Outdoor functional training

Exercising is becoming more popular than ever. Our vocabulary is filling up with words like crossfit, kettlebell, pull-ups and push-ups, but we often don’t really know what they mean. Specifically, all these words are part of the larger category of functional training.

What is functional training?

Functional training aims to work all the muscles through exercises that tone the entire body, instead of just one part at a time.

What are the benefits of functional training?

The first and most obvious is that it improves your daily life, as working with regular daily movements will increase your mobility in all your usual routines like walking, bending down and carrying shopping bags.

It also reduces the probability of injuries by strengthening the muscles and joints.

How many times have you arrived home after a long day at the office with terrible back pain? We know that spending many hours sitting is harmful to our health, as it leads to bad posture which can sometimes cause muscular discomfort. Functional training helps improve our posture and puts an end to these problems.

What about your figure? This type of exercise is perfect to improve your figure and lose weight. On the one hand, it is an excellent fat-burner; and, on the other hand,

it tones the muscles and speeds up your metabolism.

What types of functional exercises are there?

Some of the most common functional exercises are:

Squats

These consist of separating the legs at the width of the shoulders, then bending the knees and lowering the shoulders as much as possible with a straight back, then coming back up.

Pull-ups

Hang from a bar and try to pull up your own weight. This exercise works the arms, back and abdomen. It doesn’t matter if you can’t go all the way up at first, it’s still good to just hang for as long as possible.

Jumps

You can use a jump rope or go up and down stairs, jumping with both legs at the same time. You’ll work on coordination and the strength of your legs, buttocks and abdomen.

As you can see, functional training is a great option not just because of all its benefits, but also because it is inexpensive and you can do it outdoors at any park.

At SHA Wellness Clinic, we recommend the Fitness Program for anyone interested in obtaining the benefits of this type of training. It also includes other exercises with a personal trainer, who will help you get into better shape and adopt healthy life habits.