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Functional Fitness |
Trina writes, "A Buzz word in the gym these days is "Functional Fitness." It's about training your body to handle real life situations. It is about teaching your muscles to work together."
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In the gym you will find Functional movements and Nonfunctional movements. In my opinion, compound or multi-joint movements are Functional. For example, performing a Squat is standing from a seated position; Dead-Lifting is picking an object off the ground, and performing a Turkish Get-Up is standing up from a lie down position. In other words, natural movements typically involve the movements of multiple joints for every activity.
As I mentioned, Nonfunctional movements are performed in the gym, movements such as leg extensions, and leg curls. Both movements have no equivalent in nature and are in turn Nonfunctional movements. Unfortunately the majority of isolation movements are Nonfunctional.
There are two important reasons why Functional movements are prevalent. First of all the Functional movement is mechanically sound and therefore safe, and secondly they are the movements that elicit a high neuroendocrine response. Neuroendocrine is the (positive) effect your body gets neurologically, or hormonally. With Nonfunctional movements you get little to no neuroendocrine response.
Not involving Functional movements in your exercise routine would be considered a waste of time. Functional Fitness is one of my themes.
Trina K Kubitschek, CPT
Owner of CrossFit Station
Nutrition Counseling
Endurance Coaching
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Posted on Jan 16, 2012 07:51am.
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