What is Functional Fitness?

In yesterday’s post I talked about my journey to functional fitness. Which begs the question: what is functional fitness anyway?

You have probably heard this term bandied about but do you really know what it means? Functional fitness has to do with being well-balanced, well-rounded and physically prepared in terms of strength, agility and endurance, prepared to take on whatever physical challenge life might throw at you. Functional fitness is about reaching for a fitness ideal. Rather than achieving excellence in one area of fitness, athletes who are functionally fit reflect on overall fitness ideal. Many of the greatest athletes who are the personification of power, grace, mobility and endurance embody a multitude of highly developed traits rather than excellence in one area.

And just as well-rounded attributes contribute to making great athletes, they can do the same for the average person seeking to improve their quality of life and their personal fitness level. If functional fitness is a multitude of highly developed traits, how is this achieved? It is achieved through joint mobility, by adding planes of movement, and by increasing the level of sophistication through a complex movement chain. This is developed through component learning whereby each movement becomes a building block to the next.

Joint mobility is essential because if any of your joints are restricted, then your movement is restricted and functionality is compromised. Joint mobility increases freedom of movement. Functional fitness then, goes beyond three-dimensional movement. Traditional bodybuilding and calisthenics were primarily 2-dimensional: up/down, front/back. Functional fitness adds left and right as well as rotational/twisting, swaying/circular and diagonal movement.

Another component of functionality is increasing skill level by adding levels of sophistication. Most fitness programs adjust variables like intensity, volume, speed, duration to achieve gains. But also progressing complexity develops neuromuscular efficiency, preparing you for the next higher level. To quote Scott Sonnon, “Your nervous system evolves to become “smarter” and more efficient as you progress.” 

To say that “We don’t just move more – more weight, more time, more frequency – we move better”, I think for me encapsulates the essence of functional fitness. Increasing movement sophistication makes the idea of physical practice that much more exciting. Functional fitness makes life more interesting because it opens up possibilities. It is an exploration of human movement and potential. This exploration develops our minds, bodies and spirits. The primary focus is hard work devoted to developing attributes and skills. Being able to move and control your body is a by-product of functional training. Doing so makes you more self-aware, confident, stronger, athletic and healthier in a functional way.

I hope this clarifies a commonly used term in the fitness industry. I credit Scott Sonnon (CST) and Shawn Mozen (Agatsu) for educating me in this regard. Are you inspired to evolve your nervous system? Begin your journey to functional fitness today. Join FitFOREVER @ fitforeverottawa.com