Real Life Fitness

"Exercise trends are now focusing more on activities that we do on a daily basis so we build the appropriate structure and function to keep us healthy and balanced."

For many people, getting fit conjures images of pumping iron, feeling the burn, and contorting their bodies while still trying to look their best in the latest work-out wear apparel  in order to shape their bodies into some concept of ideal form. This concept is fast becoming outdated as fitness takes more of a real-life approach. Exercise trends are now focusing more on activities that we do on a daily basis so we build the appropriate structure and function to keep us healthy and balanced. This approach not only helps us lead more productive, pain free lives, but also makes fitness more accessible to those who are just venturing into the healthy lifestyle mindset. It also makes it easier to incorporate exercise into our daily lives because there are things we can do to stay fit when we cannot get to a gym.

Functional Training

Functional training finds its roots in physical therapy. Physical therapy focuses on helping an injured, disabled, or aging person build the appropriate muscles needed to perform everyday tasks. Functional training takes that approach to the next level by developing exercises and activities that replicate the body's function when performing daily activities and sports leading to fewer injuries and easier execution. Most weight machines function on a single plane and isolate a lone muscle group. This equipment serves a great purpose in strength training and many personal trainers find it elemental in working with clients. But more and more trainers are utilizing equipment like TRX, free weights, cable machines, kettle bells, and stability balls that require multi- joint and multi-muscle group use. This type of equipment helps to mimic real life activities that are specific to an individual's life. Functional training commonly concentrates on the core muscles of the abdomen and lower back, as this is our body's source of power and balance. Our bodies are kind of like a vacuum cleaner. Let's say our arms and legs are like the nifty tools that come with a vacuum. These tools are pretty useless if the vacuum engine, likened to our body's core, is weak.

Another way to apply functional training is in a class format. Classes like step aerobics, low impact aerobics, and even Zumba utilize muscles in a more "real life" manner than other forms of structured exercise. Each day, most engage in walking, climbing stairs, getting in-and-out of the car or up-and-out of a chair. Some of us even enjoy dancing, gardening, kayaking or deep cleaning on a regular basis. Aerobic activities also can improve our aerobic capacity and thus improve our endurance, making day-to-day tasks easier.

Applied Examples of Functional Training

Say you are a tennis player. Within your sport you are required to move forward and back and side-to-side with quick changes in direction. Strong rotation of the torso and strong shoulder function is also important in excelling at the game. If you were to work with a trainer who used functional training concepts, you would perform exercises using lunge and squat like movements both forward, back and side-to-side. You would also work at exercises that develop quickness and explosive movement because tennis demands this action. Cable machines might be utilized in a rotational movement to strengthen the core and shoulders simultaneously. You may even do exercises where lunging AND rotation AND explosive movement are integrated at the same time since in tennis these actions frequently occur all at once.

Perhaps you are someone who loves gardening. Every weekend you are out in the yard for hours pruning and planting and mulching, etc. Think of the actions you go through: bending, squatting, pulling, pushing, twisting and turning. When you apply functional training that helps you perform these motions easily, you can reap such benefits as fewer backaches and less knee and shoulder pain.

Variety is the spice of life. Stationary weight machines have their place in a good workout, but it is recommended that they are not the sole source of conditioning. Mixing in functional training can improve your quality of life and how efficiently and safely you perform in the sports you love and your daily journey.

Anneliza and her husband, Josh Itkor, are the owners of The Center for Health and Sports Performance. Located at the corner of Marshland and Mathews Roads, they have recently purchased Progressive Health and offer an extensive program for exercise, health, wellness and sports performance.