There are lots of different reasons that people work out and build muscles. For me, I want to easily carry my groceries, work in my garden, and scoop my baby daughter off the floor. Those types of everyday movements are the focus of functional strength training.
Functional strength training turns the types of moments you use in everyday activities (bending, lifting, walking, etc.) into a workout. This type of training is flexible, practical, and has a variety of benefits.
Functional vs. Traditional Strength Training
Traditional strength training typically focuses on isolated muscles and joints. For example, bicep curls or bench presses to focus on building specific muscles. Functional strength training typically focuses on muscle groups and working multiple joints at once. For example, pushups and lunges that work multiple muscles and engage the core.
In practice, there is a lot of overlap between traditional and functional strength training. Most of the time if you’re doing strength training, you’ll be doing a mix of traditional and functional movements.
Benefits of Functional Training
Functional training mimics the type of movements we use every day. It works multiple muscle groups at once to build the muscles that help us lift things like groceries and furniture, stay balanced, climb stairs, bend over, and stand back up easily.
By working the muscles that we use in daily activities, you can improve mobility, balance, strength, and flexibility all at once. Functional training also lessens the risk of injury while doing everyday movements, including other workouts and sports. Even if functional movement isn’t the main goal of your workouts, functional strength training can help improve your overall fitness and athletic performance.
Get Started with Functional Strength Workouts
Functional strength training typically involves bodyweight workouts and gear like kettlebells, stability balls, and resistance bands rather than workout machines. Examples include squat-to-press, jump squats, kettlebell swings, lunges, pushups, and single-leg deadlifts.
Functional training can help you achieve your specific workout goals whether you want more strength for your everyday tasks, you’re playing a sport, or you’re focused on building muscle and cutting fat. Not all workouts work the same way for everyone, though, and you’ll want to tailor functional strength training to your specific body and goals. Working with a personal trainer—either one-on-one or in a group setting—is a great way to incorporate functional training into your personal fitness journey. Contact us today to set up a free fitness evaluation and see how Extreme Studio Performance can support your functional fitness journey.