Today the word sounds in the gym - this is functional training. It has many meanings for many health and fitness practitioners. My understanding and implementation of functional learning came from many sources, including my own learning and teaching in martial arts and numerous sports, combined with the study of many leading experts in this field, including Gary Gray (known as the father of function) Paul Chek (who also is known as the person who bought these large Swiss / stable balls in our halls) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine, but these are just a few of them.
Here is the definition of functional training at the National Academy of Sports Medicine:
"All functional patterns of motion are associated with the slowing, stabilization and acceleration that occurs in each joint in the kinetic chain and in all three planes of motion." (1)
Embarrassed?
Let us drop this definition, as I believe that it is important to know what underlies functional training, since this is not just a case of exercises on balls or on one leg, for the sake of it.
Since most of us drive, I will use driving as an analogy for functional movement.
There are muscles that are brakes, while others are accelerators, and both are supported by a clutch that helps dictate how quickly or slowly we go. The core muscles often take on the role of a clutch, as they begin to move. As you know, when you drive a “real” car: to make it move, you need to first press the clutch to place it first or vice versa. (That's why I don't like driving automation, for example, using machine scales is boring and does not require skills or control). Clutch often fits in the background because it supports movement, but your effectiveness with it is an important factor in how good you are.
A kinetic chain is simply a connection between all parts, if one of the lines of communication is broken (for example, a battery), then you are in trouble and do not go anywhere.
Three planes of motion - this is the steering wheel. We can move back and forth (sagittal plane), deviate from the side (frontal plane) and surround a circular motion (transverse plane).
To help you better distinguish yourself, below is a list of terms developed by Gary Gray, which describes whether our efforts are functional or non-functional. (2)
Non-functional - Functional
Isolated - Integrated
Stiff - flexible
Unlimited - Unlimited
Artificial - physiological
Fake - real
Link Action - Chain Reaction
Gravity is confused - user Gravity
Laboratory - Vital
Mechanical - Biomechanical
Deceptive - Proprioceptive
1 dimensional - multidimensional
Here are two of these concepts:
Isolated against integrated
The body knows only the movements associated with the function.
Isolation training gets results in terms of increased muscle mass and strength, because it allows you to fatigue individual muscles, but this often comes at the expense of physical freedom. Have you seen how some body builders walk rigidly and rigidly - this is often the result of many isolated exercises based on training individual muscle groups, such as a curl of the biceps. On the other hand, athletes can use isolated training, but will then use integrated training to achieve more efficient movement patterns.
Real against. Fake
Look at this machine in the gym where you lie, and then bring the legs to your ass - a hamstring curl. Where in the real world do you see this movement? However, every day we use some form or lunge or squat to pick up things.
A useful way to see functional exercises in action is what Pavel Chek describes as “Primary Templates”. The check calls them Primal because they were functional movements that we used to survive as an early person. (3)
Including:
- Push
- To pull
- twist
- to rush
- squat
- bend
Now to the specific functional and non-functional exercises:
Non-functional - Functional
Bench - push up
Lat pull down - Pull up
Seated Triceps Extender - Dip
Leg extension - lunge
Leg Press - Squats
Non-functional exercises have characteristics, including performance, on machines that include single muscles in isolation and do not require stabilization of the core muscles. You should note that one of the characteristics of the functional exercises is that they include using your body weight as resistance. This ability is called relative strength. For example, how many chins, push-ups, squats, falls, dips that you can perform is an indication of your relative strength.
Summary of the benefits of functional learning:
- Daily life - integrated training helps you develop muscles to work synergistically together as a team, resulting in an overall increase in strength, balance, co-regulation and strength
- Stronger core muscles, such as pushups, will require your chest, arms, shoulders, and those important core stabilizing muscles to work. While sitting press for the chest will allow the skeleton of the muscles of the nucleus. Weak core muscles are one of the main reasons for our unsuccessful epidemic.
- More muscle used equals more calories / energy burned by J
- The time saved by the simultaneous exposure of several muscles is one of the biggest reasons why I often wake up not to train - this is a lack of time.
- Money is saved - you don't need expensive equipment (or even gym membership), just some basics, including your body and a small space.
Craig Burton
Recommendations
1 PES Online Guide, Optimal Performance Training for a Performance Professional, National Academy of Sports Medicine, 2001
(2) Functional Video Digest Series, Gray, G., available at functionaldesignsystems.com
3 Chek, P., How to eat, move and be healthy, Chek Institute, 2004
