Would
you say your training routine is functional or is it more about hitting your
biceps, calves and other “mirror muscles”? Aesthetics play a crucial role in
many workout routines, but we must also consider how our bodies move and work
in addition to how they look.
Functional training has taken off in recent years and has moved outside of
niche private gyms and into commercial settings and even the home. What is
functional training and how do you incorporate it into your routine? Here are a
few things to consider.
Why Is Functional
Training Important?
At its core, functional training is all about becoming stronger and better in
tune with your body and its many moving parts. Rather than trying to have the
biggest biceps or the leanest physique, it’s about your overall health and
conditioning. Functional training is truly about throwing on your gym
shortsand hitting compound movements that
aren’t too dissimilar from everyday actions like lifting boxes into a truck,
carrying groceries up three flights of stairs or keeping up with your younger,
much more energetic relatives. In short, functional training provides a deeper
purpose to training beyond aesthetics (which you can still gain through a
functional training routine).
Steer Clear of
Isolation Machines If You Can Help It
Isolation machines, you know the ones with instructions printed on them that
lock you into a strict movement, are great for bodybuilding and general
hypertrophy. However, they don’t necessarily mimic real-world actions, nor do
they typically target multiple muscle groups. If you value aesthetics, they’re
great, but if you want to emphasize function in your routine, compound
movements with free weights like barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells or your own
bodyweight offer better results.
Consider Movements You
Perform in Everyday Life
What type of movements do you in your daily life? Everyone is different, with
some people working a job that involves a lot of lifting while others look for any
way to make their job more active. Consider what you typically do in daily life
and more importantly, what you might not do enough and incorporate select
functional, compound movements into your routine.
Exercises to
Incorporate Into Your Routine
Ready to lace up your cross training shoes and get moving? Here are a few of
the most common and popular functional exercises you can try.
· Kettlebell swings
· Inverted bodyweight rows
· Clean and press
· Box jumps
· Front squats
· Anything that requires you to use multiple muscle groups, including
stabilizer muscles such as the outer thighs and abs.
There are plenty of other functional training exercises and complete routines
you can try. When building out your routine, consider how many muscle groups a
specific exercise targets, how the movement mimics real-world activities and
the efficiency of the movement. Unlike one-trick-pony isolation machines,
functional exercises can help you hit multiple parts of your body with one
fluid motion. Add them to your routine a few times per week and you should
notice improvements over time.
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