By: Eric McKnight, A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
Functional training can be defined as exercise which involves training the body for activities that it will encounter in everyday life. One of the most common questions that people ask me when I tell them that I am a personal trainer is; “How much do you bench?” Truth is, I don’t know. I can give you a rough estimate but it has probably been over two years since I have overloaded weight on a bar to see how much I can handle. I specialize in functional training, and when I think about daily and recreational activities none of them really require pushing a massive amount of weight straight from my chest and bringing it back down again. What I have done is lift heavy items over my head to put them on high shelves, picked large objects up off the floor, climbed multiple sets of stairs to get up to my third floor apartment, and stabilized my core to stay balanced while running technical trails. To get better at these activities of daily living, we should focus on healthy movement and the five common movements in everyday life. These movements help to build balance, muscular endurance, core strength and stability. They also increase flexibility and mobility as well as improve joint alignment.
- The Bend / Lift (hip hinge)
- Single Leg
- Pushing
- Pulling
- Rotation
Here are some basic examples of each common movement:
Bend / Lift – Kettlebell Deadlift
Single Leg – TRX Pistol Squat
Pushing – TRX Chest Press
Pulling – Resistance Band Row
Rotational – Cable Torso Rotation