When it comes to the term "functional training", people can become curious about how it really function in our body and what is it?
In general, functional training is based on the adaptation of different action and activities. That are, your daily physical movements such as lifting your bag or climbing up the stairs in a successful and less stress to the body execution.
Functional training is beneficial to the co-ordination of different muscles. It can improve the performance of your daily activities as well as the neuromuscular system. Some of the simple movements like sitting down on a chair, reaching something on top of the cupboard are activities that involve multi-joints and combined muscle action coordination. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen these highly functional muscles by implementing specific training strategies.
By improving the core muscles and relevant neuromuscular systems, it is possible for us to give challenges to the body, especially enforcing the core to be involved in the action. Furthermore, the control or the mediation of the muscular actions, balance, body stabilization in between our brain and the muscle system could also be trained via functional training.
How to plan a good functional training programme?
Basically, it should be planned from the easiest to the most challenging level. Your exercise progression should move from stabilized to destabilized positions, from machines to free weights and from supported to unsupported. This means that, you must move towards exercises that will require you less support. Here is a sample functionality exercise for a squats on different levels:
Notice that the execution of exercise is the same but what changing is the base of stability. The more you challenge your balance, the more muscles you can engage. This then will not only strengthen the primary muscle being worked but also your core group muscles which in effect will improve your daily physical activities.
Nothing can beat the right information you can get from the experts. So, if you are suffering from muscle imbalance (which could lead to a more severe injury by exercising incorrectly), or doesn't seem to get things right with your exercise routine no matter how regular you visit the club. It's about time to sit-down and consult with a highly certified personal trainer. At the end of the day, it's your body that counts.
ANDREW MOK
Certified Personal Trainer
In general, functional training is based on the adaptation of different action and activities. That are, your daily physical movements such as lifting your bag or climbing up the stairs in a successful and less stress to the body execution.
Functional training is beneficial to the co-ordination of different muscles. It can improve the performance of your daily activities as well as the neuromuscular system. Some of the simple movements like sitting down on a chair, reaching something on top of the cupboard are activities that involve multi-joints and combined muscle action coordination. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen these highly functional muscles by implementing specific training strategies.
By improving the core muscles and relevant neuromuscular systems, it is possible for us to give challenges to the body, especially enforcing the core to be involved in the action. Furthermore, the control or the mediation of the muscular actions, balance, body stabilization in between our brain and the muscle system could also be trained via functional training.
How to plan a good functional training programme?
Basically, it should be planned from the easiest to the most challenging level. Your exercise progression should move from stabilized to destabilized positions, from machines to free weights and from supported to unsupported. This means that, you must move towards exercises that will require you less support. Here is a sample functionality exercise for a squats on different levels:
Notice that the execution of exercise is the same but what changing is the base of stability. The more you challenge your balance, the more muscles you can engage. This then will not only strengthen the primary muscle being worked but also your core group muscles which in effect will improve your daily physical activities.
Nothing can beat the right information you can get from the experts. So, if you are suffering from muscle imbalance (which could lead to a more severe injury by exercising incorrectly), or doesn't seem to get things right with your exercise routine no matter how regular you visit the club. It's about time to sit-down and consult with a highly certified personal trainer. At the end of the day, it's your body that counts.
ANDREW MOK
Certified Personal Trainer
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