Functional fitness as the name suggests is a kind of physical training that is especially aimed towards preparing the body to deal with real-life movements and activities, also referred to as a functional movement, this muscle workout clubs whole-body movements. The training thus prepares the entire body for the daily tasks required at home, at work or physical activities like sports or gymming.
Gains from functional fitness
Including functional fitness into exercise routine improves movement such as pulling, lifting weights, reaching out to higher objects and squatting involving better hips movement. This kind of training focuses on building the body’s ability to do real-life activities. Exercising under this regime is not lifting the weight with an ideal posture. Neither it focuses on strengthening few muscles of the body. Weight lifting exercises enable deadlifting 100s of pounds in the gym but might make incompetent to lift a suitcase from the back of a car, weighing only a few pounds.
The main aim of functional fitness
Functional fitness justifies its main aim that is building the stamina of the body. It concentrates on building coordination, mobility, and a full range of motion in the body. The regime enables building bodily strength and core power. Making movements like jumping, lifting, bending, twisting, turning, skipping, climbing, walking, lunging, sprinting, jogging, pushing, pulling in fitness outfits inside and outside a gym are much easier with functional fitness.
The right age for functional fitness
Every age is appropriate for getting into a functional fitness regime, but always consider the methods of performing the exercises. It is better to start at a slow pace in the beginning. This kind of fitness has been in existence since ancient ages when people were solely dependent on their bodies and primitive tools to survive. This primitive fitness training methodology used to design the body of early human in the way it was put to use.
Anatomy has been designed with various muscles which work together, complimenting each other, for accomplishing various tasks and movements. It is only through modern gymming techniques that some mass can add to certain muscle groups through regular exercises and food supplements.
Trending now days is the concept of functional fitness at gyms. It basically aims at correcting and retraining people suffering from movement disorders. This functional training helps people to live a more fulfilling life.
Under this training method, trainers usually dismiss the traditional equipment and switch over to more functional units that involve less cardio and strength-intensive movements. Few gyms use things like kettlebells, battling ropes, tires, and sledgehammers as the new equipment for training. These aim at training people, benefiting them to live their life in a more fitter way, inside and outside the gym.
Listed below are few benefits of functional fitness that comes handy in real life situations too:
1) Helps to live a better life every day
The movements undertaken during functional fitness regimes aims at providing stamina for the movements we do in our everyday life. It aims at boosting muscle strength and endurance by developing overall muscle power, balance, and body stability. In this way, it acts as a stress buster and fun activity rather than stressing a particular body part.
Also, the brain and memory exercises are also undertaken simultaneously in such a fitness regime. While performing functional exercises, the brain actively participates in delivering messages to the various body parts enhancing cerebral memory.
2) Increased mobility of all the body parts
Functional fitness actually contributes towards improving the flexibility, muscle strength, coordination, balance and agility of the person. The focus of exercising is not merely concentrated on a particular body part like a chest or biceps. The whole body participates in functional exercising collectively.
3) Perfecting the posture
The main idea behind functional fitness is to bring in the synchronization between the muscles for improved strength. Balance among various body parts is better maintained in this fitness regime. Weight management is proper among the muscles, stress is reduced on the body and the complete body posture improves rather than gaining mass in targeted parts.
4) Decreases the chance of getting injured from day to day activities
Functional fitness comprises of movements done in everyday life. This makes the body accustomed to withstand real-life stressful situations. Ligaments and muscles are more trained with this kind of training. Like single leg squat, may train you better for real-life situations than lifting heavy weights in the gym.
With functional fitness training, the person becomes a well-rounded athlete. It transforms the body into a fitter one by utilizing the entire body strength and physical potential.
5) Ninja Warrior Training
Is the kind of sport that is gaining popularity at some gym. The program has the ability to merge physical challenges, in the form of obstacles, with strength building, by overcoming the hurdles like rock climbing, etc.
Importance of the right diet in functional fitness
Right fuel is important to optimize the benefits of functional fitness. This fitness regime includes strenuous workout like jumping across boxes, upstairs and downstairs rep, etc. The right diet makes the cornerstone of fitness ability, metabolism, gut wellness, and mood. Include beans, lentils, roasted chickpeas, quinoa, brown rice, extra virgin olive oil, avocado, almond, chia seeds, ground flaxseeds, berries, apples, ripened banana, etc in regular diet plans.
Functional fitness is better programmed for individuals
Functional fitness brings in more optimized results. A bodybuilder might be able to do 500-pound leg press but may not be able to do one repetition of the one-legged squat. The functional fitness aims to empower neglected muscle stabilization and reduces the risk of injuries commonly associated with weight training. It helps to build a rock solid body with correct movement patterns.
The final verdict
Functional fitness regimen is catching up with most leading gyms owing to its ability to translate into routine life. Integrating functional fitness with bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, lunges, squats, bench press, deadlifts or bent over rows and more. The training benefits everyone with their distinctive needs, be it lifting up toddlers or any object overhead. For tight muscles and joints that creates problem in rotating, restrict proper mobility and flexibility, the fitness regime with the functional exercises can help to overcome the deficiency in the movements. Good things take time to happen but they are worth it, as soon as you start a functional fitness regime you can feel a significant difference in your body movement.
