Take copntrol of your body with Functional Training
The training we all should practice.
Ask 10 people what Functional Training is and you will get 10 different answers. Google the term and you will dive into an endless list of exersices and movements such as squats, planks, lunges, deadlifts, we could go on and on, but, doest it really help? should you practice it? Perhaps most importantly WHY?
INJURY PREVENTION
Functional training greatly improves strength and stability across a variety of movements. This makes your joints better protected and muscles more resistant to common injuries like strains. The well-balanced nature of training ensures that you don’t develop any weak links which is a very common reason why active people so often get injured.
BETTER MOBILITY
Training across movement patterns ensures that your joints are moving through a full range of motion and that you are building strength across a full range of motion.This is key to maintaining proper joint function. Improving core stability also goes hand in hand with mobility gains. A classic expression by Dr Stuart Mcgill – “Proximal stability for distal mobility”.
‘REAL WORLD’ STRENGTH
Building muscle in isolation does not transfer well to life outside the gym. Functional training does. This means it will improve your ability to perform every day tasks like carrying your groceries, mowing your lawn and picking up your kids. It will also improve your performance across recreational physical activities that you enjoy doing – whether that’s riding a bike, hiking, climbing or something more team sport oriented like playing football or basketball.
ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
Functional training will improve your athleticism. Whole body strength, stability and movement quality will all be greatly enhanced. You’ll also be more robust and resilient to injury. All in all, this is going to transfer to better athletic performance.
GET IN BETTER SHAPE
Functional training is purpose-driven training, but also fun and varied, which will keep you engaged. It works your whole body out by favouring multi-joint exercises, building strength and muscle in a functional and balanced way. Because of this, it’s sustainable and will have you seeing improvements over the long haul
Functional training is a form of exercise that conditions our body through strength, agility and stability movements, It uses bodyweight or free weights, rather than machines, as functional exercises involve using multiple joints and moving in multiple planes — meaning forwards and backwards, from side to side and rotationally.
What does a typical functional training workout consist of?
A Functional Training session will vary depending on the goal, but typically it's a mixture of exercise that will improve your cardiovascular system as well as your strength, these can include:
- Plyometric exercises like jump squats and burpees
- Unilateral movements like lunges or single leg deadlifts
- Compound exercises like deadlifts, shoulder presses and squats
A key advantage of functional training is that you don’t need any equipment to have a good, effective workout.
Here are some of the best and most basic Functional Training movements you can start using at home or the gym today:
Lunges
Why? 'This works our body unilaterally which is great for fixing any imbalances in the body.'
Push-Ups
Why? 'These are great for our upper body strength, as well as core stability and a great exercise for scaling up or down depending on ability.'
Overhead Reach Squats
Why? 'Squats mainly target quads, glutes and hamstrings. Adding an over head movement promotes mobility and is great for building strength.'
Planks and Holds
Why? 'With these exercises you are strengthening your core, arms, shoulders and legs; it improves your posture, stability, and overall strength.'
It’s also useful for older adults as, by mimicking everyday movements, it addresses uneven muscle balance and asymmetries that are more likely to lead to injury.
Although the origins of functional training may have been for rehabilitation, the principal aim for us is prevention and preparation for life. Some specialists call this work "prehabilitation".
Functional training makes movement more comfortable, encouraging you to be more active. A body working more efficiently, and you choosing to move more will naturally lead you to speed up your metabolism, which can improve your body composition.
At the same time, functional training will build muscle strength and help you to age well. Building muscle can help your body to burn more calories at rest, as you become more metabolically active so you might find that you lose a bit around the middle as you become stronger and fitter too. These benefits aside, you should approach functional training to increase your range of motion and better prepare your body for the stresses of everyday life.
A durable and functional body today will protect you from injury and help you to stay in good shape for later life, with free and easy movement for years to come.
Do you have a questions?
We would be more than happy to help you with any questions or concerns you may have.
Our address
5143 Baywood Circle,
Oceanside, CA. 92056