Functional training, aside from being among the most talked-about trends in fitness right now, is one of the most beneficial exercise programs you can undertake. It works your muscles. It improves your balance and stamina. And it can improve your life in truly practical ways.

What Is Functional Training?

For the uninitiated, functional training is a fitness program, or a way of training your body, to be more efficient in the activities of your daily life. Like walking up four flights of stairs, or lugging groceries from the car, or having the stamina to sprint all the way through the terminal while lugging your 45-pound carry-on bag through Chicago-O’Hare when you’re about to miss your flight.

The roots of functional training actually began with exercises created by physical therapists to help patients regain their mobility and lifestyle functionality after an injury or a disability. From there, fitness professionals took the ball (and the weights and the resistance bands) and morphed the concept into a full-body, full-life, weight-bearing movement and core strengthening program. The result? A comprehensive training approach that helps you in your everyday life, outside the gym.

What’s the Difference Between Functional Training & Traditional Fitness Programs?

Most traditional fitness programs focus on working specific muscles (i.e., biceps, quads, triceps), but functional training emphasizes movements (pushing, pulling, climbing, balance, etc.).

How Does It Work?

Functional training programs utilize equipment that exercises more than one muscle group at a time, including dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance training, suspension systems, foam rollers, and more—with a special focus on unilateral (single limb) movement. Some effective functional training workouts include the Bulgarian split squat, the dumbbell reverse chop, and the bear crawl.

While functional training probably isn’t going to give you the bulging biceps of bodybuilding, it will make you stronger and more agile in your everyday life. And really, isn’t that exercise should be about? 

Interested in trying functional training for yourself? LifeSport – Lincolnshire offers a variety of functional training programs, as well as personal trainers. For additional information on functional training, contact the club at (847) 913-2000 or visit their website.