The research is clear: integrating regular movement into our daily routine is one of the best things we can do for both our short-term and long-term health! From improving heart health to supporting weight loss, exercise undeniably improves our well-being and overall quality of life. And while any form of exercise can contribute to these benefits, functional fitness holds particular importance in enhancing our overall health and daily functioning. By engaging in functional fitness exercises that simulate real-life movements, we not only improve our strength, flexibility, and coordination but also reduce the risk of injury and illness and enhance our ability to perform daily activities with ease!
What is Functional Fitness?
So what is functional fitness, exactly? Functional fitness is a training approach that aims to enhance the body’s ability to perform everyday tasks with efficiency and ease. Unlike traditional workout routines that target isolated muscle groups or prioritize aesthetic goals, functional fitness emphasizes exercises that mimic real-life movements, making them more practical and beneficial for everyday life.
These exercises, which include movements such as bending, lifting, pushing, pulling, and twisting, not only strengthen muscle groups we activate on a regular basis, but they also help to enhance our overall strength, stability, coordination, and flexibility. In turn, this makes it easier to carry out everyday tasks like carrying groceries, climbing stairs, or playing with your kids without strain or discomfort!
Try a Functional Fitness Workout Today
Want a guided workout option? Get started with one of these FitOn functional fitness classes.
Fully FUNctional
This full body strength workout features functional strength training, which includes an exercise protocol that involves compound movements, balancing exercises, and isolation exercises. This workout is designed to utilize functional movement to help you live a stronger, more coordinated, and more joyful life; together we will put the FUN in FUNctional.
Functional Strength
Work through simple movements that can improve your strength, balance, and coordination.
Functional HIIT
Experience the ultimate full body transformation with this heart-pounding full body HIIT workout. Leave this workout feeling stronger, fitter, and more empowered than ever before.
Functional Full Body Fit
This workout is all about being fit for the function of life. Strengthening your muscles, bulletproofing your joints, and working in all planes of motion. Whether it’s picking up and carrying a child, dog or shopping bags, or playing sports, this workout will have you fit for whatever life throws at you. It’s strength focused with some cardio scattered in between. You’ll need a set of dumbbells.
The Takeaway
Functional fitness not only improves our physical capabilities, but also promotes longevity and boosts our overall well-being. By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can improve your strength, stability, mobility, and overall functionality, and what’s not to love about that? Whether it’s carrying groceries, playing with your children, or performing routine tasks, functional fitness empowers you to tackle daily activities with ease and confidence. Plus, adding in regular movement and functional fitness exercises helps to combat the negative impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. So, use this guide as motivation to get started, and watch the positive benefits trickle into both your fitness regime and daily routine.
