I looked for a definition. One of the better ones I could find was from the Mayo Clinic*: “Functional fitness exercises train your muscles to work together and prepare them for daily tasks by simulating common movements you might do at home, at work or in sports.” Even when I see definitions from reputable source, e.g., Mayo Clinic, the American College of Sports Medicine, etc., I struggle to see how this is any different than simply “fitness”. The only real difference I can see is that functional training does not emphasize significant progressive overload. I am sure I will offend and receive counter arguments from the functional fitness proponents, but, let’s get real, all physical fitness training is targeted toward training “your muscles to work together and prepare them for daily tasks by simulating common movements you might do at home, at work or in sports.” The major component of “functional fitness”, however, is to mimic these “common movements”.
Personally, I think the “functional fitness” label is yet another trendy marketing tool used by trainers to attract clients. Now, perhaps, there is some value to this. There are many who are turned off by traditional exercise. So, the label may lower the feel factor—kind of like “toning” for people who don’t want to build big muscles.
Let’s break down the “functional” aspects of fitness that one requires for the daily tasks of living: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility, speed, power, balance, agility, coordination, and reaction time. These are the components of physical fitness (minus body composition, which is really a by-product of this training and isn’t necessary for functional living—rather poor body composition, i.e., low muscle mass and/or high fat mass, leads to “dysfunctional” living). So, functional fitness is really just balanced fitness—avoiding the over- or under-emphasis of one or more components of fitness.
Key factors in any fitness program are the principles of overload, progression, and specificity. Thus, the “functional fitness” activities (“simulating common movements you might do at home, at work or in sports”) fall short if they fail the tests of these principles—across the components of physical fitness.
If one truly wants to be functionally fit, one must a) be active and b) train to an intensity that will promote adaptation (or, minimally, maintenance as one ages). There is no magic to being functionally fit.
Aging is not a disease. One cannot blame his or her lack of “functional” fitness on the aging process. The loss of muscle mass most experience as they age (we reportedly lose approximately 10% of our muscle mass from 25 to 50 and another 40% from 50 to 80) is not genetically programmed. This loss is mostly due to the decline in physical activity as we age. We counter this by, well, being physically active.
The best way to be functionally fit is to regularly lift “heavy” weights, do some form of aerobic exercise, and do activities that require speed, power, balance, coordination, agility, and reaction. Within these parameters there is broad opportunity for the expression of individual preferences. Since it is time that is the greatest perceived barrier to exercise for most, follow the K.I.S.S. principle. Keep it simple. If you are not looking to win lifting or physique competitions or run marathons (etc.), you need not set aside an abundance of time. You just need to train smart. Remember: opportunity costs. Don’t waste time doing things that are unproductive.
An often-ignored principle of physical fitness is reversibility—when a training stress is removed or reduced, the body system will revert back to the lower training status, or “use it or lose it”. Our “functional” fitness, then, is improving, maintaining, or declining. Which is all dependent upon what we do on a regular basis.
We hit a point in life where progress is maintenance. We might have to work a bit harder to “maintain”, but it is possible. The key to functional fitness is to do the work. Moreover, it is important to be active and incorporate variety in your recreational physical activity.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!
*https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/functional-fitness/art-20047680