Functional
strength
Useful strength is…
All strength is functional. If the strength gained from an
exercise is not useful it is not really strength. I am not telling you not to
do anything. I want you to get exactly what you want from training. Training is
making adaptions. We can sculpt, strengthen, and build our bodies as we wish.
This is the definition of training. Functional strength is one of those terms
personal trainers have used to rename and take ownership of training modalities
which have existed for decades; maybe centuries.
Functional exercises have been
called agility work, accessory work, and balance work in the past.
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| Strength is functional. Circus acts are not terribly functional. |
American football players warm up for strength work with
agility ladder work sometimes. This is terribly functional. They use both
skills in their sport. Taking one part out of context and calling it functional
training is sloppy at best. Training is difficult enough without functional words
changing every ten years or so. Why change the name? Both the agility work,
with the ladder, and the strength work are functional. Do both! I hope the
strength work is an Olympic style clean or snatch followed by squats and or
deadlifts. There is little training, if any, more functional than squats and
deadlifts. Everyone needs to improve absolute strength. It is the most
functional skill in all of training. If you want to be good at something do
that thing. Training variety is a matter of volume and intensity not exercise
selection. A squat with 100 is a different exercise than a squat with 200. This
is variety. Training a different movement every session is confusing to the
system; not training. Training is utilitarian. Train each movement over time.
If you do not need to do something don’t do it.
If you are on your back and have a weight which must be
overhead after standing up put the weight down and stand up. Then, clean and
jerk it! Do not do a Turkish get up. The “get up” is dysfunctional not
functional. The leverages are compromised on purpose. They are designed to make
it difficult. Training makes things easier not harder. Turkish get ups are
difficult. So is calculus. I do not find a way to use calculus in everyday life
for that sake alone. Sports science does not utilize calculus. Turkish get ups
do not develop useful strength. I used to like to do things the hard way, in
high school. We all knew everything in high school. I grew up and made the most
of what little time I have on earth. There is no benefit from making something convoluted.
Turkish get ups are circus acts not training tools. Do not be fooled by the
functional trainers.
Find a coach or a trainer. Ask what their philosophy is. If
they try to mirror you test them. Find someone who tells you what he/she does.
Then ask them what that can do for you. An actual trainer will tell you what
they do spontaneously. They will also tell you how it helps your goal
attainment as soon as your goals are on the table. Company personal trainers
are taught how to sell you training under the guise of helping you (FMS). Good
trainers do business. Good trainers study training. Sales happen as a result of
that equation and that is good business. If a “trainer” studied business they
are a business person not a trainer. The more I have done business with
business people who choose training as a career the more frustrated I become.
Personal training is a noble career. Honest business people study their craft
and sales happen as a result of expertise. In fitness centers it is used car
sales at the very best. If you want to train find an independent gym. Business
people do not train. Yes, I want to earn business from these posts. I will
never meet the majority of you.
Functional training is a fragment of training these days. It
has been around for centuries. It has gone by many names. Ask your trainer to
describe it to you in an athletic framework. All training science is founded on
athletic science. If the science is other than athletic in nature you are
paying for therapy and the practitioner had better be degreed and licensed; not
just certified. There are laws regarding this practice. All training is
functional. I will say this as many times as I must to make the point. ALL
TRAINING IS FUNCTIONAL!
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