Functional Training Program

What is Functional Strength Training?

Functional strength training refers to workouts that make it easier for a person to perform daily activities. This training prepares the body for everyday activities such as bending, squatting, lifting, loading, pulling, and more.

In most cases, a functional training workout involves multi-joint movement patterns that engage the knees, hips, elbows, shoulders, wrists, or spine. These exercises build strength and improve the range of motions while targeting core strength and stability. Most importantly, these exercises help improve the quality of life and minimize the risk of injury.

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How is Functional Training Different From Non-Functional Training?

Non-functional training is mainly bodybuilding type strength training, and it usually focuses on just one group of muscles, which doesn’t provide as many benefits as functional fitness training.

For example, when a person does a bicep curl, the exercise only targets the bicep. However, when a bicep curl includes a reverse lunge, the combination targets the whole body while testing the participant’s balance.

Based on one’s goals, every workout has the potential to be functional in one way or another. All the same, multi-joint and multi-muscle movements often provide the best outcome. This means not all forms of exercise can fit the definition of functional strength training.

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Benefits of Functional Strength Training

Before you choose to join a functional training program, you need to know what’s in it for you. Here are the benefits of this form of strength training:

It Increases Balance And Stability

Many things in life can throw you off balance. Fortunately, you can minimize these things by preparing yourself for the outside world. You can make this easier by adopting joining a functional training program. According to experts, a fit lifestyle is about how you live, as opposed to how you look. Functional strength training prepares you for everyday activities. For instance, a lunge and shoulder press combo can increase stability when dealing with daily activities like reaching for a box on a shelf and carrying it up until you get a spot to place it.

Functional Strength Training Increases Strength

Functional workouts boost overall strength because they target the core and stability. Most non-functional workouts target muscle mass without focusing on strength. In our daily activities, we rarely use just one of the muscle groups. Multiple muscles and body parts are involved. And that’s what functional exercise is all about.

It Improves Movement Patterns

Naturally, the human body is designed to move. Functional workouts involve movement patterns instead of isolated muscle actions. The human body functions most efficiently when the body is upright, and the feet are on the ground. The movements can take specific patterns such as squats, push/pull, lunges, rotation, and more.

Reduced Risk of Injury

Functional strength training can significantly minimize the risk of injuries in your everyday life. Normal activities such as picking up a child or a potted plant or even lifting soil bags could cause injuries to your smaller muscles when you least expect it. Functional training offers great exercise to equip your body for such functional movements, thereby reducing the risk of injury.

At Next Level Fitness, we aim to include functional fitness exercises in every workout. To learn more about our programs, book an appointment with one of our certified trainers.