Ready for five days that can change how you coach forever?

Integrated Movement Science (IMS) is the CHEK Institute's five-level exercise and rehabilitation training pathway. It takes you from foundational corrective exercise and performance coaching (IMS 1) through to mastery of the full CHEK Totem Pole system and holistic health at the highest level (IMS 5). Each level builds progressively on the last, combining advanced musculoskeletal assessment, exercise prescription, and mind-body principles.

IMS Level 1 Live is a highly practical 5-day Advanced Training Programme in holistic corrective exercise and performance coaching, delivered in person by CHEK Faculty. You will learn to assess physiological load, identify functional deficits in the core and back, and design personalised exercise programmes that balance the autonomic nervous system, with correct technique emphasised throughout. Because the training is hands-on, you practise on real bodies and receive direct feedback from Faculty as you go. On successful completion — together with the prerequisite online courses and the exam — you reach CHEK Practitioner Level 1 (Functional Health Coach), giving you the knowledge, tools and supervised practice to begin working with clients with confidence.

IMS Level 1 is a professional certification within the CHEK Institute's internationally recognised Career Path. Completing IMS 1 as your first Advanced Training Programme (alongside its prerequisite online courses) earns you CHEK Trained Professional status. When combined with HLC Level 1 and the supporting online courses, IMS 1 takes you to CHEK Practitioner Level 1 — the Functional Health Coach designation. This is a respected professional credential within the health and fitness industry; note that it is a CHEK professional certification rather than an accredited academic or post-secondary qualification.

The prerequisites must be completed at least 30 days before the class (otherwise a transfer fee applies): three online courses — Program Design (2nd Edition), Scientific Core Conditioning and Scientific Back Training — plus two eBooks, How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! and Movement That Matters. The two eBooks are included with your IMS 1 registration.

Across the five days you receive a comprehensive course manual; hands-on practical sessions covering postural and functional assessment, corrective exercise and programme design; direct coaching and feedback from CHEK Faculty; assessment activities to consolidate your learning; and your IMS Level 1 certificate on successful completion. The two prerequisite eBooks (How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! and Movement That Matters) are also included with your registration.

Certification has two parts. The first is a practical assessment completed during the 5-day live training, where Faculty evaluate your hands-on competency. The second is a multiple-choice exam, which you complete online in your own time after the class. Once you have passed both, you are awarded your IMS Level 1 certification and can progress along the CHEK Career Path.

Before the class you complete the prerequisite online courses and readings, which prepare you for the practical work, and the Education Department can help you plan your study timeline. During the five days you receive direct coaching from CHEK Faculty. After the class you complete your online exam in your own time, and you can continue developing through the CHEK Academy and the wider Career Path, with Licensed CHEK Professionals also gaining ongoing renewal support and practitioner community access.

Yes. Payment plans are available for all live IMS courses, including IMS Level 1 — please see the registration form for the options available in your region. Note that for live classes the course must be fully paid at least 30 days before the start date.

You can pay in full, or spread the cost using a payment plan via the lay-buy option at checkout (after entering your details — this option does not appear with express checkout).

To cancel, refund or transfer a course booking, contact the Institute at info@chekinstitute.com. Your prerequisites must be completed at least 30 days before the course, otherwise a transfer fee applies and you may need to move to a later date.

There are five levels: IMS 1 (5 days), IMS 2 (5 days), IMS 3 (5 days), IMS 4 (5 days), and IMS 5. Each level has its own prerequisites and leads to a recognised CHEK Practitioner designation.

The five Career Path milestones are:

1. CHEK Practitioner Level 1 — Functional Health Coach
2. CHEK Practitioner Level 2 — Integrated Health Coach
3. CHEK Practitioner Level 3 — Rehabilitation Specialist
4. CHEK Practitioner Level 4 — Clinical Specialist
5. CHEK Practitioner Level 5 — Master CHEK Practitioner

There is also a 'CHEK Trained Professional' entry-level status, achieved upon completing your first Advanced Training Programme.

You achieve CHEK Trained Professional status by completing at least one Advanced Training Programme — either IMS Level 1 (plus its prerequisite online courses: Scientific Core Conditioning, Scientific Back Training, and Program Design) or HLC Level 1 (plus How to Eat Move and Be Healthy!, Movement That Matters, and You Are What You Eat). This is your first step on the Career Path.

No, you only need to purchase advanced training courses and correspondence courses you have not already purchased. However you must hold current CHEK Status. Your current CHEK qualification will determine which year you enter the Academy at.

All upcoming IMS Level 1–5 course dates and locations are listed on the CHEK Institute course schedule at chekinstitute.com/core.

You need to complete: Scientific Core Conditioning, Scientific Back Training, and Program Design (online courses); plus HLC Level 1 and IMS Level 1 (Advanced Training Programmes); and the supporting resources How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!, Movement That Matters, and You Are What You Eat.

IMS 1 is a highly practical 5-day course focused on holistic corrective exercise and performance coaching. You will learn to assess physiological load (the combined physical and emotional stress on a body), identify functional deficits in the core and back, design personalised exercise programmes that balance the autonomic nervous system, and understand how posture affects overall wellness. Correct technique is emphasised throughout, with hands-on guidance from CHEK Faculty.

Building on Level 1, you need to complete: Advanced Program Design 2nd Edition, Holistic Health and Performance for Women, and Primal Pattern® Eating (online courses); plus HLC Level 2 and IMS Level 2 (Advanced Training Programmes); and the resources The Last 4 Doctors You'll Ever Need and the CHEK Guide to the HTEMBH HAQ.

The following must be completed at least 30 days before the course (or a transfer fee applies): Scientific Core Conditioning, Scientific Back Training, Program Design 2nd Edition, How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!, and Movement That Matters.

Prices vary by region:

- US & Canada: $2,995 (Early Bird $2,835, at least 3 months before the course)
- UK & Europe: £2,347 (Early Bird £2,217)
- Australia: $3,395 AUD (Early Bird $3,155 AUD)

Yes, IMS Level 1 is available as an online programme. Visit the CHEK Shop to enrol in IMS 1 Online.

Each level significantly expands your scope. At Level 1 (Functional Health Coach) you can design advanced exercise programmes and use lifestyle assessments holistically. At Level 2 (Integrated Health Coach) you can trace illness and injury back to its root cause across integrated body systems. Level 3 (Rehabilitation Specialist) adds spinal and lower limb rehabilitation. Level 4 (Clinical Specialist) covers the upper quarter and complex clinical cases. Level 5 (Master CHEK Practitioner) represents full mastery of the CHEK system including mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions of health.

Prerequisites (must be completed 30 days before the course, or 60 days for Advanced Program Design): completion of IMS Level 1 including exam; current status as a Licensed CHEK Professional; Advanced Program Design 2nd Edition; and either Scientific Stretching or Holistic Health and Performance for Women.

They run in parallel and are designed to complement each other. Most Career Path milestones require courses from both the IMS and HLC series. For example, Level 1 requires both HLC 1 and IMS 1, and Level 4 requires both HLC 3 and IMS 4. The two pathways are intentionally interwoven so that your movement science skills and your lifestyle coaching skills develop together.