The term functional training is becoming more and more common in the fitness world, but there are a few things to be clear about.
The essence of functional training is that the exercises are not just focused on increasing muscle mass or developing strength, but mimic movements used in everyday life. The aim of this kind of training is to develop your body so that it can function more effectively in everyday tasks.
This can be said in a slightly more technical way by saying that more than one joint is involved in the performance of an exercise, whether it is a bodyweight or an instrumental exercise.
For example, if you often lift heavy objects or bend over a lot, functional training can include exercises that strengthen the back and abdominal muscles and improve mobility. This is useful not only in the gym but also in everyday life.
The benefits of functional training
Functional training has many benefits that go beyond traditional weight training or cardio exercises. Here are some of the most important ones:
- Full-body workout: This helps to develop your body proportionally and reduces the risk of injury.
- Better balance and coordination: This is particularly important for older age groups, but is also useful for younger people.
- Facilitating everyday activities: as mentioned above, functional training focuses on movements that we use in everyday life. This makes us stronger, more flexible and more agile, which makes everyday tasks easier.
- Burning fat and increasing endurance: as functional training is often high intensity, it can also help burn calories and increase endurance.
What exercises should be included in a functional training programme?
Functional training involves a range of exercises, all based on movements used in everyday life. Some of these exercises are:
- Squats: squats are one of the best functional exercises that strengthen the legs, glutes and core. This movement is essential because we bend down and squat every day, for example when we want to pick something up off the floor.
- Lunge: The lunge is another fundamental exercise that strengthens the legs and glutes, as well as improving balance and coordination.
- Plank: The plank exercise is a great way to strengthen the muscles of the trunk, which is essential for good posture and to avoid back problems.
- Pull–up: Pull-ups help to strengthen the back and leg muscles and also develop grip strength. This can be particularly useful if you frequently lift heavy objects.
Who is functional training for?
Functional training can be ideal for almost anyone, regardless of age or fitness level. The following groups can particularly benefit from it:
- Beginners: for those just starting to exercise, functional training is a great introduction as it is based on simple, basic movements that are easy for everyone to learn.
- Athletes: For athletes, functional training can help them develop the movements they use in their sporting activities.
- Older adults: Functional training is particularly useful for older adults as it helps them to maintain the agility, balance and strength that are essential for everyday activities.
Functional training vs CrossFit: what’s the difference?
Although functional training and CrossFit may seem similar, as they both rely on full-body exercises that build strength and endurance, there are significant differences. Functional training focuses primarily on improving everyday movements and is often conducted in individual or small group sessions where the main goal is to improve the overall functioning of the body. CrossFit, on the other hand, is a structured, high-intensity training programme with competitive elements and often includes Olympic weightlifting, plyometric exercises and specific training combinations. While functional training tends to focus on gradual progression and safe movements, CrossFit’s challenging, fast-paced, varied workouts are an intense physical and mental test of strength. Both forms of exercise are effective, but are tailored to different goals and audiences, so it’s worth considering which is better suited to individual needs and goals.
Home functional training plan: how to get started?
Many people think that to train effectively you need a gym or expensive equipment, but this is far from the truth. You can do a full functional workout at home with minimal equipment.
Below is a simple but effective home workout plan:
Warm-up (5-10 minutes):
- Jogging in place and/or dynamic exercises (e.g. jumping jack)
- Main part (3 laps, 45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest):
- Squats – with own body weight or barbell if available
- lunge (alternate leg) – with own body weight or barbell if available
- Plank hold – can be done on forearm initially, but later aim for extended arm
- Burpee (as much as we are against it)
- Mountain climber – with your own body weight or even an ankle weight
Unwind (5-10 minutes):
- Light stretching, focusing on the muscle groups being worked
By doing this exercise plan three to four times a week, you can already make significant improvements in your strength and mobility.
Summary: Why choose functional training?
In short, functional training is all movement patterns adapted to the individual’s abilities and current needs, but of course in a goal-specific way.
Functional training is not just another fad in the world of fitness, but a truly effective training method to help you become stronger, more agile and healthier. Whether you are a beginner, an athlete or an older adult, functional training can benefit everyone. What’s more, it’s easy to do at home, so you don’t necessarily need to go to the gym to get the results you want.
If you haven’t tried functional training yet, it’s time to get started!
Remember, regular exercise and conscious training are the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.
Make exercise a pleasure!
Diko
