BENEFITS

 Improved Movement Patterns

The human body is made to move. Functional training means that exercises are based
on movement patterns, not isolated muscle actions. The human body is specifically
designed to function most efficiently when moving in an upright position with the feet
on the ground.
 Improved Movement Efficiency
Functional strength training methods are used to help athletes perform at the highest
levels of their sport. Many strength and conditioning coaches design exercise programs
based on movement patterns to help their athletes function more efficiently in
competition.
 Improved Coordination and Mobility
Functional training exercises could help to reduce the risk of injury by improving overall
coordination and mobility. Mobility is the ability to control movement through an entire
range-of-motion; when muscles on one side of a joint shorten, they cause the muscles
on the other side to lengthen which means that many integrated movement patterns
like squats or doing pushes and pulls from a standing position can improve joint mobility
while enhancing overall muscle coordination.
 Increased Calorie Burn
Functional training can help burn more calories when compared to traditional strength
training. The body burns about 5 calories of energy to consume 1 liter of oxygen. Any
time you are using more muscles, you are consuming more oxygen and burning more
calories.
 Improved Aerobic Capacity
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) could be considered functional training for cardio.
Doing a 4 minute Tabata protocol on a StairMaster HIIT Rower or HIIT Bike requires
performing 8 intervals of 20 seconds each at the highest intensity possible. In a recent
study, research compared results from a 4-minute Tabata cycle to those running on a
treadmill for 30 minutes.
 Increased Lean Muscle Mass
Functional training programs using the Throwdown XTC Rig for explosive medicine ball
throws or heavy barbell lifts, in addition to HIIT on a StairMaster HIIT Rower, could help
active agers maintain strength and lean muscle mass well into the later years of their
lifespans. Muscle fibers work on a ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ basis. When the type II muscle fibers
responsible for strength and definition are not used in exercise, they can atrophy which
results in losses of strength and definition.
 Ease of Class Design
Designing workouts for a small group training program on either the Throwdown XTC
Rig or the Nautilus HumanSport line could allow participants to receive the benefits of
functional training while adhering to current social-distancing guidelines.
 EXAMPLES OF FUNCTIONAL
TRAINING
Farmer’s Walk
Hits: Grip strength, shoulders, quads, hams, calves
This is as basic as it gets, testing just how long you can
lug heavy, awkward objects around without dropping
them. This sort of long-winded grip strength comes in
handy for chipper-style deadlift workouts or unrelenting
reps of pull-ups — as well as for unloading all your
grocery bags in one trip.
To Do: Pick up a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in each
hand and draw your shoulder blades down and back to
stabilize your shoulders. Keeping your core tight, chest
elevated and head up, walk forward with even, steady
steps for time or distance.
Wall Handstand Push-Up
Hits: Shoulders, triceps, traps, core
Sure, it’s fun to show off by doing a free-standing handstand push-up, but if you don’t have a gymnastic bent,
a handstand push-up done against a wall is just as effective, developing shoulder and triceps strength while
also calling on upper-body and core stabilizers to help you maintain balance.
To Do: Place your hands about a foot away from a wall spaced shoulder-width apart on the floor. Kick up one
foot at a time into a handstand position, or have a partner help you get there, and hold here with your heels
touching the wall, body straight, feet together. Look straight ahead (not down at the floor) and slowly, under
full control, bend both elbows to lower yourself as far you can without letting your head touch down. Keep
your core tight as you press back up to the start.
Pull-Up
Hits: Lats, upper back, middle back, biceps
Being able to hoist your bodyweight up to a bar is an essential component of everyday strength, and a
functional, powerful body begins with a back primed with pull-up training.
To Do: Take a wide overhand grip on a pull-up bar and hang freely with your arms fully extended and your
ankles crossed behind you. Draw your shoulder blades in toward one another, then drive your elbows down and
back, pulling your body upward until your chin crosses above the bar. Hold momentarily, then lower slowly back
to the start.
Woman Maker
Hits: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, lats, upper back, middle back, chest, shoulders
This move is a clever combination of several functional movements (burpee, renegade row, push-up, squat
clean and overhead press), which add up to a challenging, rut- (and gut-) busting exercise.
To Do: Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides, then crouch and place them parallel on the floor in front of you.
Keep your hands on the dumbbells as you jump your feet behind you into plank, then do a push-up. Hold at the
top and do a one-arm row on each side, elbows in close to your body. Do another push-up, then jump your feet
back underneath you. As you stand, pull the dumbbells up along the front of your body, shrugging as you reach
full extension and flipping your elbows underneath to bring them to shoulder level. Drop into a full squat, then
explode upward, pressing the weights overhead as you come to standing.
Sled Pull/Push
Hits: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, middle back, lats, chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps
Pushing and pulling are innate human movements, and as such recruit pretty much every muscle in your body.
This combo using a loaded sled gets you both coming and going.
To Do: Attach a rope securely to one end of a loaded sled. Extend the rope along the floor and face the sled with
your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the rope with both hands and bend your knees and lean away from the
sled to pull the rope taut, back straight. Pull the sled toward you, hand over hand, until it reaches your feet.
Then place your hands on the uprights and push the sled back to the start — hips low, elbows bent — taking
strong, steady steps.
One-Arm Kettlebell Snatch
Hits: Back, shoulders, traps, glutes, quads, hamstrings
When doing bilateral (two-limbed) exercises, the stronger, more dominant arm or leg often takes on an unequal
amount of the load, creating imbalances. A functional, unilateral exercise like this kettlebell snatch can serve as
a remedy for those deficiencies.
To Do: Stand behind a kettlebell with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest lifted as you push your
glutes back and bend your knees to grasp the handle with one hand, extending the other arm to the side. In one
smooth motion, stand up quickly to pull the kettlebell off the floor, bringing it straight up along the front of your
body. As the weight comes above your shoulder and feels almost weightless, punch your arm up toward the
ceiling and allow the kettlebell to roll softly to the backside of your wrist. Finish with your arm extended straight
up over your shoulder, palm forward. Reverse the sequence to bring the kettlebell back to the floor. Do all reps
on one side before switching.
Crab Reach (Thoracic Bridge)
Hits: Back, shoulders, chest, glutes, hips, core
The crab reach is the antidote for prolonged bouts of sitting, stretching and strengthening key areas, including
your shoulders, hips, lower back and abdominal region.
To Do: Sit on the floor with your knees bent, and place your hands behind you with your fingers pointing
backward. Press down into your hands and feet to lift your glutes off the floor, then continue lifting your hips as
high as you can. Reach your left hand overhead toward the floor and turn your head to look at your right hand.
Pause, then return to the start. Continue, alternating sides.
Jump Squat
Hits: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, shoulders
This simple bodyweight exercise combines the best overall resistance exercise (squats) with a plyometric
component, training the fast-twitch muscle fibers in your lower body to fire as they propel you into the air and
contract to decelerate you on the return.
To Do: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and quickly lower into a squat, kicking your hips back and
bending your knees to load up your posterior chain while swinging your arms in front of you. Extend your knees
and hips and explode into the air, reaching your arms back to generate height. Land softly and descend
immediately into the next squat.
McCall, P. (2021). 8 Benefits of Functional Training. ©2021 Core Health & Fitness, LLC.

McCall, P. (2021, 01 06). CORE HEALTH AND FITNESS. Retrieved from BENEFITS OF FUNCTIONAL TRAINING: https://corehandf.com/8-benefits-of-
functional-training/

MICHAEL BERG, N.-C. (2020, NOVEMBER 19). The World’s 10 Best Functional Exercises. Retrieved from OXYGEN:
https://www.oxygenmag.com/workouts-for-women/total-body-workouts-for-women/the-20-minute-total-body-takedown/