Imagine doing your daily routine without any difficulty—you could do it without distributing the groceries, walking upstairs, or even running after your children and not feel any pain, stiffness, or fatigue. Functional fitness is just like that and more. It is a kind of exercise that aims at making the body movement easier, safer, and more effective. Regardless of whether you are at the office the whole day, have a hectic daily schedule to maintain, or just want to keep your body fit with age, functional fitness is capable of upgrading not just your moving process but also your strength.
Contrary to traditional strength training, which usually aims to isolate one muscle with heavy weights or a machine, functional fitness focuses on the way you handle your body in normal situations. A fitness expert, Brad Schoenfe, states that functional fitness is found on a continuum—basically, any fitness can be functional depending on your goal. The true reward, however, comes when you combine the strength training with the movement that mimics real-life actions. Think about squatting (e.g., sitting down in a chair), lunging (getting up from the floor), or lifting (lifting a box). These kinds of movements are taking several muscles at once, which is, in fact, the reason you become stronger, balanced, flexible, and have endurance all at once.
According to trainers Sarah Ashenden and Lisa Hunter, strength training based on the old-school method is still good for muscle growth and, in their opinion, beginners can also take it as a good starting point because it revolves around controlled, accurate movements. However, functional training raises the stakes by doing full-body, more vigorous movements that push your body further. This not only provides you with strength but also with the core, coordination, and stability of your body, which are the main reasons that it becomes easier to face the unexpected in life. And the most attractive thing is? The use of dumbbells, resistance bands, kettlebells, or even just your bodyweight will allow you to perform these exercises at the gym oat r home without the need for high-tech equipment.
The advantages of functional fitness are not limited to sculpted muscles only. One of these advantages is that it takes care of your body so that you stay far away from injuries by strengthening your muscles to perform in sync and giving extra protection to your joints. You will also gain an upright posture and move with better posture. Apart from that, it is an absolute mood lifter. Any other form of exercise can induce a good feeling in you as it releases happy endorphins in your body, and still, functional exercises are more compelling, and you feel like doing even more of them since they are constantly new and exciting. Some of these exercises also help in maximizing oxygen transport, which results in cardiovascular fitness improvement as well as burning more calories during the day.
Taking the first steps really isn’t a big deal. Squats, lunges, planks, and step-ups are exercises that people who have never trained before can do without any problems. When people decide to discipline themselves with strength training, they are recommended to start with their body weight and perform the movements slowly and carefully. Over time and regular practice, you may add kettlebells to your training session (if you choose a small one, it will be very convenient for you and suitable for functional training). Being a little bit riskier is an important thing that you should be very cautious about; however, you need to warm up with light stretching, engage your core, and put on the brakes with the form before you increase resistance. If you are still feeling a little bit hesitant, a trainer or an informative video will certainly help you.
The most important thing is that you don’t give up. Plan for at least three training sessions during the week to be more consistent and alternate between exercises to not only keep your workout new but also challenging. Monitor your progress, reward your achievements, and always remember that functional fitness is not only about muscle bulking but also about making your life easier. Step by step, you will find out that the small things that you didn’t even notice before have become easier, for example, when you get up from the couch or carry bags. Furthermore, your strength and stamina will be more, and your body will be full of the energy and calm that you have not experienced before. That is functional fitness at its best.