Functional Strength Training: What’s It All About, Anyway?

We’re diving into the world of functional strength training. You might’ve heard the term thrown around your local gym or seen it on Instagram fitness posts. But what the heck is it, really? And why should you care?

Let’s break it down.

What is Functional Strength Training?

In the simplest terms, functional strength training is about training your body to handle real-world situations. Instead of focusing on isolated muscle groups (think: bicep curls, leg extensions, tricep extensions), functional training works on the movements we use every day and incorporate more than one muscle group.

Picking up a heavy box from the ground, carrying your grocery bags into the house, and playing with your kids at the park. All of these activities require your muscles, joints, and tendons to work together seamlessly. Hence the term, functional strength training.

When you incorporate this type of exercise into your training, daily tasks become efficient and safe.

Why Should You Care?

Ever pulled a muscle while reaching for something on a top shelf? Or felt a twinge in your back after lifting your toddler?

These “injuries” can happen because we’re not conditioned for these daily life movements. Modern life consists of sitting for hours a day at a desk or on the couch looking at your phone and watching Netflix.

Functional strength training can help you:

Avoid injuries: By training your body in ways that mimic daily activities, you’re essentially prepping yourself to handle those movements with ease.
Improve overall strength: This isn’t just about muscle size or looking swole. It’s about genuinely feeling stronger in your day-to-day life.
Enhance flexibility and balance: By working multiple muscle groups at once, you’re also improving your stability and flexibility.

Breaking Down Some Examples

Okay, let’s get into the juicy stuff – the exercises.

Here are some popular functional strength training moves:

Squats

When you squat, you’re working quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. But beyond muscles, you’re also engaging your core and stabilizing muscles, that help with balance.

You need to squat down to get stuff from a low shelf, sit in a car, or play with kids? The strength and balance you gain from practicing squats directly translates to these movements.

And honestly? I want to still be able to get off the toilet by myself when I’m 85!

So, every time you squat, you’re not just toning up — you’re prepping for independence in our golden years!

But lunges?

They’re about forward and lateral movement, isolating each leg, and requiring even more stabilization.
You know when you sidestep a puddle, or stretch out one leg to avoid stepping on a toy? That’s lunge territory.
Lunges give you single-leg strength and agility, making them a killer complement to squats in your real-life movement toolkit.

Push-ups

Alright, let’s chat about push-ups, and I’m not talking about the “drop and give me 20” military-style. Push-ups are honestly the unsung heroes of everyday movements. So, you know when you’re pushing open that super heavy coffee shop door or shoving that packed-to-the-brim suitcase under your bed? That’s basically your body doing a version of a push-up. You’re using your chest and arms to push stuff away from you, push yourself up off the ground. So, while they might seem like just another gym exercise, they really do help us out in those daily “ugh, why is this so heavy?” moments.

Tips to Get Started

Ready to get functional? Here’s some tips to kick off your journey:

Start Slow: Especially if you’re new to the world of strength training. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Focus on Form: With functional training, it’s not about lifting the heaviest or doing the most reps. It’s about doing it right before adding any load. Consider hiring a trainer or checking out credible online tutorials.
Integrate into Your Routine: You don’t have to ditch your current workout. Just start incorporating some of these moves to see the benefits.
Use Everyday Objects: No gym? No problem! Use water jugs for weighted squats or a sturdy chair for step-ups.

Wrap it Up

Functional strength training is prepping your body for the adventures of daily life. Whether it’s carrying a bunch of shopping bags, playing with your dog, or just ensuring you don’t pull a muscle doing mundane things, this approach helps you do it all with ease.

So, the next time you’re at the gym or planning your home workout, remember to sprinkle in some of these exercises. Your body (and that heavy grocery bag) will thank you for it!

Happy training!