Functional training, also known as functional training, is a form of training that aims to improve everyday movements and minimize the risk of injury. Unlike traditional strength training, which targets individual muscles, functional training focuses on training muscle groups and movement patterns that we use in everyday life.
Not only does it help you stay fit and healthy, but it also helps improve your overall quality of life. By improving mobility, coordination, and strength, we can perform daily activities, such as lifting heavy objects or climbing stairs, more easily and efficiently.
The benefits of functional training are many. Not only does it improve physical performance, but it can also help relieve chronic pain, improve balance, correct posture, and even reduce the risk of falls and injuries. In addition, functional training can also help boost metabolism and promote weight loss.
In the following sections, we'll take a closer look at what functional training is, how to create a training plan, and how to do it properly. Stay tuned to find out more!
But what exactly is functional training?
What is Functional Training?
Functional training is a form of training that aims to improve everyday movements and minimize the risk of injury. It is a holistic training concept that is aimed at training the body as a unit and not just strengthening individual muscles in isolation.
This training mainly involves exercises that use several muscle groups at the same time and also promote coordination, balance and flexibility. It's about improving the body's performance in everyday situations or sporting activities. Examples of functional training exercises can include squats, lunges or push-ups, as these movements mimic natural movement patterns.
Differences between functional training and traditional strength training
In contrast to traditional strength training, which often focuses on the isolation training of individual muscles, functional training aims to train movement patterns that occur in everyday life or during sporting activities. Complex exercises are often performed that stress multiple joints and muscle groups at the same time.
While traditional strength training often uses machines or dumbbells, functional training often involves working with your own body weight or with functional training equipment such as kettlebells, medicine balls or resistance bands.
Another important difference is that functional training not only strengthens muscles, but also improves other aspects of physical performance such as coordination, balance, flexibility and endurance. So it offers a more holistic approach to improving physical fitness and health.
The many advantages of functional training
Functional training has many benefits that can help improve your overall fitness and performance.
Improving general fitness and performance
- Holistic training: Functional training aims to train the entire body, not just individual muscles. This results in improved overall body strength and performance.
- Improve muscle strength and endurance: By training multiple muscle groups at the same time, functional training can improve muscle strength and endurance, which can lead to better training performance.
- Improving coordination and balance: Because many functional training exercises challenge balance and coordination, this training can help improve these skills, which can have a positive impact on other sports and activities.
Preventing injuries and improving mobility
- Injury prevention: By improving muscle strength and flexibility, functional training can help reduce the risk of injury. This is especially important for people who are at high risk of injury, such as: B. older adults or athletes.
- Improved mobility: Functional training can help improve mobility by increasing flexibility in muscles and range of motion in joints. This can make everyday activities easier to perform and reduce the risk of muscle strains and injuries.
Functional training training plan
A good functional training training plan should be tailored to your individual needs and goals. It's important that you have a plan that is realistic and sustainable, and that is both challenging and motivating.
Important aspects of a functional training training plan
- Individuality: Everyone is different, so your training plan should be tailored to your specific goals, needs and abilities.
- Holistic: In contrast to traditional strength training, functional training focuses on training the entire body. Your plan should include exercises that target multiple muscle groups at the same time.
- Progression: As with any training plan, it's important that you make progress. This means that you should increase the intensity or volume of your exercises over time to continue to see improvements.
- Variation: To avoid the plateau and keep training interesting, you should regularly add new exercises to your training plan.
How to create an individual functional training training plan
- Set goals: Determine what you want to achieve. This could be anything from improving your general fitness to increasing your performance in a specific sport.
- Assessment of your current fitness: Before you start training, do an honest assessment of your current fitness. This can help you set realistic goals and create a plan that works for you.
- Create your plan: Based on your goals and current fitness, you should create a plan that includes a variety of exercises aimed at improving your strength, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.
- Track progress: Track your progress and adjust your plan as you reach your goals or if you find that certain exercises aren't working.
Examples of exercises that can be included in a functional training training plan
- Kettlebell swings: This exercise targets the hip muscles, lower back and thighs and improves strength and endurance.
- Burpees: A full-body exercise that improves endurance and works many muscle groups at the same time.
- Lunges: This exercise targets the leg muscles and improves balance and coordination.
- Planks: An excellent exercise for improving core stability and strength.
Functional training training plan – this is what it could look like
Day 1 – Lower Body and Core Stability
- Warm-up: Jog or jump rope for 5 minutes.
- Kettlebell squats: Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
- Lunges: Do 3 sets of 10 reps per leg.
- Planks: Hold 3 sets of 30 seconds each.
- Cool down: Stretch gently for 5 minutes.
Day 2 – Upper Body and Balance
- Warm-up: Jog or jump rope for 5 minutes.
- Push-ups: Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
- Kettlebell Swings: Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
- Single-leg squats (pistol squats): Do 3 sets of 5 reps per leg.
- Cool down: Stretch gently for 5 minutes.
Day 3 – rest day
Use this day to relax and regenerate.
Day 4 – Full body training and coordination
- Warm-up: Jog or jump rope for 5 minutes.
- Burpees: Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
- Medicine Ball Slams: Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
- Side lunges: Do 3 sets of 10 reps per side.
- Cool down: Stretch gently for 5 minutes.
Day 5 – rest day
Use this day to relax and regenerate.
Day 6 – Lower Body and Core Stability
Repeat the workout from day 1.
Day 7 – Upper Body and Balance
Repeat the workout from day 2.
This plan is just an example and can be customized to suit your individual needs and abilities. It's important to listen to your body and adjust your workout accordingly if you feel strained or in pain. It is also important to use correct technique to avoid injury.
Implementation of functional training
Functional training can be an excellent way to improve your overall fitness and strength. Here are some tips and tricks for performing functional training exercises correctly:
- Warm up: Before you start your workout, you should make sure you warm up properly. A quick warm-up can increase blood flow and prepare your muscles for the exercises ahead.
- Technique first: With every exercise it is important that you carry out the technique correctly. Poor form can not only reduce the effectiveness of the exercise but also increase the risk of injury.
- Correct breathing: Make sure to breathe properly during the exercises. A general tip is to exhale when exerting yourself and inhale when relaxing.
- To take breaks: Give your body enough time to recover between sets. Short breaks can help to regenerate the muscles and prepare you for the next exercise.
The role of equipment in functional training
In functional training, you can use different types of equipment to increase the intensity of your workout and target different muscle groups. Here are some examples:
- kettle bells: These single handle weights are great for full body exercises. They can be used to do squats, lunges, swings and many other exercises.
- TRX bands: TRX bands are very versatile and can be used to perform a variety of exercises that target different muscle groups.
- Medicine balls: Medicine balls can be used for a variety of throwing, catching, and rotation exercises that target your core muscles.
- Stability balls: These large inflatable balls are great for improving balance and stability.
Remember that you should always start with a weight or resistance level that is appropriate for you and slowly increase the intensity as you get stronger and improve your technique.
Our Conclusion
Functional training offers a variety of benefits and can play an important role in your fitness program. It focuses on training the entire body and improving your strength, flexibility, coordination and endurance.
- Improved everyday functions: The exercises in functional training often simulate movements you do in your daily life, meaning they can help you perform these tasks more efficiently and safely.
- full body workout: In contrast to many traditional training methods, functional training trains the entire body, not just isolated muscle groups.
- Injury prevention: By training different muscle groups and improving balance and stability skills, functional training can help reduce the risk of injury.
- Improving posture and balance: Functional training can help correct muscle imbalances that can lead to poor posture and can also help improve your balance and stability.
It's clear that functional training can be a valuable addition to any fitness program. That's why I would like to encourage you to integrate it into your everyday life. Whether you're an experienced athlete or just starting out, functional training can help you achieve your fitness goals and improve your overall health and well-being.
So, why not start today?
