Functional fitness is changing the landscape for how people will train. Like bootcamp, functional fitness is now a way of life and I think in the next 18-24 months you will see all personal training adopt functional programming into their Trump card.
This new wave of training focuses on natural motions, with the goal being to move better and more often in life. The following explores the underlying principles of functional fitness and how they are turning traditional training on its head, revealing what you can gain from incorporating this discipline into your routine.
Powerhouse of Functional Fitness
Functional fitness is a conditioning regimen that helps to improve your body functions as well in day-to-day activities. It includes everything from exercises that build strength, balance, coordination and flexibility to those that correspond directly with doing daily tasks. Functional fitness is a popular trend in the fitness industry according to American College of Sports Medicine, 73% of fitness professionals are actively practicing or interested in using it for their client’s programs.
Basic Concepts of Purposeful Physical Exercise
1. Movement Patterns: The majority of functional fitness training is centered around prioritized movement patterns people will find in real life. These movements are squat, hinge, push, pull and rotate. For this matter, a research article from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that training these basic movement patterns significantly upgraded people’s performance in general functional activities.
2. Multi-Joint Exercises: Instead of isolating specific muscles as traditional weight-lifting often does, functional fitness movements incorporate multiple muscle groups at the same time. Studies have shown that compound movements do not only activate more muscles but also are better to increase functional strength of the total body. Deadlifts, kettlebell swings and medicine ball throws are an example of this.
3. Core Stability: Core stability is the king of functional fitness. Set default Good posture, balance, and coordination are vital in helping you carry out tasks more effectively. These workouts will help build a strong core. The National Academy of Sports Medicine states that increasing the functional capability of your core muscles (also called improving strength) can equate to about a 25% better or overall enhancement in your sport.
Why Functional Fitness?
1. Improves Daily Living Performance: Functional fitness provide the benefit of improvement in performance with daily tasks. According to a study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, people who partake in functional fitness training report that they are able to perform daily activities like carrying groceries, jogging up stairs and playing with children more easily. The gains of this training should lead to better functional abilities, and subsequently a better quality of life.
2. Prevents Injuries: Functional fitness training helps to develop proper movement patterns and core stability leading to far less risk of injury. A study in Sports Medicine reported a 30% decrease in injuries by subjects who took part in functional training programs compared to those who trained with traditional strength protocols [2]. A proactive step in fitness that prevents injuries and limits in mobility.
3. Enhanced Balance and Coordination– Having good balance and coordination is even more important as we get older. Many functional fitness exercises also involve balance training, which can increase stability and coordination. A study − published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity−found that doing functional exercises such as lunges, squats and standing on one leg for a certain amount of time made people stronger and more stable which reduced the risk of falling by 15%.
4. Functional fitness also increases overall strength and mobility, which helps make everyday movements easier. A study by the Journal of Sports Sciences demonstrated participants who undertook functional fitness programming over 12 weeks saw a 20% increase in strength and significant gains in flexibility. This is progress to help people navigate the world with confidence.
5. Holistic Health Functional fitness also brings a holistic approach to health and wellness. Putting it all together, strength, flexibility, and endurance training can accomplish total body fitness and are necessary for maximum long-term health. The World Health Organization also reports that a holistic approach to health is key if we want to boost our mental health, and with it our emotional well-being and life satisfaction.
5 Functional fitness only matters in day to day life and this is where practical applications matter for a layman.
1. Featuring functional movements: People can include functional movements in their daily routines. Bodyweight exercises, like squats, lunges, and push-ups, can be done at home or at the gym without any special equipment. These motions are among the most basic and effective for addressing large muscle groups and also have a direct carryover to strength needed in functional movement (American College of Sports Medicine).
2. Creating a Functional Fitness Program: A comprehensive functional fitness program will consists of exercises that address various movement patterns A typical weekly workout schedule could include compound movements, balance exercises, and flexibility training. Functionally, studies show that people put themselves in much more structured functional fitness routine environments have higher adherence rates and better overall results.
3. Utilize Bodyweight Exercises: One of the best things to incorporate in your functional fitness cross training workout are bodyweight moves. Planks and Burpees are one of the best examples where none of the exercises is possible without involving abs muscles, hence core engaging. According to research published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine, bodyweight training greatly increases functional strength and endurance regardless your initial level of fitness.
4. Group Classes: Getting involved in group functional fitness classes can provide a community and drive. Most fitness facilities have a variety of training classes from which to choose–many with an emphasis on functional movements, such as boot camps, circuit training & CrossFit. In fact, according to a Fitness Industry Association survey, group classes are motivating and keep people on track with their fitness regimen.
5. Tracking Progress: When it comes to functional fitness training, people need a way to keep track of the physical changes in their body. By tracking our progress and setting incremental goals we can utilize fitness apps, journals or wearable devices. Studies published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine show that self-monitoring increases exercise program adherence.
The Future Of Functional Fitness
1. Innovative Training Techniques: With the growth of fitness space, new training techniques will also pave their way to improve functional fitness. Immersive training environments: Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies might have a role in creating immersive training environments. Participants in a study that was published on the Journal of Medical Internet Research experienced better engagement and retention with exercise techniques after training using VR.
2. Personalizing Training Routines: The functional fitness industry is heading to the turn of Personalized Training Programs based on your style and needs as well. Custom workout plans based on individual fitness and preferences will be formulated through AI in the future. In a study published in the Journal of Personal Training, researchers found that personal training vastly improves compliance and results more than just free-styling your workouts.
3. Blurring Of Lines Between Health And Fitness: Health and fitness transitions mostly will be the trend of 2020. It behooves healthcare providers to collaborate with fitness professionals and implement a balanced approach of wellness that includes physical fitness and overall health. The American Journal of Health Promotion reported that integrated health and fitness programs have success in better health outcomes at a lower cost.
4. Focus on Community Engagement: The next generation of functional fitness will focus heavily on the community engagement aspect. It will offer group challenges, local fitness events and community-based programs to help create that sense of belonging and help with motivation. This article highlights research from the International Journal of Community Well-Being showing that community engagement leads to positive health and fitness habits on an individual level.
We understand how important it is to work out and stay in shape, that’s why the FITNESS CENTER is designed for all.
1. Functional Fitness for the Masses: Expect to see an increase in functional fitness as it becomes more available and approachable by a diverse audience – including disabled individuals, seniors, and even those new to exercise. It will cater to inclusivity and participation, which provides programs aligned with their specific needs and abilities. In fact a Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development study from this year found that the use of functional fitness programs for the elderly leads to an increase in mobility, leading to better quality of life.
2. Lifelong Fitness: The future of functional fitness will place more of an emphasis on lifelong fitness; making people care and be conscientious about their health throughout the entirety of their life. There would be a heavy investment in educating people on the critical importance of functional fitness as one grows old, for maintaining independence and overall function, which could become virtually synonymous with promotion of health. The National Institute On Aging indicates that physical activity is essential for good health and longevity in aging adults.
3. Future Planning and Activities: Keep working on fitness functionality, develop new training procedures to excite the IF community. Through collaboration among researchers, fitness professionals and healthcare providers this can lead to best practice in improving functional fitness training. Publications in the Journal of Sports Medicine will offer insights based on studies that could be used to inform effective strategies for training as well health results.
4. Functional Fitness is a World-Wide Trend: The growth of functional fitness has become a trend worldwide Functional fitness is being realized by countries all across the globe that it plays a key role in securing health and well-being. The World Health Organizati has underscored an urgent call to action in developing successful public health initiatives that tackle physical inactivity and encourages functional fitness as a core element of healthy living.
With the (hopefully) new future of functional fitness taking shape, people will increasingly take advantage of unique training that focuses on more everyday type movement and health overall. Prioritization of functional fitness will make people more independent for their physical abilities and quality of life, which are ideally expected to be one among better components in the lives of all individuals.
Functional fitness becoming increasingly recognized as a legitimate and necessary aspect of health and wellness will advance the evolution of more adaptive, creative, and comprehensive training that ultimately serves people, has benefits for communities, cultures, societies.
