Functional training is designed to help you perform everyday activities effortlessly, like lifting a heavy box or reaching for something high and out of reach. These may sound and seem like trivial tasks, but adding functional exercises into your fitness workout routine could lower your risk of injury.
The term functional fitness may not sound very attractive or sexy, like other stylized workouts, but at the core of every workout, you’ll either find key movements or at least the essence of a functional exercise. So getting down the essential movements will help improve your overall workout performance.
Why are Functional Fitness Exercises Essential?
Functional exercises focus on using your whole body and multiple muscles simultaneously to strengthen your core and improve your mobility and stability— the key sources that can help you perform better with your workouts.
Without strengthening your core, you’ll struggle with lifting weights (and possibly injuring yourself). If you can’t maintain stability or balance, your form will be off, which could compromise the quality of your movements. And if you’re not actively focusing on your mobility, you’re not giving your body the chance to fully extend its potential.
Let’s take a look at the essential movements that can help you perform at your best.
6 Essential Functional Fitness Exercises
There are 6 exercises that are essential in functional training, and as a personal trainer, these movements are at the center of every workout I use with my clients and for my own fitness routine.
Jump Squats
A compound exercise that trains your body to move with explosive power. The benefits of jump squats are to help improve your upper and lower body strength. You’re engaging your core muscles while strengthening your glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
How to:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and with your core engaged, and push your hips back, bending your knees (as if you’re going to sit down on a chair) for a low squat position.
- Bend your elbows and have your hands in front of you.
3. As you lift up into a jump, use your arms and legs for powerful leverage to help you propel upward.
4. Softly land in a squat position while bringing the arms down by your side. Repeat
Plank
Planks work the entire body, from the deltoids (shoulder muscles) all the way to your calves. The main area of focus is your core, which is at the center of your body’s power and strength.
How to do a plank:
To get into a proper plank position, make sure your forearms or palms are shoulder width apart— a shorter distance won’t provide stability, and too far apart could cause an injury.
Make sure toes are fully planted on the ground and lift at the center, making sure your hips are sagging or hiked up, think of a straight arrow.
Roll your shoulders down and back.
Remember to breathe and hold for 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat 2 to 3 times.
Bent Over Dumbbell Rows
An exercise that focuses on your upper body and is one of the best movements to build a stronger back. This two-step movement can help build your rhomboid muscles- bands that stretch from your upper spine to your shoulder blades.
How to do a Bent Over Dumbbell Row:
- Place the dumbbells on the ground beside your feet and stand shoulder-width apart.
- Hinge at the waist, making sure your back is flat, and your chest is parallel to the ground. Your gaze should be forward.
3. With slightly bent knees, grab the dumbbells with a medium grip.
4. Pull the dumbbells up while keeping your elbows close to your side body.
5. Your shoulder blades should try to touch each other.
6. Inhale with every pull-up and exhale with the release. Repeat again.
Lateral Lunges
This side-to-side movement is an essential exercise that strengthens your quads and glutes. Most importantly, it can help the mobility of your hip abductors to enhance your overall workout performance for other exercises.
How to do a lateral side lunge:
Standing with your feet together and arms down by your side, make sure your shoulders are relaxed and your chest is lifted.
Take a big step out to the side with your right foot, bending your knee while pushing your hips back- like you're about to sit on a chair.
Keep your left leg straight and planted on the ground.
Push up through your right foot and return to start.
Repeat the same steps on the other side.
Rotational Exercises - Reverse Lunges
Rotational exercises can help improve core stability, muscle development, and total body coordination. Just adding a simple twist movement to the exercise can test your balance and stability.
Here is a good example of a rotational exercise- the reverse lunge with rotation.
How to:
- Hold a dumbbell at each end or have hands touching each other holding up your arms at chest level.
- With your shoulders down and back and engage your core.
3. Take a step back with your right foot, making sure your toes are planted fully on the ground.
4. In the lunge position, twist your torso over your left thigh.
5. Release the foot that stepped back and rotate the torso back to the center front.
6. Repeat on the other leg.
Anti-Rotation Exercise- Plank with Shoulder Taps
Anti-rotation exercises are static movements that resist or prevent your torso from rotating, which can strengthen and stabilize your core. Sounds counter-intuitive, right? An exercise that goes against movement. But by pushing you to resist rotation of the upper body, you’re placing the energy towards your core.
Here is a good example of an anti-rotation exercise- shoulder tap plank. It combines upper body movement with a plank to strengthen your core and test your stability.
How to do a plank with shoulder taps:
Get into a high plank position, making sure your hands are placed shoulder-width apart.
Form a straight line from your head to your toe, like an arrow, making sure your hips aren’t hiked up or sagging down.
Engage your core, and with your right hand tap your left shoulder.
Place your right hand down and with your hand- tap your right shoulder.
Repeat and do 20 taps.
Final Takeaway- Functional Fitness Workouts
Including functional exercises in your workout routine will support higher-quality performance, getting you closer (and faster) to achieving your fitness goals. Incorporating functional exercises also can help lower your risk of injuries during and after a workout- isn’t that the most essential? By being active, feeling good, and staying healthy? It’s what I believe in the most.
