5-Tips to Improve Your Functional Fitness Training

Functional Fitness Training: Understanding Its Benefits and Key Tips for Improvement

Functional fitness training is trending in the fitness world, often deemed superior to traditional exercise methods. But what exactly is functional fitness? This article will define functional fitness training and provide you with five key tips to enhance your workouts.

What is Functional Fitness Training?

Functional fitness training involves performing multi-jointed exercises, such as squats and lunges, designed to directly enhance the performance of daily activities, fitness, and sports. The primary goal of functional fitness training is to transfer the conditioning improvements—such as muscular strength achieved in one movement—to enhance the performance of another movement by affecting the entire neuromuscular system.

In functional fitness training, it’s just as critical to train the specific movements as it is to strengthen the muscles involved in those movements. The brain, which controls muscular movement, thinks in terms of whole motions rather than isolated muscle actions, such as a machine bicep arm curl. One of the most basic functional exercises is the push-up, while one of the most complex is the Olympic snatch.

According to functional fitness experts, this training approach employs bands, balls, free weights, and plyometric exercises to condition the body in an unstable environment.

Characteristics of Functional Fitness Training

Functional fitness training incorporates various movement patterns and modalities:

• Involves the Four Planes of Motion: Exercises in functional fitness training can move forward and backward, sideways, or in rotation.
• Works the Whole Body in a Coordinated Manner: For example, a squat to an overhead dumbbell press engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
• Tends to Be Multi-Joint and Multi-Muscle: Common exercises include lunges and push-ups that require various muscle groups to work together.
• Trains Movements, Not Isolated Muscles: For instance, a kettlebell swing is favored over a traditional arm curl as it engages the body more holistically.
• Progresses from Stable to Less Stable Platforms: This might involve moving from two-legged to one-legged exercises.
• Involves Bend-and-Lift Movements: Such as squatting, single-leg movements like lunges, pushing and pulling movements, and rotational exercises.
• Incorporates Speed and Plyometrics: These are added once stability, strength, and technique are well established.

5 Key Tips for Improving Your Functional Fitness Training

1. Train Simple Movements Before Complex Ones: It’s best to start with a simpler version of a functional exercise, such as breaking down a snatch into two separate movements: a squat and an overhead press.
2. Train for Stability Before Instability: Begin with push-ups on the floor or a bench before advancing to performing them on a balance board. This foundational stability is crucial for effective functional fitness training.
3. Improve Technique Before Adding Load and Speed: Ensure your body and brain work in coordination by first creating a smooth and effortless movement. One effective method is to perform a 5-second pause at the weakest point of the movement, followed by five normal repetitions. For example, in a push-up or squat, hold the position at the lowest point for five seconds, then perform five regular-speed reps (i.e., one second up and one second down).
4. Fatigue Within 20 Reps or Less Than 60 Seconds: Initially, focus on technique. Perform the exercise under low resistance for 12 to 20 repetitions, or for less than 60 seconds. This approach will help reinforce good habits and prevent injuries.
5. Prioritize Safety and Patience: Impatience can lead to injury. Make sure you improve your technique and allow adequate rest time for your muscles, tendons, and ligaments to adjust. Muscles adapt faster (within weeks) than tendons and ligaments, which may take 3 to 6 months to strengthen. Many exercisers feel stronger quickly because they can do more repetitions with the same workload, but this can create a false sense of security. Tendons and ligaments have less blood supply and develop slower, so it’s vital to progress carefully to avoid unnecessary injuries.

Conclusion

Functional fitness training is a dynamic and effective approach that can significantly enhance your overall fitness and ability to perform daily activities. By understanding the principles of functional fitness and following these five key tips, you can improve your workouts, reduce the risk of injury, and enjoy the many benefits that this training style offers. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced fitness enthusiast, integrating functional fitness into your routine can lead to lasting improvements in your physical performance and quality of life.

Happy Training!

André Noël Potvin, MSc, ACE, BCRPA – TFL, is a Clinical Exercise Specialist and Owner of Infofit, Fitness Career College