Functional Training: How to Strengthen Your Body for Everyday Challenges?

Modern lifestyle requires us to be versatile, able to react quickly to various situations and perform everyday activities with ease. Functional training comes to our aid here, as it allows us to strengthen the body, improve coordination and increase mobility. What exactly does it involve? Read on to find out and then join me on the mat 🙂

 

What is Functional Training? 

Functional training emphasizes natural movement patterns. Unlike traditional strength training, which often isolates individual muscles, functional training focuses on compound movements that engage multiple muscle groups. This helps us improve not only strength, but also balance and coordination, which is crucial for everyday activities, even as simple as getting up from a seated position or carrying groceries.

 

Why Should You Stop Thinking About Training as a Tool to Achieve the Dream Body?

Who doesn’t dream of perfect proportions and a beautiful, athletic body? It may be important, but focusing solely on this one single aspect can lead to limited, one-way development. The key to long-term fitness and health is functionality, thanks to which our body learns to perform everyday activities more effectively. Focusing solely on appearance does not always meet the needs that everyday life puts before us.

 

Functional Training in Everyday Life

The biggest advantage of functional training is its practicality. It mimics movements we make every day—such as lifting, turning, bending, and sitting.

For instance:

• Squats mimic the motion of sitting down and standing up from a chair;
• Deadlifts — picking something up off the ground;
• Farmer’s walk is similar to carrying groceries;
• Chest presses mimic the motion of pushing objects.

I could go on and on, but I’m sure you get the point. This type of training strengthens the muscles we use to do all of these things, which makes us do them better and more skillfully.

 

To sum up, functional training offers a comprehensive approach to building strength and fitness. It focuses not only on your figure, but primarily on improving your quality of life and physical performance. By improving your coordination, balance, and endurance, you make everyday activities easier and less taxing on your body. This can make functional training an ideal tool for maintaining health.

Regardless of your level, everyone can benefit from incorporating functional training into their routine. We’ve gone over the theory so it’s time to put it into practice! Check out the workouts I have prepared for you in the Diet & Training by Ann app (HERE) 🙂

 

Bibliography:

1. Hopes, S. (2022, August 29). Functional training: What is it and what are the benefits? Live Science.
2. Pacheco, M. M., Teixeira, L. A. C., Franchini, E., & Takito, M. Y. (2013). Functional vs. strength training in adults: Specific needs define the best intervention. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 8(1), 34–43.