The New Era of Fitness - Functional Training

Functional Fitness Training Tips

The focus in fitness these days is functional exercises - exercises that simultaneously use multiple muscles and joints to improve muscular endurance, overall strength, coordination, balance, posture and agility to get a challenging, effective and fun full-body workout as well as prepare the body for every day, real world activities.(what we were made to do)

Below are examples of how to progress your Functional Fitness

LEVEL 1: Isolate and Educate

At this level, focus on muscle isolation and train the individual muscles selectively to build confidence and body awareness and increase the basic levels of muscle function. Exercises at this level are often performed supine (lying down with the face up) or prone (lying down with the face down), and as much of the body as possible remains in contact with the floor or bench to lessen the need for stabilizer muscle involvement.

LEVEL 2: Add External Resistance

Use machines, weights, increased lever length, elastic bands or tubes while minimizing stabilizer involvement.

LEVEL 3: Add Functional Training Positions

Select exercises that progress the body position to sitting or standing, both of which are more functional for most individuals. Sitting or standing reduces the base of support and increases stabilizer challenge. In most progressions, the targeted muscle group is still isolated as a primary mover while the stabilizers assist.

LEVEL 4: Combine Increased Function and Resistance

Increasing the overload on the core stabilizer muscles in functional positions maximizes the resistance from gravity, external weights, TRX, bands or tubes. A lot of the exercises in this level are performed in a standing position to use the core stabilizer muscles. These exercises begin overloading the muscles to prepare them for the stresses of daily living.

LEVEL 4: Use Multiple Muscle Groups with Increased Resistance and Core Challenge

In this level, multiple muscle groups and joint actions are used simultaneously or in combination. Resistance, balance, coordination and torso stability are progressed to an even higher level. The emphasis at this level is challenging the core stabilizers to a greater degree. Example: doing an overhead press with dumbbells while performing a squat definitely challenges the core more than either of these exercises independently.

LEVEL 5: Add Balance and Increase Functional Challenge, Speed and Rotational Movement

Exercises may require balancing on one leg, using a wobble board or stability ball, applying plyometric movements, rotating the spine while lifting or some other sport-specific maneuver or life skill. For example, training to improve one's golf swing requires rotation, speed and power movements, as does training to vacuum one's house.

Depending on health history, fitness level and personal motivation make sure you don't do these exercises with weights that are too heavy for you.

For more tips, tricks, and a FREE week of in home personal training visit http://www.gravitytrainingzone.com

George Perelshteyn is a Personal Trainer in Marlboro, NJ with Gravity Training Zone.

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