Why Functional Training?

     I recently had a member ask me why I don’t use barbells in our small group training. My response was broken down into two parts. First, the studio is 2,400 square feet. Our small group training can have a maximum of six people. Logistically, it is not safe for us to have six people with loaded barbells in that space. The next part of my answer was from a training and program design perspective. If I take the movement patterns of the body- squat, hip-hinge, push, pull and carry, I would only use a barbell for one. That single pattern would be pulling. The TRX, kettlebells, and the Ultimate sandbag are more functional and safer, which makes them better options. If you look at movement based or functional training compared to body-part training, the former provides the benefits of moving better while improving aesthetics without the risk of injury. Body-part training, popularized from bodybuilding, will improve the look of a muscle, but it will come at a cost.

     It’s at this time that I like to share a story of when the light switch went on for me about the benefits of functional training. It was in the fall of 1998. I had just completed my eighth and final year of competitive bodybuilding. I had won the Junior National Bodybuilding Championships. That same year I was considered a top 3 choice to win Mr. USA, but decided not to compete, due to burn-out. That’s another story for a different time, but let’s assume I “looked” the part of a fit person. I was currently 225- 230lbs. with a body-fat in the single digits.

These are pictures taken from the Atlantic States Championships, which I won the light heavy weight class in June of 1998. I’m sharing these pictures not to boast, but purely to provide context.

     A couple of months after taking those pictures, my then girlfriend’s (who is now my wife) family had a family reunion. Barbecue and softball in the park, what’s not to like? After getting my fill of ribs and baked ziti, I heard the announcement. “Everyone who’s going to play softball, head over to the field.” How could I say no? I remember thinking, I’ll tone it down a little, I don’t want to appear like an arrogant guy and I do want the family to like me. My team was in the field first. I watched many of her family members hit balls and round the bases. Three outs later, it would be our turn at bat. I was up at bat. Here comes the first pitch, I make nice contact with the bat, and off I go sprinting to first base. I was about halfway there when I can remember feeling like my hamstring was going to rip off my leg. After hobbling around the bases, I spent the rest of the afternoon icing my strained hamstring with cans of cold Coors Light. I had all show and no go. Lesson learned.

     Let’s fast forward to my life as a personal trainer. Throughout my early years as a trainer, I would see a trend among people I worked with. Clients with low back pain were usually weak in deep abdominals (core). People with knee problems frequently had weak hip stabilizers. Those suffering with rotator cuff and shoulder issues universally had poor thoracic (upper-back) mobility and issues with scapula retractors and stabilizers.

     I started to implement “functional” exercises, not because it was trendy, but because I wanted to get results. Front loaded squats, where the weight is in the front of the spine and loads the core, became a better option than rear loaded barbell squats most of the time. Working in all three planes of motion strengthened the muscles of the hip more thoroughly and I started implementing mobility work so people could actively engage those muscles. Pressing a kettlebell overhead where you control the movement pattern, as opposed to using a machine or barbell where the range of motion is fixed and dictated by the machine/barbell, became a better option. Mike Boyle, who was the strength coach for the Boston Red Sox and the woman’s USA Olympic hockey team, has a great quote from his book Advances in Functional Training.

“To me, function is essentially purpose. Functional training can therefore be described a purposeful training.”

I agree whole heartedly. I’ll continue to look for the best programs and exercises to both reduce the incidence of injury and improve performance. I’m aware that my small studio layout may not look like the gym floor at some of the larger gyms, so I’ll close with this final thought. The choice of equipment and floor plans at most large facilities are determined not by trainers, coaches, or physical therapists, but by the equipment distributors and dealers.

     I’ll see you at the studio.