What is Functional Training?
Not even remotely functional
Not even remotely functional
Functional training might be the most distorted out of the types of training discussed in this post. If you want a plethora of examples of what functional training is NOT, google image search ‘functional training.’ Functional training is simply training that targets and improves specific motor patterns in sport, and daily living (Boyle, 2004). For example, everybody sits down and stands up, thus a squat is perfect functional exercise for the average person.
How we commonly mess it up
It seems that personal trainers get the worst rap for prescribing improper functional training. It is common to see personal trainers put their client’s through odd looking, unsafe, unstable surface exercises and labeling it functional training. The question I pose is: What sport-related motor pattern, or daily living motor patter is getting targeted while trying to do a barbell squat on a swiss ball (yes, I have seen pictures of this)? If you answered none, you are correct. Being unstable does not automatically make an exercise functional. In fact, most of the time it takes away from functionality because it is dangerous, and you cannot overload your muscles due to the biomechanical disadvantages of being off balance.