Functional fitness or functional training may be something you’ve heard before. But what might you not know is that functional fitness can actually benefit your life. Any functional fitness program aims to strengthen your body so that you can do different activities throughout the day.
What Is A Functional Training Program?
Functional training should include exercises that engage the whole body in multidirectional movements. The exercise programs can be customized to meet individual needs for best results. It is important that the exercises be based on the movements the person uses every day, whether they are at work, in their daily lives, or in sports. Functional training is not about focusing on isolated movements such as leg extensions or bicep curls but teaches muscles how to work together in real-life situations. This type of training, when done correctly, can simplify daily activities, reduce injury risk, and improve quality of life.
Is Functional Training Really important?
The American Council on Exercise found that functional exercises can be incorporated into exercise programs. Functional exercises improve your day-to-day activities and decrease the chance of injury. They also improve coordination and improve the quality of life. You could be beautiful but not be able to function well if you don’t include functional exercises. This is especially true when you get older.
What Are Some Examples Of Functional Training?
Functional exercises may include those that require you to use your body weight as resistance. Your body weight is more important than the fitness machines. This can increase strength, balance, and flexibility.
Here are some examples of functional exercises, and how they relate to daily life:
- Squat – strengthens the muscles that allow us to sit down, get up from a seat, or grab low objects.
- Deadlift – Supports lifting heavy items off of the floor
- Overhead Press – Supports the daily activity of placing items over your head (e.g., putting things on a shelf or into an overhead compartment when flying).
- Rotational Movements: Exercises that turn your body
This post was written by Darryl Johnson, Co-Owner of Apex performance. At Apex performance we are a community of highly trained experts looking to provide performance enhancement and a permanent lifestyle change for our clients in a fun and interactive environment. Members can take advantage of one-on-one training, small group classes, and specialized courses for a wide variety of athletics, sports training, and body goals! Click Here to learn more!
