Do you want to get fitter, but classic strength training with hours of dumbbell lifting or CrossFit isn't really your thing? Then you should take a look at functional fitness!
Instead of just training individual muscle groups, functional training focuses on movements that you need in your everyday life.
The aim is to become stronger, more flexible and more resilient, not just for the gym but also for the challenges of life.
Whether you're carrying heavy shopping up the stairs or bending down to pick something up, functional fitness prepares you for all of these situations and makes you a real everyday hero!
What is functional fitness and why should I start doing it?
Functional fitness, or “functional training” in German, means that you train movements that you regularly make in your everyday life. The aim is to strengthen the entire body while improving coordination, balance and mobility.
In functional training, you perform multi-joint exercises, which means you use multiple muscle groups at the same time. You simulate everyday movements such as lifting, pulling, pushing and twisting.
Why should you start doing this? It's simple: functional fitness improves your performance in almost every everyday situation. This is especially important if you sit a lot or have a physically demanding job.
What advantages does functional training offer me in my daily life?
There are many good reasons to do functional training – here are some of the main benefits:
You become stronger and more flexible for everyday movements
Functional training helps you to train movements that you make every day. If you regularly do squats, lunges and deadlifts, you will quickly notice that you can in your daily life better handle heavy loads. Whether you are lifting heavy boxes or running up the stairs – with functional fitness you are prepared for it.
Fewer injuries
One of the biggest advantages of functional training is that it helps you prevent injuries. Functional exercises train your joints, tendons and muscles to make them more resistant to overloading and poor posture. You learn how to perform movements correctly – for example, how to lift heavier things without straining your back.
Stronger core
A strong core is essential for good posture and stability in everyday life. Your core, i.e. the muscles of your trunk, is used in almost all functional exercises – whether it's planks, push-ups or squats. A strong core not only improves your posture, but also protects your lower back from injury.
Functional fitness is a mix of strength and endurance training because you often use several muscle groups at the same time during the exercises. As a result, you will notice that you have more energy in your everyday life and do not feel exhausted as quickly.
Better balance and coordination
Many functional training exercises are designed to improve your coordination and balance. This means you will become smoother and more secure in your movements – whether you are climbing stairs, changing direction quickly or lifting objects.
Improved posture
Since functional training engages the deeper-lying muscles in your body, it also improves your posture. With a strengthened core and improved mobility, you are less prone to poor posture and back pain. This is especially noticeable in people who sit a lot or have to carry heavy objects.
What is the difference between functional training and traditional strength training?
The main differences between functional training and traditional strength training lie in the goals and the type of exercises used in each form of training.
Here are the key points that distinguish the two training approaches:
Objective
Functional training: The aim here is to train movements that you perform in your everyday life. The goal is to address multiple muscle groups simultaneously and to improve your body's ability to perform complex movements efficiently and safely. It aims to improve mobility, balance, stability and coordination. The result? You will not only become stronger, but also more resilient to injuries and better equipped for everyday life.
Traditional strength training: The focus here is often on building muscle mass and increasing maximum strength. In most cases, isolated muscle groups are worked on specifically. The aim is to increase muscle size and strength without necessarily paying attention to the functionality of the movement. The exercises are often less geared towards complex movements and more towards strengthening a single muscle.
Exercise approach
Functional training: This approach favors multi-joint exercises. This means that multiple muscle groups and joints are trained simultaneously. Exercises such as squats, deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and push-ups are typical examples. These exercises mimic movements you make in your daily life – such as picking up heavy objects or standing up from a seated position.
Traditional strength training: This often focuses on the isolation of individual muscles. Exercises such as bicep curls, leg extensions or butterfly presses specifically train a muscle or muscle group. Often, training is done on machines that guide the movement and isolate the muscles in the process.
Movement sequences and coordination
Functional training: The exercises are designed to improve complex and natural movements. Both the large and smaller stabilizing muscles are trained. You not only train strength, but also coordination, balance and mobility.
Traditional strength training: Movements are often controlled and limited to a linear motion. Isolation exercises such as lat pulls or machine training aim to simplify movements and focus on the targeted muscle without working on coordination or balance. The focus is on pure strength development.
Equipment
Functional training: This often involves working with free weights, kettlebells, resistance bands or your own body weight. Unconventional training equipment such as medicine balls or TRX loops are also often used to enable versatile and dynamic movements. This type of equipment enables movements that are less stable and require more control from the body.
Traditional strength training: This usually involves working with machines or free weights such as barbells and dumbbells. Machines guide the movements, making it easier to focus on the isolated muscle without requiring much coordination or balance. Equipment such as leg presses or chest presses are also typical examples of strength training equipment.
Training goals and results
Functional training: The main goal is to build functional strength that helps you move better in your daily life. You become more resilient, dynamic and agile. The training is aimed at general fitness and health, not necessarily at maximum muscle development. It can also help to avoid pain or weakness caused by repetitive movement patterns.
Traditional strength training: The goal here is often to build muscle mass (hypertrophy) and increase maximum strength. Progress is often visible in aesthetic terms: larger muscles, more defined arms, legs or chest. There is a greater focus on muscle growth and strength gains than on improving mobility, coordination or everyday fitness.
Functional fitness or strength training: Which is better for me?
The right approach for you depends on your goals:
Do you want to get fit for everyday life, improve your mobility and promote your stability? Then functional training is a great choice.
If your main goal is to build muscle mass or maximum strength, then traditional strength training is a good option. Here you can work specifically on individual muscles and achieve visible progress faster.
How do I get started with functional fitness?
So you want to get started with functional fitness, but you don't know how? No problem! Here is a brief step-by-step guide to getting into functional training:
Define your goal – What do you want to achieve with functional fitness?
Before you jump into your first squat, think about what you want to achieve with functional fitness. Do you want to:
Once you know your goal, you can tailor your training to achieve it.
Start with the right basics
Functional fitness doesn't have to be complicated, but it's important to get the basics right. Start with simple but effective exercises that will help you build core muscles and improve your mobility.
Here are the most important exercises to get you started:
Squats: These will not only strengthen your legs, but also your core and hip muscles. Important: Make sure that you don't let your knees collapse inwards and keep your back straight.
Lunges: These will improve your balance, strengthen your leg muscles and improve hip stability. Try to slowly build up to them by using your body weight as resistance before you reach for weights.
Planks: One of the best exercises to strengthen your core muscles. Keep your whole body tensed and your back straight.
Push-ups: Strengthen your chest, shoulders and arms – a classic but extremely effective exercise that everyone should be able to do. Make sure you do it properly: hands shoulder-width apart, tense your abs, and keep a straight line from head to toe.
Tip: Start with bodyweight exercises before using additional weights. This will help you to learn how to control your movements properly and to master the technique.
Learn the right technique – the be-all and end-all of functional fitness
Performing each exercise correctly is absolutely crucial in functional training. It's not about doing as many repetitions as possible in the shortest possible time, but about performing the movements precisely and with control. This not only improves the effectiveness of your training, but also protects you from injuries.
If you are unsure whether your technique is correct, ask a trainer to correct you or record yourself on video to check your form yourself.
Incorporate functional fitness into your daily routine
There is no excuse not to incorporate functional fitness – you can even do it right away in your daily routine. Remember that you can use functional movements to train throughout the day without it looking like a traditional workout.
Take the staircase instead of the elevator: it sounds simple, but stairs are the perfect workout for your legs. Every time you take the stairs instead of the elevator, you strengthen your legs and improve your endurance.
Lifting boxes or bags correctly: Lift with your legs instead of your back. This trains your core and protects your back.
Incorporate short plank sessions: Do a one-minute plank while you're waiting at the coffee machine or taking a break. These mini-sessions add up and give you an additional training effect.
Be smart – use the SmartWOD apps for your training
If you need inspiration for new workouts or don't know how to structure your functional training, the SmartWOD apps are there to help. They take the guesswork out of your workouts and ensure that you train efficiently.
SmartWOD Workout Generator: The Workout Generator app creates a suitable functional fitness workout for you based on the equipment available. No matter whether you just want to do bodyweight exercises or work with dumbbells and kettlebells, the app always offers you varied and targeted workouts. You simply enter the equipment you have available and the app will immediately put together a suitable workout for you.
SmartWOD Timer: If you want to do your workout in an interval format like AMRAP or EMOM, the SmartWOD Timer is the perfect companion. You no longer have to concentrate on the time, but can fully focus on the exercises and their execution. The app takes over the timing and ensures the correct structure of your workout.
As you can see, functional fitness makes you fit for everyday life.
Functional fitness is the key to a stronger, more resilient body – not only in the gym, but also in everyday life.
Whether you have to lift heavy, sit for long periods or just want to be fitter and more agile, functional training is the solution.
With the SmartWOD apps, you always have the right workout at hand, whether you're training at home, in the gym or on the road.
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