What is functional training and why is it so effective? Everything you need to know about the trend sport!
I just signed up for a Functional Training class. Always on Wednesdays from 8 to 9 o'clock. I'm proud to tell my girlfriend.
She looks at me with wide eyes: What is Functional Training? What brings functional training and can I do this at home?
That inspired me to write this post.
I have done some research and provide you with the most important information about this increasingly popular form of training.
Table of contents
If you're looking for a full-body workout that will not only give you brawn, but also improve your endurance, coordination and flexibility, you'll love Functional Training.
Health-conscious people prefer to lift medicine balls instead of weights on a weight machine.
Functional Fitness is the name of the trend that doesn't challenge individual muscles, but rather the entire body in shape brings.
What Functional Training is
Lifting heavy weights was yesterday. More and more studios and fitness fans swear by functional training.
Functional training (also called functional training) simply means that several muscle groups are worked simultaneously during a workout.
By the way, Functional Training means "functional physical exercises". Sounds pretty dusty and old-fashioned, doesn't it? But it's not :)
Functional training is mainly known from core training. It is a fixed component of many courses in the gym or Crossfit.
You train your functional muscle chains and stabilize your joints through the complex movement sequences.
The first considerations of this kind were made by the American physiotherapist Gary Gray. He looked at the entire muscle function during human movements.
Gray was something of the founder of functional training as we know it today.
What distinguishes functional training from traditional workouts
In classic strength training, usually only one muscle group is used per training session. The majority of exercises are completed on equipment that trains the muscles in isolation from each other.
You probably know this as "Leg Day," which is a day to work out only your legs.
Functional Training is oriented more towards everyday life. Because both in sports and normal everyday life, only individual muscles are never used. You always have several in use at the same time.
Functional training does not focus on muscle strength. Rather it is about the Risk of injury in everyday life and to increase the overall performance.
Functional Training trains the self-awareness of vision and joints, stabilizes the body (Core Workout) and makes you fit for training but also for everyday life.
Or simply put: Functional Training trains movements instead of individual muscle groups.
In other words, entire muscle chains. Especially those that you need in everyday life and sports and have to use again and again.
What is strengthened during functional training
In no way is it about pumping up superficial muscles and quickly growing mountains of muscle.
Rather, muscle stabilization is on the training schedule. Functional training makes muscles, tendons and joints fit for everyday life and sporting activities.
The trunk plays a very important role. The stabilization of the trunk serves as the basis for the distribution of force over the back, to the arms and legs.
That is why many exercises in functional training are performed standing. Because this way the hips can be strengthened better.
A stable hip joint has positive effects on knee and foot joints. And can help you get rid of the hollow back or prevent it from developing in the first place.
How to get rid of your hollow back
In addition to the hips, the abdomen is of course also part of the core. Especially the deep abdominal muscles is the focus at Functional Training Exercises.
For a stable posture, however, the shoulders are also important. That's why many upper body exercises are included in the workout.
A typical exercise from the Functional Workout are squats on the balance board or push-ups on the exercise ball.
The basics of functional training
Basically, the workout consists of 6 basics that are improved and strengthened during the workout.
1. force
The focus is on exercises where your body weight serves as natural resistance. Additional equipment is used to support you in the process.
2. stability
By training the natural muscle functions during movements, you can increase your resilience during functional training.
3. endurance
You must perform each exercise slowly and thoughtfully. And for a given period of time. This is very strenuous at first but builds your strength and endurance in the long run.
4. balance
For very many exercises you already need to have a sense of balance. You perform exercises on surfaces that make you unstable. A good example is push-ups, where you put your legs on the exercise ball.
5. speed
If you do functional training for a long time, you will become faster in your movements. And not only in sports, but also in everyday life. You train your motor and conditional skills.
6. flexibility
In functional workouts, your muscles and joints are constantly stressed through active and passive movements. This makes you more flexible in your movements overall.
The goals of the functional workout
- Increase torso strength
- Balance improvement
- More flexibility
- Better coordination of movements
Or in other words, optimizing your performance in the areas of strength, speed, endurance, coordination and agility.
To help you evenly increase strength, balance, stability and poise, you always have a mix of pushing and pulling movements in functional training.
What equipment you need for functional training
To challenge the body again and again, many devices are used in these workouts. However, these are not big heavy machines that you know from the gym, but small equipment that you can use in many ways.
The special thing about the Functional Workout is that you are always put into unstable positions. In order to be able to perform the exercise, your body has to work against this instability.
Sounds complicated? But it's quite simple. If you look at squats: Normal squats are easy. But squats on a wobble board? Your muscles have to fight hard to perform the exercise.
Kettlebells in functional training
Dumbbells should not be missing in any good home gym. You can do a lot of great exercises with them that will strengthen your entire body.
By swinging the kettlebells you strengthen especially deeper muscles.
The best exercises with kettlebells
Swing Sticks as Functional Training
The Swing Stick is also called Flexibar. It is a training tool that helps you train the stabilizing muscles. You improve your stability and posture.
The sling trainer in functional training
For this you need a high room and space. TRX bands are a very effective training tool, which is especially suitable for advanced users.
Most tapes can be fixed in the door frame. But it's best if you have a way to hang them on a hook in the ceiling.
You can train your entire body with it. Depending on the fitness level, there are bands with pulley and TRX bands without pulley.
The best exercises with sling trainer
The cable pulley as equipment for functional workout
You will need a lot of space if you buy a cable pulley. This training device is especially suitable for the upper body. But also the lower body can benefit from it if you do squats and pull the cables.
There are two variants. One you mount in the wall. And the other cable pulley is a free-standing training device.
The Balance Board in Functional Training
The balance board takes up far less space. It is inexpensive to purchase and helps you strengthen your sense of balance as well as your strength.
Effective Balance Board Exercises
Those who have problems with balance should get a balance board and exercise with it regularly.
Improve balance with simple exercises
Minibands for functional training
Inexpensive, space-saving and very convertible are Minibands*. The small elastic bands strengthen the arms and legs in particular.
They fit in any purse and you can also take them out for a run to squeeze in a little strength training session.
The Balance Pad
Here the name says it all. The Balance Pad is a bit more flexible in handling than the Balance Board. On the soft cushion you can push off with both hands and feet.
Due to the unstable ground, especially the deep-lying muscles are properly engaged.
Here you come to the Balance Pad Workout!
The fascia roller as a functional training
Almost everyone now has fascia rollers at home. Do you? Very good! Because with the fascia roller (Blackroll) you can do many exercises.
It is mainly used for stuck fasciae and is even said to have a liberating effect against sore muscles.
But you can also use them to make your workout a little more difficult. In particular, push-ups on the roller are much more effective than normal push-ups.
17 great exercises with the fascia roller
The medicine ball in functional training
A classic piece of equipment for functional training is the medicine ball.
Even if his image is often a bit dusty due to school, you should give him another chance.
Medicine balls get your entire body in shape. From the arms, to the abdomen, to the legs and buttocks. A small all-round miracle.
20 strong medicine ball exercises
Gym balls as functional training
When I hear the word exercise ball, I immediately think of kindergarten. But you should get a ball even if you're an adult.
Gym balls are one of the most underestimated pieces of equipment. With a variety of exercises you can strengthen your whole body. See for yourself!
The 13 best exercise ball exercises
Dumbbells and barbells in functional training
Advanced users reach for short or long dumbbells. They make exercises like squats even more effective.
You will not only strengthen your upper body. Dumbbells can also strengthen your butt and legs. In addition, the back and abdominal muscles are strengthened.
10 ingenious barbell exercises for women
Functional training with therabands
The super elastic band has many uses. You can use it to strengthen your entire body.
The advantage: the small rubber band finds space even in the smallest living room.
17 effective exercises with theraband
Where Functional Training comes from
Originally, functional training comes from rehabilitation. It was used to get back into action quickly after injuries. Then it found its way into competitive sports.
Today it has arrived in everyday life. Anyone can do functional training. No matter if you are a sport beginner, advanced or professional.
Indeed, the level of training is simply adapted to physical fitness.
Our conclusion
Functional training focuses on workouts that strengthen your entire body. Instead of training individual muscle parts and letting the muscles grow only here, it is about increasing the performance in everyday life and during training.
You strengthen many muscle groups simultaneously in a single movement. A lot of training equipment can be used for this.
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