Functional training has held its place in the fitness world for a good 10 years. Reason enough to take a closer look at this type of training. We clarify what exactly functional training is, why you should give it a try, and what advantages—and yes, disadvantages—it can bring.
What Is Functional Training?
First of all: The term Functional Training—just like the terms CrossFit, Freeletics, or Power Yoga—is legally protected. So anyone wanting to offer a class under the name Functional Training in a gym should have a license from the rights holder. The German term Funktionales or Funktionelles Training, on the other hand, is not protected and means the same thing. It refers to a holistic, cross-sport training method that focuses on movement patterns involving several muscle chains simultaneously. This form of training, also known as functional fitness, originally comes from America, where it was used by physiotherapists in the '80s and '90s for rehabilitation purposes. Afterward, it made its way into elite sports. In 2006, it became known to a broader audience in Germany because the national team coach at the time, Jürgen Klinsmann, used this kind of innovative training with the German national football team. Functional training is, so to speak, the counterpart to classic strength training, where specific muscle groups are trained in isolation. In functional training, however, movement sequences are trained that always engage several large muscle groups. The training can be performed both with equipment and completely without it. True to its name, the focus is on the functionality of the movement.
The principles of functional training
In functional training, there are certain overarching fitness aspects that are fundamentally incorporated into the exercises:
- Strength or explosive strength
- Balance
- Stability
- Endurance
- Flexibility
To cover all these aspects in a single workout, functional training is often offered as circuit training, where individual stations focus on specific principles and different muscle chains. This allows for the implementation of as comprehensive and holistic a training approach as possible, entirely in line with functional training.
How is functional training performed?
If desired, the training can be performed completely without sports equipment. Core exercises performed using only body weight can be part of individual workouts, as well as exercises using small equipment such as latex bands/tubes, kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, sandbags, unstable surfaces like balance pads or half spheres, or exercise balls/medicine balls of various weights. And these tools are just a selection of the possible training aids. Anything that exerts pull and push forces, creates a state of instability for the body, or supports mobility can serve as an aid. The exercises are designed to prepare your body for everyday movements and challenges.
Important training component: Variability
There is no SINGLE training format in functional training. Rather, care is taken to ensure that your body receives different training stimuli and that these are designed variably. In all of this, different exercises, varying intensities, and training modes consistently ensure greater variability. Multidimensional exercises targeting all of your body's axes and planes are also part of the training routine.
Benefits of functional training
Effective and time-saving: Why only do leg exercises on the leg press at the gym when you can train several muscle chains at the same time with functional training? With the plank exercise, for example, you engage your entire body and, while primarily training your core, also target your legs, arms, and shoulders.
Train your balance, coordination skills, and mobility: Functional training aims to make you fitter in all everyday movements. A key pillar that becomes increasingly important with age is preserving essential abilities such as balance, coordination, and mobility. They are the cornerstones of a good quality of life – and these exact skills are incorporated into every single exercise in functional training!
Prevent injuries: Originally, functional training was used in rehabilitation to regain full range of motion after an injury. Therefore, functional exercises are basically a way to actively prevent potential injuries by training and stabilizing your entire body. The workout keeps your joints active and as stable as possible. This way, you not only support your joints and ankles during exercises with ease, but also do something beneficial for your everyday movement patterns at the same time.
Actively promote a strong center: Functional training specifically aims at one thing: a strong core area. This refers to the midsection of your body (abdomen/lower abdomen/glutes, lower back). Training your core muscles is the foundation of all healthy movements. So it is no surprise that numerous exercises target your core stability: planks, sit-ups, superman hold, glute bridges (referring to the classic bridge exercise), and much more.
Actively promote flexibility: Many exercises actively incorporate your body's mobility and flexibility. Stretching and loosening exercises are naturally an integral part of any functional fitness session. These exercises also support you and your body in active injury prevention.
Improvement of posture and a more stable spine: A logical consequence of so many core exercises and functional movement patterns is the strengthening of the muscles surrounding the spine. This in turn ensures better posture. Internal organs are also better protected by stronger surrounding muscles.
The most popular functional training exercises
There are exercises that appear with great regularity in functional training sessions. Here is a small selection of these exercises:
Squats and their variations: Squats are the classic physical exercise everyone knows. They can be performed bodyweight-only or holding kettlebells or dumbbells of various weights in front of your chest. The goblet squat, for example, is one variation; here, with a slightly wider stance, you squat as low as possible while holding a weight (kettlebell or dumbbell) pressed against your chest the entire time. Another challenging variation that also trains your balance is single-leg squats.
Push-ups: Another essential exercise is push-ups, the classic chest press movement. Here, paying attention to correct form is particularly important. When performed correctly, a whole series of major muscle chains are engaged simultaneously, including chest muscles, glutes and leg muscles, arm muscles, back muscles, and abdominal muscles.
Planks: Known as forearm planks, this exercise activates almost all of your major muscle groups. You maintain tension throughout your entire body during execution. There are various variations, each bringing a different level of difficulty and focusing on a different body area or muscle chain: high planks, side planks, high planks with shoulder taps, etc.
Deadlifts: In this exercise, a barbell is lifted correctly from a squat position into full extension. The entire posterior chain is particularly targeted, strengthening leg muscles, glutes, and lower back.
These are just a few of the most popular exercises. Functional training is exceptionally versatile, targeting various muscle groups and movement patterns depending on the workout's focus. The ultimate goal is always to train your strength endurance, coordination, mobility, balance, and flexibility. It can be performed with or without weights/equipment as well as at different difficulty levels. This ensures everyone is met and challenged at their current fitness level. Start with basic exercises alongside a trainer, learn the techniques of the respective core movements, and then begin training purposefully with a plan. All of this always happens with a focus on everyday movement patterns and the involvement of major muscle chains. Functional training can thus become a core pillar in your training routine that is great fun, highly varied, and stays interesting.
