What Is Functional Training?

The term functional training is used a lot in the world of fitness, but what does it actually mean? What is functional training?

It may sound like the new buzzword, but functional training has actually been making its way into exercise routines for the past 10 years. 

Essentially functional training involves exercises that mimic the movement patterns of our everyday activities. This is a great way to strengthen the muscles we’re constantly using, keeping us strong for daily life and helping to prevent injury.

Where does functional training come from?

Functional training was a technique originally used for rehabilitation post-injury. Exercises that mimic the movement patterns of patients pre-injury proved to be an effective treatment. It helped people return to their everyday lives faster, as part of their recovery. 

Who is functional training for?

Experts from the Mayo Clinic recently said, “chances are you don't live to exercise”. For many people, exercise is a way to maintain or improve their quality of life and that's the focus of functional fitness. Functional training challenges strength, balance, agility, range of motion and the use of core muscles. This type of training can incorporate both body weight and weighted exercises making it a training style that can be adapted to suit all ages and all fitness levels.

What type of exercises are functional?

Functional exercises include multi-directional movements. Think of some everyday movements - we’re not always moving forwards and backwards, we also move side to side, up and down and with twists and turns. Multi-directional movement helps to increase our range of motion and promote spine health.

What are the fitness benefits of functional training?

Functional training includes multi-joint and multi-muscle exercises, because more often than not we use the whole body during daily activities. Using more than one muscle group at a time during exercise challenges the cardiovascular system to work harder. It also increases cardio fitness levels, builds strength, improves flexibility, and aids weight management.

Functional exercises to get started

If you’re looking to make everyday life easier while enjoying a whole range of fitness benefits, try incorporating some functional training moves into your workouts. Here are a few to get started:

• Step ups

• Medicine ball slams

• Goblet squats with a kettlebell

• Cable wood chops

• Dumbbell bent over rows

For a customised functional training approach that suits your individual health and fitness goals, talk with a Personal Trainer at Jetts and get started with a FREE 3 day pass.