Benefits of Functional Training - THE GYM of Englewood

The hottest phrase in the fitness industry is “functional training”, or FT.  FT is a buzzword that everyone uses, but few actually understand.  Function can easily be defined as “a normal or characteristic action of anything - its duty, utility or purpose.”  Function is what works. Therefore, FT would train the body, or body area, for the movement it is intended for, or “exercise that trains a normal characteristic action.”

FT is not a new concept.  It has been around since the beginning of time.  If one wants to get better and stronger at an activity, he or she would instinctively rehearse said activity.  In sports, the best functional training for a particular is that sport!  Although this is an oversimplification of the concept of functional training, it is the essence of the notion.  FT trains movements, not body parts.

There are two basic principles that FT revolves around.  First, the body never moves a single joint in isolation.  Rather, it moves as a “kinetic chain”, a series of joints working in cooperation with each other. Rehearsed, multi-planar movements – like a golf swing, for example – are engraved in our brains’ “patterns”, and not as isolated muscle movements.  By design, we are functionally integrated, not beings, and not groups of isolated muscle.

The second principle of FT describes the physical world we have to prepare our bodies for.  Our environment is composed of elements such as gravity, momentum, and ground contact forces.  These three physical factors act upon all bodily movement, and should always be considered in a training program.  FT addresses these elements of our existence and trains the body on how to utilize them to its advantage.

The characteristics of FT are:

·         It is specific to human movement in that it trains movements, not muscle

·         It trains controlled chaos. Life is not composed of 3 sets of 10 repetitions, so why should your training be?

·         It is progressive, simple, safe and fun – it challenges movement control, not the ability to lift heavy weights, and it progresses the individual through gradual, safe and effective steps

·         It uses assessments and exercise as a unified method of training, because assessment and training are one and the same

·         It is fun and makes sense! If it weren’t fun, compliance will suffer, and if it didn’t make sense, it probably wouldn’t be functional, or optimally effective.

Functional training is a return to what is natural and effective.  It integrates the best of all training methodologies in a simple and enjoyable manner.  Tip for 2014: Go for function and you will never go wrong!

Written by:

Robert Fieramosco, NASM-CPT
Fitness Director 
THE GYM of Englewood
20 Nordhoff Place
Englewood, NJ 07631 
Phone: 201-567-9399
rfieramosco@gettothegym.com
www.GetToTheGym.com