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The solution to this aberration is Functional Training (FT):
weight bearing exercises which mimic real life planes of motion. Traditional weight training is great, but it does not protect and benefit the body the way it should. By lifting weights in a linear fashion and isolating muscles, we don’t teach them to work in an integrated way. What good is having a great set of biceps if you can’t run up a set of stairs without suffering knee pain, lift and twist with the groceries without hurting your back, or running for the bus without getting winded? Functional fitness prepares the body for daily activities without pain, injury or discomfort. Training in this fashion produces amazing symmetry in the body, and integrates all your motions, so you’re bending down, you’re picking up, you’re twisting and you’re lifting. It’s incredibly effective and is very much the direction the fitness industry is leaning towards. The average person today has goals other than toned abs or hard buns, because many of them are overweight. Even people who are lean and in shape may have postural and muscle imbalances. In contrast, functional fitness focuses on building a body capable of doing real-life activities in real-life positions. It challenges the body to work collectively as a whole, firing up the muscles in a sequential pattern, and getting them to work together rather than independently. Many trainers use stability balls, wobble boards, resistance bands, rope climbing or bodyweight exercises to activate core strength, flexibility, coordination and balance. Of course with such variety, these workouts also mitigate boredom because they’re fun, and the exercise dropout factor is a lot lower than some other types of training. Functional training is a head to toe fitness program that’s energetic and fun, leads to a firmer body and a lot less pain. And the best part is it keeps you coming back to it like a positive addiction.
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