What is Functional Strength
Health and fitness fads come and go all the time but unfortunately not all of them are worth your time and effort. Some of them don’t work, some of them are overhyped and some of them are just plain dangerous.
But ‘functional strength’ is different. While functional strength is very much in vogue right now, it’s not a ‘fad’ by any means. In fact, functional strength is the opposite of a fad and it’s a step in the right direction for all of fitness.
That’s because functional strength take it all back: takes it all back to the reasons that most of us started training in the first place. Or at least the reasons we should be training.
Because let’s be honest: far too many people train ‘for the mirror’. How many guys do you see pulling their t-shirt up in front of the mirror after a set of sit-ups? How many women do you see on treadmills wearing the tiniest pants in the world and barely working up a sweat?
Do you think these people are training for the right reasons?
And how about the guy who is so ridiculously muscular that he can’t touch his toes any more without busting a gut?
This isn’t fitness – not really. And that’s what functional strength addresses.
As the name suggests, functional strength is strength that is functional. In other words, it’s strength that you can use. So you’re not trying to look strong or look health – you’re trying to be those things.
This is the difference between training like a gym bro and training like Bruce Lee. Which would you prefer?
And don’t worry if you’re not super fit, or if you don’t have any interest in becoming an elite athlete: functional strength is important for everyone. Functional strength helps you in every aspect of your life because it gives you better control over your body and your environment.
Functional fitness extends to things like flexibility, correct breathing technique and posture. All these things enable you to move with less pain, more grace and more speed.
When you train for functional strength and fitness, everything becomes easier: from opening a jam jar, to helping a friend move furniture, to getting out of bed in the morning.
And if you want to train for your appearance as your first priority? Well then this is still the right way to go: because when you train for strength and power, you look much better.
Don’t believe me? Then think about it logically: the reason that humans find healthy people attractive is because we assume they have better genetics and are better able to protect themselves and their families.
Someone with functional strength really can do all those things and really is healthier – so they send all of those unconscious signals that make them more attractive to the opposite sex!
