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What is Functional Training?
(posted 6-9-08)
Traditional weight training tends to strengthen a single muscle at a time, while the rest of the body is supported or at rest. But in real life, our muscles work together to perform various functions, from putting away groceries, to playing tennis or golf. Functional strength training requires you to recruit and strengthen more muscles with each movement, and more closely mimics the natural movements your body performs every day.
For example, in a traditional seated leg extension machine, the quadriceps muscles contract to lift the leg, while the rest of the body pretty much just sits there. Contrast that with the standing leg extension used in functional training, where in addition to working the quadriceps, all sorts of muscles are used to stabilize the body. The thigh must be held in the correct position, and the opposite leg supports the body and keeps it stable. Even the upper body plays a role in balance and support during a functional leg extension.
Similarly, with a traditional chest press machine, your arms push against bars that only move on a certain path. A chest press using functional training equipment forces you to define the path of motion yourself, and that uses more muscles in the arms, shoulders and chest. If you sit forward, away from the back of the seat, you’ll use the back and abdominals during your chest press. Or press just one arm at a time, to recruit muscles along the sides of your torso.
Functional training machines are a lot more versatile than traditional muscle isolation machines. With traditional machines, you were stuck with one basic exercise. The only way to progress was to add more weight to the stack. On functional machines, not only can you do all sorts of different exercises on each machine, but you can vary basic exercises to make them more challenging - without even touching the weight stack. There are five different ways to do just about any exercise:
BASIC – sitting or standing against the pads & supports
CORE – leaning away from the weight to engage more core muscles in the back and abdomen
BALANCE – standing up to do the exercise, recruiting your core, hips and legs to keep you balanced and stabilize the move
DYNAMIC – adding motion to the exercise by doing a squat or lunge from a standing position
UNILATERAL – using just one side of your body at a time, to recruit more core muscles around your torso and hips
The transition from traditional machines to functional machines can be a bit intimidating. First, you have to figure out all these new contraptions. Then, muscles you thought were strong can tremble unexpectedly, now that they have to keep themselves stable throughout the motion. You can’t lift as much weight as before, since supporting muscles can’t usually deliver the stability of fixed machines. And, finally, you have to pay closer attention to your form.
But the benefits of functional training are worth the extra effort. You’re not only strengthening more muscles with each move, but you’re teaching your muscles how to work together more smoothly. Stick with it and your body’s initial trembles go away, as muscles learn to work together and memorize new motions. Functional training improves your body’s strength, coordination and balance, and can improve your overall confidence in your body’s ability. And functional training workouts don’t have to be a repetitive slog, but can be continually varying and challenging.