Join us on Google Meet for the 2026 PMC Mountain Fitness Spring Speaker Series, where top experts share their knowledge on training smarter, climbing stronger, and performing better. Whether you’re a weekend hiker, backcountry skier, rock climber, or preparing for a major mountain expedition, this series is designed for you! *Attendees will receive the Google Meet link after registering.

Title: Mountaineering Foundations: Posture and Mastering the Exercise Basics

Topic: In this interactive session, Dr. Foulger will discuss the principles of posture and alignment—and why they matter so much in climbing and mountaineering. Efficient positioning isn’t just about standing up straight; it directly affects your breathing, endurance, balance under load, joint stress, and injury risk on long ascents and technical terrain. She’ll also demonstrate common conditioning exercises used to train for climbing and mountaineering and identify the subtle technique errors that can limit performance or lead to overuse injuries. You’ll learn how to fine-tune these movements to build strength that truly transfers to the mountain. Come ready to move, experiment, and leave with practical tools you can immediately apply to your training and next climb.

This will be a hands-on session. Please have:

• An exercise mat
• Enough space to move comfortably
• Your questions about aches, pains, or movement challenges you’ve noticed in your training

Non-Profit: Dr. Foulger has chosen the ACLU as her beneficial non-profit.

Speaker: Dr. Laura W. Foulger, PT, DPT, earned her bachelor’s in exercise science and Doctor of Physical Therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2011. She completed a Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation residency at Kaiser Permanente and became an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist through the American Physical Therapy Association. In 2018, she became a Certified Functional Manual Therapist through the Institute of Physical Art. She is also a member of the Fascial Research Society and the International Association of Healthcare Providers. In her Richmond, VA private practice, Inspire Physical Therapy, Dr. Foulger incorporates advanced manual therapy approaches to help athletes with prehabilitation and rehabilitation.