofeedbackUse assessments to determine minimum effective dose and reduce flare-ups.
- Advanced Force Capacity TestingLearn to administer strength, tension, competency, and tolerance tests.
- Special PopulationsWork with pregnant women, large-bodied clients, neuro-compromised individuals, and more.
- Tendon Health & Return to ActivityLearn how to program for tendinopathy and systematically return clients to what they love.
- Periodization & Case ProgressionOrganize your assessments into step-by-step, evidence-based training plans.
Assessing & Programming 301Advanced Breathwork and Nervous System Integration
- Advanced Breathing MechanicsAssess, correct, and program breathing to improve physical and cognitive outcomes.
- CO2 Tolerance & Stress RegulationUse breath as a lever to manage stress, build resilience, and improve recovery.
- Sport & Pain ApplicationsHelp clients break pain cycles and enhance performance using breathwork as a tool.
- Client Acquisition with BreathworkLearn how to position breathwork as a differentiator in your coaching business.
- Lung Capacity & LongevityIntegrate breathing strategies that improve healthspan and athletic potential.
Assessing & Programming 401Orthopedic Considerations
- Think Like a PT, Stay in Your LaneLearn how to approach injury without stepping outside your scope.
- Joint-by-Joint Case StudiesIn-depth study of each major joint and how to apply assessment and programming.
- Tissue Healing TimelinesUnderstand how ligaments, tendons, and muscles respond to different types of stress.
- Critical Thinking & Biopsychosocial ModelsLearn frameworks that factor in mental, social, and emotional health.
- Post-Surgical ConsiderationsUnderstand the needs of clients post-operation and how to program safely and effectively.
Assessing & Programming 501Navigating Healthcare
- Healthcare System FundamentalsLearn the language of healthcare and how to collaborate with medical professionals.
- Solving the Gaps in CareWork with clients the healthcare system often overlooks: those with chronic pain and disability.
- Overmedicalization & PainUnderstand how fitness can solve problems the healthcare system has failed to fix.
- Chronic Disease ScreensLearn to screen for red/yellow flags and keep clients safe.
- Final Case StudyCreate a full client plan, including pain, disease, and program documentation, that could be confidently shared with a medical team.
Who you can help
Everyone stuck in the gap.
There’s a range of people who fall in the gap between healthcare and fitness. We’ve worked with some of the top athletes in the world, like Brooke Ence, Tia-Clair Toomey, and Rich Froning, while also helping over 10,000 general-population clients get out of pain without going to the doctor or missing the gym. Here are a few of the types of clients AL-P students work with:
Once you’ve got the skills, you need clients to help.
The business curriculum and systems to help you get better results, in less time, and avoid burnout. These are the sales, marketing, and business systems we’ve used to grow our coaching company to millions of dollars per year, in-person and online. We don’t hold anything back.
Business & Financial Literacy
You can’t make a meaningful impact if your business can’t sustain itself. These courses teach you how to run a profitable, client-centered coaching business with confidence and clarity.
Most coaches who start with us aren’t “business owners” but coaches within someone else’s gym. We include this education because many end up building a business of their own along the way.
Marketing & Audience Growth
Build a brand that attracts the right clients and creates demand for your services, without relying on volume or hype. These courses show you how to create content that converts and builds trust.
Curriculum contributors
Built by people who do this work.
The AL-P curriculum was developed with clinicians, coaches, and business owners who have spent their careers in the gap between healthcare and fitness.
What it took to get here
Contributors to the most updated version of the curriculum
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
What is the cost?
There are different ways to go through the program and different pricing options with payment plans. You can book a discovery call and we’ll walk you through all available options.
Is there a guarantee?
We believe guarantees are generally a meaningless marketing tactic. What most people really want to know is “what happens if this doesn’t work for me?” and “what are the odds this will work for me?” Instead of guarantees, we’d rather walk you through the statistics on our student success rates and have a candid conversation about what would need to be true for you to be successful. That’s something we can do on a call.
Is there a certification at the end?
Yes, at the completion of the course you become certified as an Active Life Professional (AL-P). While there are lots of advantages to being certified as an AL-P, if all you are looking for is a certification and credentials behind your name, there are easier and cheaper ways to do it than our program.
How long is the program?
AL-P takes 12–24 months to complete, and you’ll have 24 months of our support and mentorship regardless of how quickly you complete the coursework.
Are there specific start dates?
We start students every week. The best time to start is now, and we don’t want to hold you back from getting started ASAP.
What happens after I apply?
After you apply for a call you will be pre-approved or disqualified. If you are approved, you’ll be offered a time slot for a call to speak to someone on our team about all the program details and make sure it’s a good fit for you.
How do I know if this is right for me?
If you want to be the type of professional who is known for helping clients who have aches, pains, and movement issues, this may be for you.
If you want to get so good that people like physical therapists want to network with you and send you their patients, this may be for you.
If you want to build a coaching business that’s focused on solving valuable problems instead of quick tactics and gimmicks that feel misaligned from the service you want to offer, this may be for you.
The best way to find out for sure is to book a discovery call with our team.
Are there prerequisites?
No, there are no prerequisites.
We used to assume that coaches came in with prerequisite education, but over time we realized that this was a mistake. We added 100-level coursework that covers all the basics and prerequisite info. More experienced coaches and clinicians will go through the 100-level prerequisites faster, while newer coaches will take their time soaking in this foundational information.
I’ve done a lot of educational courses. What’s different about this one?
It’s impossible to say without knowing what else you’ve done. However, we built this program because we couldn’t find the information anywhere else. There are lots of courses out there with pieces of information, but you’re left to piece it all together. AL-P is everything you’ve been looking for in one singular place.
We’ve had DPTs, ATCs, and CSCS professionals all go through AL-P, and 0 people have told us that they knew everything in the program.
What can I call myself after I finish?
You’ll be certified as an Active Life Professional (AL-P).
How much time do I need to complete this?
You need 2–5 hours per week for 12–24 months. Timing is flexible, and we understand you may have vacations or trips in that timeframe.
Is the program online or in-person?
AL-P is 100% online. We have in-person seminars 3–4 times per year exclusively available for AL-P students. These seminars help with some of the “hands-on” skills. In-person seminars are not mandatory for AL-P.
How does the program work?
There is a combination of video modules, workbooks, live labs, and person-to-person mentorship that helps you learn everything you need to be confident helping clients at a deeper level than you ever thought possible.