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| Tuesday, April 13, 2010 |
| Functional Fitness |
Functional fitness seems to be the new buzz word in fitness these days. Have you heard of it? It really just refers to a fitness program that prepares your body for everyday activities. Many people think of being fit as just being able to run on the treadmill for an hour or bench press 200 pounds, but what good is that if you can’t manage to do the tasks in your everyday life. Functional fitness can get your body in shape and ready to take on real life activities.
So how does functional fitness training differ from regular or traditional exercise? Traditional exercises focus on one muscle at a time such as bicep curls for the biceps or shoulder presses for the shoulders. Functional training attempts to create a more integrated exercise plan that uses multiple muscles at the same time, therefore training your body for everyday life. In our daily lives, we push, pull, drag and lift things all the time. I lift my children in and out of the car and you may pull or drag your suitcase through the airport. Almost every one lifts their groceries out of the car and then reaches and pushes them onto the shelves they belong on. I could go on and on about the physical activities in our every day lives but I think you get the idea. Functional fitness builds muscles that are ready for these activities.
“Conventional weight training isolates muscle groups, but it doesn't teach the muscle groups you're isolating to work with others," says Greg Roskopf, MS, a biomechanics consultant with a company called Muscle Activation Techniques who has worked with athletes from the Denver Broncos, the Denver Nuggets, and the Utah Jazz. "The key to functional exercise is integration. It's about teaching all the muscles to work together rather than isolating them to work independently." These types of exercise are designed to improve your strength, balance and endurance so that daily activities become easier.
Who wouldn’t want an exercise program designed to make your life easier? Well that’s what functional fitness can do for you. Of course a good run on the treadmill or an old fashioned body sculpting class is still good for your health, but functional fitness may be an even better way to go. Everyone’s functional fitness plan will be a little different based on your day to day activities. I lift my kids all day but you may work in a store dragging heavy boxes around or you may be a mail carrier who climbs in and out of a truck all day delivery packages. Whatever your daily routine, you can build a functional fitness routine to help make it easier. I highly recommend a few meetings with a trainer who is familiar with functional fitness. Simply ask the trainer about it and wait for a response. If they have a blank look on their face, find someone else. A good trainer can help you create a program that is right for you. Recently, some gyms and fitness centers have added classes called “Functional Fitness”. If you have one by you, it is a great place to start.
If you can’t get to a class or afford a trainer, here are a few examples of functional training:
- Squat with an overhead press. In this move you squat down while holding a pair of weights at your shoulders. As you press up through your heels, you press your weights overhead. This is great for people who work in a stock room or at a store stocking shelves.
- Bicep curls while standing on a bosu or balance board. Here is a twist on your old bicep curl. Stand on a bosu with your feet shoulder width apart. Tighten your core (abs and back) and do 15 bicep curls bringing your weights to your shoulders. This will work your biceps, core/back and legs. It’s great for improving balance. A mom who has a baby that she has to carry around while doing other tasks may benefit from this type of exercise.
- Bent over rows. Stand with feet a little wider than your hips. Bend forward from your hips. Don’t round your back, keep it straight. Then extend the arms straight out, palms facing in. Now simply row the weights back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold you abdominals in tight. You can also do these while standing on one foot for a balance challenge. This is great for a nurse who may have to bend over to lift patients.
- Lunge with rotation. Hold a small ball or weight in both hands. Lunge forward with the right leg while twisting the ball or weight to the right. Stop when you have the weight even with your shoulder. Do 10 on one side and 10 on the other.
Adding functional fitness to your routine can really help with your ADL’s (activities of daily living). Start simple and keep doing your cardio routine and some of your weight training. Use your functional training in addition to your regular routine. Aim for perfect form because that is how you want to do it in your real life. Don’t train until failure because you won’t be doing that in real life. Train until you’re uncomfortable in the movement or start losing your form. Next time you go to exercise think about working out the whole body, not just your abs or triceps. You will find your everyday tasks will be easier in no time.
- Jennifer
If you like this article, check out…
Sensei Talks: Are You Unbalanced?
Sensei Talks: Yoga with Weights
Sensei Talks: Bollywood Dance
Labels: Exercise, Fitness, Jennifer
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posted by My Sensei @ Tuesday, April 13, 2010   |
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| 4 Comments: |
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this is a great post...i think a lot of people try to understand fitness terms but really need examples of how to do it. functional fitness is SO important and i think you did a great job of explaining the "Why"!
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This is a really great post.. really puts meaning behind exercise and that it isn't just a vanity thing. Great job!
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This is a great post & good way to train too.. I like mixing it up!
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yep. I don't have class or a trainer. Functional is the way to go. I feel so much stronger.
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this is a great post...i think a lot of people try to understand fitness terms but really need examples of how to do it. functional fitness is SO important and i think you did a great job of explaining the "Why"!