What Are the Advantages of Functional Training?
There are numerous advantages of functional training when you stop to think about everything this method brings you. Not only will your body thank you, but also the mind. In addition, even the people close to you will see how you’re building a healthy lifestyle habit.
Chances are that at some point you’ve heard the term “functional training”? Particularly since it’s become more popular in recent years. This popularity is due not only to its great advantages, which we’ll talk about more, but also the fact that it suits pretty much everyone.
Advantages of functional training
In the first place, functional training emerged in order to rehabilitate injuries in athletes, but over time it can strengthen your body. In addition, its main goal focuses on working as many muscle groups as possible.
This is done through exercises similar to the movements people make every day. For this reason, coaches and trainers recommend these exercises. Because of this, we’ll show you the main advantages of functional training.
Helps you to lose weight
One of the main advantages of functional training is weight loss. This is because of the intense exercises and the increase in the metabolic process. Generally, weight loss mainly happens from losing fat with this method.
We should also mention that most of the workouts are aimed at burning calories, and functional training is no exception. The rationale is clear: a study published in the Journals of Nutrition & Metabolism, bases the foundation on weight loss. With a balanced diet, the results are even better.
Strengthens the core area
Despite not focusing on a particular muscle group, functional training has the great advantage of strengthening your core. The core region is made up of different muscles, and this method works all of them.
There’s a wide variety of functional exercises that’ll help you strengthen this region, from the lower back to the obliques and abdominals. All of these muscles are necessary to develop strength throughout the body in a timely manner.
Improves posture
The advantages we mentioned above are linked to posture. By strengthening your core muscles, your spine benefits. If you strengthen the muscles around the vertebrae, they prevent forced movements.
On the other hand, working your core well prevents the spine from taking negative postures, especially in the lower back.
Do them at home
Many people enjoy working out at home because they don’t have to go to the gym. Also, they don’t have to socialize when they’re tired or not in the mood. Apart from that, the comfort of home is irreplaceable.
Based on all of that, you can do full functional training routines at home. Of course, this is only if they’re suitable for your physical condition. Therefore, make sure you consult a professional trainer anyway.
Prevent injuries with functional training
The main goal of functional training is to emulate daily movements through exercises. This helps your body become positively predisposed before making any movement. Then, it reduces your risk of suffering from an injury.
Also, you can learn to do technical gestures correctly. We’re talking about movements that you make every day, such as bending over or lifting a heavy object.
Complement your favorite sport
Another advantage of functional training is that you can complement it with the sport that you practice regularly. No matter what it is, this method won’t hurt your performance. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. You can even use it to improve your abilities or recover from an injury.
Take advantage of functional training
Don’t wait for an opportunity to go to the gym or sports center. Take advantage of the spaces in your home, research more about functional training, and ask an instructor to prepare a routine for you and teach you the exercises.
This can even motivate you to start in the world of healthy habits and lifestyles, even more so if it’s through a training method that offers so many advantages. In addition, as we’ve already mentioned, functional training is suitable for practically all types of people.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Isidro, F. P., Heredia, J. R., Ramón Costa, M., & Pinsach, P. (2007). Entrenamiento funcional: revisión y replanteamientos. Manual Del Entrenador Personal: Del Fitness Al Wellness.
- Pinzón Ríos, I. D. (2015). Entrenamiento funcional del core: eje del entrenamiento inteligente. Revista Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud UDES. https://doi.org/10.20320/rfcsudes.v2i1.247
