Functional training: Exercises to improve your daily life

6/29/09 Posted in Cover Story  |  0 Comments

By now, you have probably heard the gym term “functional” training.

But what is it? Simply put, functional training is preparing your body for everyday life. This translates into being physically capable of doing real life activities in real life positions. While bodybuilding is for aesthetics and power lifting is for performance, functional fitness is for building a person’s strength, endurance, balance and coordination necessary to perform activities of daily living.

Most regimens used in traditional strength training isolate individual muscles and strengthen them by performing multiple sets of an exercise. They may involve the use of machines, barbells or other pieces of equipment and train muscles but not movement.

Functional training replaces the isolated exercise with one that integrates multiple muscle groups throughout the body.

Take my client Leslie for example, a de-conditioned 54-year-old female. After a period of time doing step-ups combined with dumbbell curls, she is able to climb steps carrying large bags of kitty litter; a task that she had previously been unable to do. This integrated exercise that strengthened her gluteus, hamstrings, quadriceps, biceps and triceps also improved her balance and core stability, rather than performing individual exercises that strengthen by isolation alone.

Functional training uses simple tools to achieve complex results compared to using complicated machines that restrict movement and posture and repeatedly move muscles in the same path. A mom may stoop down and pick up a child’s toy. This is comparable to performing a squat and reaching with one or both hands to the side. The squat and reach strengthens the lower extremities and improves balance and stabilization unlike the seated leg press, leg extension or knee curl machines. Another client, Bob, may comment that he feels like he is at a dance class while doing Charlestonlike moves, but enjoys the newfound strength and balance of the combined forward and backward lunge.

When choosing a style of training, keep your goal in mind. If you aspire to enter bodybuilding competitions or power lifting contests your mode of training should be traditional. If you are an elderly person who wants to continue living independently or a 50-year-old man who wants to enjoy a pain-free round of golf, functional training may be for you. If you haven’t tried a functional fitness program, replace some of your traditional exercises with integrated moves.

You may find that you’re better prepared to  meet the demands of real life and have fun along the way.

Written by Pat Hagen. Hagen is a certified trainer and owner of Bodies In Motion Personal Training in Okemos. Hagen began working in the Fitness Industry in 1982 and specializes in strength and functional performance. Her work with the senior population focuses on biomechanics and fall prevention. For information call 517.381.8348.