Let's get Functional

By: Laura Felicetti, PhD
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By now, many of you have probably heard of functional training, but have you found yourself scratching your head and asking, "What is functional training?" If you have, you're not alone. Functional training is one of the latest crazes in strength training. While traditional types of strength training allow for movement in just one plane of motion, intentionally avoiding things like twisting and turning to decrease chance of injury and to isolate muscles, functional training allows for multi-planar motion… because that's how our bodies function.

Functional training originated in rehabilitation centers, where physical therapists developed exercises to mimic what patients did at home or work so they could return to their lives after an injury or surgery. The idea behind functional training is simple: Train your body for movements in daily life. This means that if you bend and twist and turn in daily life, don't avoid these movements, do exercise that mimic them. By practicing movements in a controlled setting while thinking about neuromuscular control, you can decrease you chances of injury because you're strengthening the muscles you use in a way you would typically use them.

Many athletes incorporate functional training into their training plans as well, not only doing exercises that mimic movements in their sport, but doing exercises that help strengthen muscles that may be over-looked and can therefore cause injury. For example, cyclists are known for having large strong legs, but a relatively weak upper body. Because of the position on the bike and because of this relative muscular imbalance, cyclists are known for having back problems. Functional core-training exercises are a great way for a cyclist, or many people who experience back pain, to decrease their chances of back injuries.

So if you're looking for something new and fun to incorporate into your workout, why not try functional training? For more information visit exercise.wsu.edu or talk with a personal trainer.