Functional fitness has been one of the biggest trends in the fitness industry in recent years and continues to grow today - whether through new programs or equipment, the hype around functional training is unlikely to die down anytime soon.
It's no wonder, after all, the goal of the trend is nothing other than to achieve comprehensive fitness that also makes everyday life easier - and with that, functional training hits a nerve.
Because Functional Fitness is made for the average guy
Sure, there are exercisers who aim for mountains of muscle and also those who like to move as much weight as possible - but the average athlete in the gym has made it their goal to do something for their fitness and shape their body to a certain degree.
And if, in the process, the workout makes everyday life easier, that's just as much an argument for many as the comparatively short workout duration that functional training entails.
Goals: But what exactly is the goal of Functional Training?
Quite simple: The basic goal of functional training is to strengthen and, above all, stabilize the body in such a way that it is more efficient in every situation and less susceptible to injury.
To achieve this, the torso and shoulder girdle are strengthened, as these two parts of the body are known to be crucial for stability.
Targeted muscle building training, on the other hand, is not part of Functional Fitness Training, even though muscle building and functional training are not mutually exclusive - the focus is simply not on building muscle, but growth stimuli are still set incidentally.
In addition, another principle of functional training: muscles are never trained in isolation, but always whole muscle groups or even the entire body in combination - after all, it is this kind of stress that we also encounter in everyday life.
Equipment: What equipment is needed for this type of training?
First of all a clear announcement, which equipment not suitable: All those that guide the movement of the exerciser in any way and thus take away the stabilization work from him, because that would contradict the meaning of Functional Training.
Basically, simple functional exercises can be incorporated into the workout without any equipment at all - although even basic things like push-ups could be called functional exercises, since the torso and shoulders are naturally used for stabilization here.
In the meantime, however, there are of course a number of aids for functional training.
First and foremost, one of the biggest trends is the sling trainer, which has spread all over the world in recent years and can now be found in many studios - no wonder, it is one of the easiest ways of functional training and can be used almost anywhere.
Especially in combination with a pull-up bar such a sling trainer is popular, because it can be attached to it and then the entire body can be trained - both are available, for example, at pull-up bar.com as Bodyweight Workout Set to buy.
Is functionality the same as functionality?
Or to put it another way: Is there one functional training? It should be clear that the answer to this question is "no".
Because, of course, the individual goal always determines what the appropriate functional training should look like - if you want to improve your stability, you will naturally have to orient your training differently than someone who wants to improve his or her mobility flexibility.
When the term Functional Training became popular, experts initially wanted to use it only for stabilization exercises while standing - that this is narrow-minded and makes little sense is now known to most and so even some "isolation exercises", such as the lying training of the rotator cuff, can be considered functional training.
Conclusion: Is Functional Fitness a trend for everyone?
Again and again, functional training is presented as a kind of all-purpose weapon for every athlete - and this view has its justification, because every athlete can benefit from functional training.
What the training looks like in the end and whether it is done as a stand-alone workout or as a supplement to other training options depends, of course, on the athlete's goals.
However, getting started with functional training is definitely worthwhile for everyone and is also neither complex nor expensive - because functional training can be started with just one's own body weight or small aids such as a sling trainer, theraband or pull-up bar.
Image source: ©IPGGutenbergUKLtd - iStock
Published on: 27 June 2016