Functional Training

Functional Training

A modern training method that is actually very old: functional training. And the great thing is that you don't need an expensive gym membership for it. Because functional training doesn't require expensive training equipment. So bodyweight training is the way to go! Functional training, often referred to as functional training, has become a real trend in the fitness world in recent years, and for good reasons. This approach to physical exertion focuses on strengthening the body for the multiple demands of daily life, while taking health and performance to new levels. In the following lines, we will discuss the benefits and reasons for functional strength training . Another reason for the increasing popularity is the low material expenditure of functional training. Many exercises are carried out using only your own body weight. These exercises are also called bodyweight exercises. Good functional training integrates all five basic motor skills: strength, endurance, speed, flexibility and coordination. All of these skills are combined or trained individually in the most popular functional fitness exercises . These include: squats, burpees, skater jumps, kettlebell exercises , push-ups with a medicine ball and many more. The most popular kettlebell exercises include exercises such as the kettlebell swing, the goblet squat and the Turkish get up.

Benefits of Functional Fitness

Functional fitness is a form of training that uses complex exercises to improve the quality of movement and prevent injuries. Due to the increase in office jobs in which you sit all day and adopt a position that is unfavorable for the back muscles, functional training is becoming increasingly popular. Mobility can be increased through many different exercises, making everyday life easier. In addition to the health aspects, functional strength training is also extremely popular with athletes who are already very fit. It helps to improve core stability , which is important in many exercises.

1. Full body workout for comprehensive fitness : One of the main benefits of functional training is the fact that the entire body is trained. Unlike conventional strength training , which often targets isolated muscle groups, functional training aims to develop the body evenly. This means that you not only develop stronger muscles , but also improve your mobility , balance and coordination.
2. Practical applicability in everyday life : Functional training is designed to optimize your fitness for the demands of daily life. Whether you are carrying heavy shopping bags, lifting your luggage at the airport or working in the garden - the functionality you develop through this training makes these tasks easier and safer. Not only does this make your everyday life easier, but strength training generally has the advantage of releasing a lot of endorphins in those who train. This means that they also go through everyday life happier and more content.
3. Injury prevention through balance : A crucial component of functional training is to minimize muscular imbalances and increase the stability of the body. This contributes significantly to the prevention of injuries, whether in everyday life or in sporting activities. Since you are working with your own body weight, it is very difficult to cheat and so the likelihood of developing imbalances is relatively low.
4. Posture and back health : Back pain is a common problem that is often caused or made worse by poor posture. Functional training aims to correct posture by strengthening the core and toning the muscles around the spine. This leads to better posture and can significantly reduce back pain .

Functional training training plan

No matter how good a training method may be, a good training plan is essential. A good functional fitness training plan includes, among many others, the following exercises.

1. Squats : Squats are a basic but extremely effective exercise to strengthen leg muscles and improve hip and knee mobility. They also promote core activation.
2. Push-ups : Push-ups are a great way to strengthen the chest, shoulder and arm muscles while also activating the core, thereby improving overall body strength.
3. Planks : Planks are ideal for stabilizing the core and strengthening the abdominal muscles. They also promote coordination and core endurance.
4. Medicine Ball Throws : This exercise not only improves coordination but also strengthens the upper body muscles, including the shoulders and back. It is great for increasing functionality in everyday life and sports activities.
5. Pull-ups: This exercise trains the entire back muscles and can be a key factor in relieving back pain. In addition to the back, the arms are also particularly stressed. Both the biceps and grip strength will become significantly stronger if pull-ups are performed regularly.
6. Dips: Dips are a particularly good method for strengthening your shoulder and arm muscles. Depending on how advanced you are, the exercise can be made as difficult as you like by adding additional weights .

Functional training places great emphasis on strengthening the core, as this is the basis for many movements. Therefore, regularly incorporate exercises to improve core stability, such as planks and Russian twists.

Importance of Functional Training

Functional training means training large muscle groups. This can also be the case in traditional training, but it doesn't have to be. Traditional training in the gym is usually strength training. And strength training is in stark contrast to functional training. While strength training trains fewer muscles, but these are trained very intensively, functional fitness focuses on movement sequences. Many muscles are involved in the movement.

Functional Training for Beginners

A big advantage of functional training is that several components are trained at once. This means that strength , endurance , coordination and mobility are all strengthened to the same extent. Typical beginner exercises include lunges, knee raises, burpees (stretching jumps from a squat followed by push-ups), jumping jacks or crunches with a medicine ball. But beginners can also slowly work their way up to more difficult exercises such as pull-ups and use a rubber band for support, for example.

Functional Training for Advanced Users

Less experienced athletes can expand their functional training with more difficult exercises. However, the exercises usually remain relatively the same and additional weight is attached to the body to create greater resistance. The increased resistance makes the exercise more difficult to perform and thus creates an effective stimulus, which in turn leads to more muscle growth . Many fitness studios now have special areas for functional training. There are specific devices here, such as a functional tower, where many exercises such as dips, pull-ups or human flags can be performed. Are you looking for classic strength training equipment? Take a look here . At motionsports we offer you everything you need for effective calisthenics training: ATX power racks, kettlebells, jerk blocks and drop platforms. Our range includes all the equipment you need to equip your home gym or professional gym/cross fit box.