Functional Fitness Training: Is It Right For You?
Functional fitness training is the science of incorporating multiple muscles and joints simultaneously in dynamic movement, as is typical during everyday activities at work or play, such as lifting a child from a car seat, changing a flat tire, or running to catch a taxi with a 10 lb. suitcase dangling from one arm, while waving frantically with the other.
You might wonder why you are able to bench press large amounts of weight at the gym or perform multiple squats and lunges without injury, but injure yourself removing your toddler from the car seat. That’s because your body has not been trained to correctly incorporate multiple joints and muscles during this type of everyday activity, which involves both upper and lower muscle groups, spinal flexion/extension, and the joints in the wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, hips, and ankles. Functional fitness trains your body to perform these types of tasks in a safe and effective manner, minimizing the risk of injury. There are usually a variety of props employed in Functional Fitness classes to aid in the process, such as hand weights, kettle bells, fitness balls, benches, and more.