Advanced Clinical Series:
Mastering Upper Body
Lifting Mechanics

Overview

Mastering the Overhead Press and Pull-Up

Dive into a transformative one-day course designed for physical therapists eager to master high-level concepts in addressing movement impairments related to the overhead press and pull-up. Led by fellowship-trained experts, this course prioritizes innovative strategies for problem-solving.

Not only will you expand your clinical toolbox, you'll earn 10 CEU credit hours while doing it. You'll leave with specific techniques and assessment frameworks that you can take directly into your practice — with your very next patient who can't press overhead or perform a pull-up without pain.

"PT Liftology is a course that makes me want to be a better clinician and lifter! It was a great experience learning from such trained eyes and hands. I love how applicable the material is to all populations and how much hands-on learning was incorporated." — Jackie, DPT

What This Course Offers

Learning Objectives

• ✓ Earn 10 CCUs approved by the Texas Physical Therapy Association
• ✓ Master movement assessment for the overhead press — barbell, dumbbell, and kettlebell variations
• ✓ Identify and correct mobility, motor control, and load tolerance deficits driving overhead pain
• ✓ Apply systematic pull-up assessment — grip, scapular mechanics, lat engagement, and cervical considerations
• ✓ Develop targeted manual therapy and corrective strategies for the shoulder complex and thoracic spine
• ✓ Integrate loaded upper body movements safely into a PT plan of care
• ✓ Learn innovative problem-solving strategies from fellowship-trained clinicians
• ✓ Leave with immediate clinical tools — applicable with patients starting Monday

Schedule

Course Day — July 26, 2026

• 8:00 – 9:00 AM
  Foundations: Shoulder & Thoracic Biomechanics for the Overhead Athlete

  Lecture — joint kinematics, force coupling, tissue loading in overhead movement
• 9:00 – 11:30 AM
  Overhead Press Assessment Lab

  Movement screen, fault identification, cueing strategies — supervised hands-on practice
• 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
  Break
• 12:00 – 2:30 PM
  Pull-Up & Vertical Pull Assessment Lab

  Scapular mechanics, grip position, lat engagement — clinical assessment to intervention
• 2:30 – 3:00 PM
  Break
• 3:00 – 5:00 PM
  Integration Lab & Case Discussions

  Full patient scenarios: assessment → manual therapy → corrective strategy → programming

Requirements

Who Should Attend & What to Bring

• → Active PT, DPT, or PTA license — or current enrollment in an accredited DPT program
• → No prior overhead lifting experience required — clinical reasoning background is sufficient
• → Wear comfortable athletic clothing — you will press overhead, hang, and move throughout the day
• → Athletic shoes recommended
• → Course materials provided — nothing to purchase in advance

Your Instructors

Taught by Dan & Elaine

Dr. Dan Cole (DPT, OCS, CSCS) and Dr. Elaine Tsay (DPT, CMT) are the fellowship-trained co-founders of PT Liftology. Dan competes in HYROX; Elaine is a competitive Olympic weightlifter. They understand overhead mechanics from both the clinical and athletic side — and they teach from that dual perspective.