Functional fitness

Functional fitness is an attempt to target and simulate real world actions in a training environment. Much attention has been paid to items like the BOSU ball and exercise balls but are these items really effective for establishing functional ability? The short answer in my opinion is no!

BOSU trainers and exercise balls are very good tools for recruiting deep postural muscle and establishing core stability and balance but they are not replicating and training functional movements. How often in life are we required to roll over a soft inflated ball and hold a planked posture for 20-seconds? This does not mean that these exercises are not valuable, far from it, core based training exercises are extremely important in a well rounded training program. However, it is inaccurate to cite the exercise ball, sissel pads, and BOSU trainers as "functional" training tools.

The question remains then......what are functional movements? The following is a relatively complete but not exhaustive summary of functional movement patterns:

1). Running- All speeds and all directions....forward, backward, side-to-side, crossovers, and shuffling.

2). Jumping-This general category includes, jumping, hopping, and bounding. Within this category are several subsets including double legs, single leg, and alternating legs. Add to this forward, backward, and lateral movements and there is an astonishing array of jumping movements.

3). Swinging- An extremely important element in most sporting and athletic movements. Think golf, tennis, baseball, hockey, and lacrosse....all of these sports feature a prominent swinging motion.

4). Pulling-Pulling high, pulling low, pulling on one leg or two, pulling someone or pulling yourself up something.

5). Pressing- Pressing is an essential movement in many sport situations...most often presses are performed against a resisting object, often an opponent. However, pressing is in itself a very effective way to improve impulse, power, and vertical leaping ability.

6). Squatting- All forms of squatting including wide stance (sumo) squats, and lunges are effective functional exercises. However, it is improtant to note that Squats done on a Smith machine or an other device largely negates the functional benefit. Effective squats are performed with or without weight in a totally unconstrained movement pattern.

Anyway, this post is getting longish. However, it serves as a very good pre-amble to the announcement of the new Velocity Fitness functional training classes which will begin in two weeks time on Saturday mornings. Final details will be confirmed by May 5, 2007.

Ciao for now! Mark

Functional fitness

The word "functional" is a very common catchphrase these days in the fitness industry. However, there seems to be limited understanding as to what a functional exercise is?

Functional fitness is an attempt to describe physical training that translates directly into athletic performance. Ideally, a functional exercise has a real world counterpart-an activity or action that the exercise directly replicates.

What makes an exercise functional? Perhaps a better question is, "what isn't a functional exercise?"

I will briefly outline exercises that are not functional:

1) Seated anythings: seated shoulder press, seated rows, seated bicep curls, leg press, leg extensions......anything where you sit is not functional.

2) Bench press: Although Bench press is a good exercise, it is not functional. Push-ups are a much more functional chest exercise.

3) Machines: Machines do not replicate funtional movements. They fix the limbs into a prescribed movement pattern that does not reflect the variation of natural movement.

Functional exercises replicate natural actions and primarily involve coordinated full-body movements. The next posts will focus on functional movements.

I will leave you with a video of function in action. Parkour or free-running involves the application of functional movement into a variable and potentially punishing environment. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEeqHj3Nj2c

Challenges

One of the most important intangible element of training is the setting and attainment of goals. Challenges gear training towards a desired end. Often the desired end is the attainment of "a better physique" or " six pack abs", or "losing the fat around my gut". These are all good goals..........but after time they are not enough to sustain motivation and generate continued improvements. These goals are too limited in scope to bring true success to the individual.

In my experience the most successful "trainers" are people who set external goals in training. An external goal is a challenge that is not internally motivated by self image. External goals pose a quantifiable challenge and are a vital piece of the training puzzle.

Quantifiable chalenges include, running a 10km, running a 10km in under 45 minutes, doing 10 pull-ups, running a triathlon, competing in a tennis tournament..................the possibilities are truly endless. The ironic thing about external challenges is that they are so much more effective at bringing about the desired results in terms of physique. It's amazing what training for a triathlon does to the fat around your mid-section!

Anyway, I want to hear about your external challenges peeps. What do you want to accomplish this summer...........and what are you going to do to get it?

Talk soon, M.

The power of training

To me there is a fundamental difference between "going to the gym" and training. Typical gym workouts involve the segregation of strength and cardio into two distinct, non-overlapping entities. Most often I hear.............."well I do cardio for 30-minutes and then I do weights". Further, weight training is broken down into even more distinct subsets like chest and back one day, legs the next day, shoulders and arms the next day.....blah, blah, blah.

This style of training was invented by bodybuilders........for bodybuilding. There is nothing wrong with this style of training if you are aiming to be a gym star and want large, non-functional muscle. However, this style of training totally omits the variability of athletic endeavors and omits important elements like speed, agility, quickness, coordination, balance, and power.

Training in my opinion should be geared towards completing the individual, making the person stronger, faster, quicker, and more explosive. Don't fret, training still makes your pecs and arms bulge and gives you "great glutes", but it promotes symmetry and balance. Training is an endeavor towards greatness......working out is an endeavor towards walking down the beach.

The question is, do you want to train or do you want to go to the gym? Training does not have to consume your life, it takes the same amount of time as working out but the approach is different. Stay tuned for more.

More cool video of ju-jitsu phenom Shinya Aoki http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GKneOIyXyA

Talk soon, M

Power

My clients hear this word a lot........in fact, they might actually like to hear it less. However, that is quite unlikely as I highly esteem power and try to cultivate it as much as possible.

Power is not the sole domain of densely built weightlifters grunting loudly in a one-piece singlet. Far from it, power is a highly valuable asset in most sports including running, volleyball, martial arts, soccer, etc. Power allows for higher level performances and distinguishes elite performers from the rest of the pack. Power is also extremely valuable to the recreational trainer or the person who is "trying to get into shape".

Defined power is Force X Distance / Time. For the readers here who may have forgotten first year physics, force times distance is defined as work. Power then is work divided by time. Power essentially allows the athlete to accomplish a lot of work in a short period of time. This translates into faster running, higher jumps, and vastly improved performance.

So how does power help the "person trying to get into shape"? The answer lies in the volume of work you can accomplish per unit time. Increased power (specifically aerobic power) allows for a much higher rate of work. In turn the body is forced to adapt by increasing energy consumption (weight loss), and laying down the physiological framework that allows for increased workloads. These physiological changes include, increased capillarization around lung alveoli, increased lean tissue mass (muscle), and increased metabolic rate. All of these changes translate into better fitness..............faster.

There will be more on power as I believe it is not understood well and needs a much better reputation.

I also wanted to post a video of the late great Andy Hug, the mustachioed Swiss kickboxing phenom. Andy was a great martial artist and fighter, perhaps the last of his kind. He died of cancer at the young age of 35. Rest in peace Andy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb6BbwKiPHQ