Functional training sounds like another mainstream buzzword in the fitness industry. A catchy phrase that looks good on paper, but what does it actually mean?
Wikipedia (very credible) defines functional training as, ‘A classification of exercise which involves training the body for the activities performed in daily life.’ In other words, functional training uses compound movements rather than isolated exercises, because, at the end of the day, we rarely use one particular muscle group in our bodies when moving around.
By isolating muscles, we train muscles, not movement and that does not result in the improvement of functionality. Functional training does not focus on body image or single-joint exercises, but rather on stability, posture and core strength, necessary and crucial to avoid injuries and move better.
Most people exercise to lose weight, gain muscle or to elevate their mood. All of which can be great motivators. However, few of us consider exercise as a means to improve the way we move around on a daily basis.
Think about it – Very few of us will still be running marathons when we’re 80. What we truly benefit from is something that can be directly transferable to real-life activities. Functional training primes your body for a healthy and firm structure for your daily life and is a great supplement to strength training.
So, who is functional training for?
For anyone who has a body. And for anyone who wants their body to serve them every day to its full potential.
