What is functional training?

Functional fitness uses movements that mimic real-life activities. This unlocks benefits that extend beyond physical strength alone. Much of today’s gym training focuses on isolated muscles. Functional training works multi-joint movement using multiple muscle groups. This can transform your body, health and athletic performance.

Training for life

Think of what you‘ve done over the past week. If you have a family you may have picked up a child or grandchild and carried them up a flight of stairs. You may have hoisted a bag of shopping from a counter. DIY calls for all kinds of contorted positions.

Now ask what muscles you used to perform these activities. Was it your bicep? A tricep? Your left calf? Or was it a kinetic chain of connecting muscles, ligaments and joints.

Our bodies don’t use muscles in isolation – so why train that way?

Training for health

Functional movements can iron out muscular imbalance. As well as large muscle groups, it hits smaller connecting ones. This helps to prevent injuries. It also counterbalances the stresses modern life exposes us to.

Core strength and stability

A strong core is the foundation for strength and stability. Functional training works the abs, lower back, hips, and pelvis. These exercises allow us to work effectively in all planes of motion. A strong core is the foundation of athletic performance and promotes better body alignment. This can help to prevents chronic pain, particularly as we grow older.

Balance and coordination

Functional training challenges your balance and coordination. It activates the body's systems responsible for spatial awareness and movement.

Metabolism and body composition

Functional training combines strength training with cardiovascular exercises. This sparks a potent metabolic boost. Using multiple muscle groups in high-intensity exercises increases heart rate and oxygen consumption. This torches fat and develops usable lean muscle.

Adaptabilty

Functional training is versatile. You can adaptable to your individual needs and fitness goals. Variations in exercises can accommodate beginners, intermediate, and advanced fitness levels.

For boxing

You will often hear that boxers from previous generations ‘did not do weights’. Yes, it wasn’t customary to see the likes of Muhammad Ali or Sugar Ray Robinson lifting iron. But those guys used functional resistance training.

You won’t have to look far to see a picture of Ali chopping wood. Joe Frazier has the most lethal left hook in boxing hisory. Smokin‘ Joe credited his punch power to the tough physical fieldwork he carried out as a youngster.

The fearsome heavyweight Earnie shavers would hit tyres with a sledgehammer. Tyre training is now a staple functional training method.

A competent boxer throws punches using the whole posterior chain, not with biceps or triceps.

Conclusion

Functional training ticks all the boxes for both boxers and competitors in the greatest game of all — life. Whether you are a gym rat or someone starting on your fitness journey, look to broaden your horizons.

Tools like the mace, steel club and sandbag can open up a whole new world of health and athletic performance. Why not give them a try?