So you’ve probably heard people talk about ‘leg day’ or seen gym classes for ‘legs, bums and tums’. Functional training is none of that. It’s pretty much what it says on the tin; a functional approach to exercise that equips you with the tools you need to improve athletic performance and be better at life in general. Read on for the details, and to find out how CrossFit 3D in Manchester uses functional training to improve the lives of members both in and out of the gym.
What Is Functional Training?
Functional training is a holistic approach to fitness that builds on strength, flexibility and coordination. By improving in these areas you will naturally enhance your athletic performance but, more than that, you’ll see a direct impact on everyday activities and movements. The knock-on effect of functional training is that, yes you get fitter in the gym, but you’ll also be able to run for the bus faster, pick up your kids easier and cart your food shop from the car more effortlessly. Functional training quite literally trains your body to function better.
In terms of a training program, functional training means focussing on the whole body and incorporating multiple modalities. A functional training program doesn’t isolate specific muscle groups or use only one method, but rather, it provides a well-rounded balance of movements to get you ready for anything. In CrossFit speak, that means the unknown and unknowable.
Functional Training Benefits
There are loads of functional training benefits. Instead of enduring a fitness program that focuses on one single muscle group or stimulus, for example running, functional exercises target your whole body in one workout. Challenging yes, but you’ll yield faster, better results and it’s just a lot more fun. Aside from a total body workout these are some of the functional training benefits you’ll get from CrossFit:
- Increased Strength – varied weight resistance exercises engage your core, leading to a stronger body and better stability
- Improved Coordination – by performing exercises that use a full range of motion, muscle groups begin to naturally coordinate with one another so everyday movements flow much easier too
- Calorie Burn – Using more muscles burns more calories. Functional training exercises involve multiple muscle groups in one session; ergo extra calories burnt
- Variety – one of the reasons a lot of people give up a workout program is boredom. Functional training is structured but constantly varied and, with CrossFit, boredom just isn’t a thing
- Better At Life – The human body was made to move. Training it in a way that makes these movements feel natural means you can take on any challenges, from a mountain hike to simply cycling to work faster
- Injury Prevention – an emphasis on functional movements addresses any muscular imbalances and improves joint stability, so you’re less likely to get injured, which is always a good thing
- Transferable Skills – functional training involves movement patterns, time domains and different disciplines that supplement nearly all other sports. Whether you’re training for a marathon or love martial arts, the principles of functional training can be applied to pretty much any other activities; even your Monday 5-a-side
Functional Training & Athletic Performance
It should be fairly clear by now that a functional training program will have benefits for individuals at all levels of fitness and with diverse end goals. In some cases, those goals might be to take your athletic performance to the next level. At CrossFit 3D for example, we have athletes who regularly compete in CrossFit competitions like Strength In Depth and others who enjoy the endurance element of a Hyrox race. All of our members are different and yet they all love the individualised gains they get from CrossFit 3D.
Whatever your poison, the fundamentals of functional training and a functional training program will equip you with the tools you need to build on your fitness and enhance your athletic performance. Functional training gives you a solid foundation to achieve any and all of your athletic performance goals. That’s a promise.
Functional Training And CrossFit
The principles of CrossFit include stamina, strength, flexibility, coordination and balance, all of which you need to unlock your potential and transform your athletic performance. The members of a CrossFit gym like CrossFit 3D all have different lives, commitments and objectives. The CrossFit approach to training blends variety with structure, covering an array of time domains, modalities and disciplines. The broad spectrum of fitness that a functional training program offers allows everyone to get exactly what they want from their workout. So if that’s optimum athletic performance, or being able to run around with the kids, CrossFit will get you there. In non-gym speak, CrossFit works every bit of your body and makes you stronger so you’re basically just better at life.
When you set out doing functional training exercises at CrossFit, you’ll find classes that are scalable, meaning you can tailor them to suit your level of fitness and ability, allowing you to get to grips with functional training at your own pace. You can measure your progress too. Realising that you can lift heavier than the day you started or that you’ve mastered pull ups is a huge part of why people stick at CrossFit and get hooked on functional training. Just wait for that moment when you get your first PB. CrossFit programming provides you with both a mental & physical stimulus that will certainly challenge you but, through consistency, members reap the benefits, many of which travel far beyond the four walls of the gym.
Try Functional Training With CrossFit 3D
CrossFit 3D is a community full of people who love functional training for their own reasons. Some come because it gives them the variety they need to stick to a workout program, while others are committed to boosting their athletic performance and enjoying the spoils of competitive sport. CrossFit 3D programming is designed to provide an effective dose of fitness that promotes longevity in all areas of life.
Whether you turn up to the gym daily or a couple of times a week, our trainers are here to get the most out of you. Our mission is to make our members feel strong, in every sense of the word, and able to take on any challenge that flicks their switch. If that’s a functional fitness competition, 10k run, a Hyrox race, or a trek up the 3 peaks, CrossFit 3D gives you the skills, motivation and functional training you need to get s**t done.
Try CrossFit 3D for 4 weeks and see how functional training can transform your athletic performance or even just help you get out of bed faster in the morning. Talk to us about your goals and we’ll help you smash them.
