Functional Fitness

I've been injured several times.

I've torn my right calf muscle twice, I've had plantar fasciitis, I've had a stress fracture in my lower femur, and I've had a green-stick fracture in my wrist- (that one was from being a klutz, and tripping over myself while running for a drop-shot in tennis. However, I did still manage to win the national double championships with my fiberglass cast, because our opponents couldn't figure out what we were doing when we continuously swapped sides so I wouldn't have to hit a backhand).

Anyway, my point is that because of these injuries I've seen many physio therapists, sports doctors, and massage therapists. One thing that every one of these people has told me is that being strong is about strengthening the little muscles that no-one can see- not the vanity muscles like biceps and pecs.

This is what I was thinking about when our class was told about functional fitness at the Gainesville Health and Fitness Center, Thursday.

The trainer said that the exercises we do in the gym should serve a purpose in everyday life. That is, they should help us climb stairs without holding onto the rail, they should help our posture when we sit in chairs all day long, and they should make our whole body more balanced and strong.

Essentially, this means our exercise regime should utilize the six primal movement patterns- squat, lunge, push, pull, twist, and bend.

I like the idea of "primal movements" because- I don't know if she meant it like this or not- but to me it means not having to go to the gym to get in a good workout. I love to run outdoors, and bike around. But I'm incredibly lazy when it comes to going to the gym and working out on the various weight machines. If I feel like I'm getting weaker, I'll start doing push-ups or I'll do various balancing exercises that I've made up by standing in front of the mirror. If I'm feeling particularly ambitious, I'll even do some squats, as well as some physio exercises I've learnt over the years to strengthen my core.

Functional fitness is the "in" thing at gyms these days. But beside being cool, it is also very practical. This article talks about utilizing the primal movements by doing things like lifting a basket of laundry, carrying bags of groceries to the car, and moving while holding awkward objects.

When you workout, you should think about the practical things that you need to do in life, such as picking up a dog, taking out the trash, or moving a table. And then think about how you can strengthen and balance your whole body so you don't throw out your back or pull a muscle. This article explains it more.

I'm not trying to be corny, but you don't just want to look strong, you want to be strong.