Training For Real Life
We know that functional fitness exercises offer benefits that together can prolong independence and improve quality of life.
Functional training involves conditioning the body to safely perform the work of daily living, whatever that involves for each individual. Younger men and women may not specifically need functional training in order to move through their days comfortably and well. But if you’re already noticing that it’s tougher to do certain things, like work in your garden or pick something up off the floor – especially if you’re over 50 – you may want to practice functional strength moves more often.
Functional fitness as a whole improves posture, balance, stability, strength, and coordination, so you can live life on your own terms. But what, individually, does a squat help you with in real life? Or a lunge? To understand how functional fitness exercises mimic everyday movements, below is a small sampling of exercises that can improve your daily life.
If you find it hard to crouch down to pick something up from the floor or if you tend to barrel down the stairs, instead of placing each foot quietly on the steps, try:
SQUATS: Squats make it easier to do many common things that involve your quadriceps and the hamstring muscles in the thigh, the gluteal muscles in the buttock, and to a lesser extent, the lower leg muscles, like sitting in a chair and returning to standing; bending to pick up items on lower shelves in your garage or the grocery store; walking; carrying heavy items; or climbing stairs.
HOW: Stand with feet wider than hip-width distance apart and feet parallel. Drop your hips as if preparing to sit in a chair. Keep your heels on the floor and your thighs parallel to the floor. Be sure not to let your knees extend beyond your toes and avoid tilting your torso forward. Return to standing and repeat 8 to 10 times.
If you plop down onto a chair, instead of lowering your body with control, try:
LUNGES: Like squats, lunges help with activities like walking; climbing stairs; getting out of bed in the morning; gardening; and vacuuming.
HOW: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hands-on-hips. Step forward with your right foot and bend your knee to a 90-degree angle (keep your knee in front of, rather than past, your toes). Press into your right foot and bring it back to meet your left foot. Repeat with the left foot. Continue alternating both feet for ten lunges on each side.
If you feel the need to hold the railing when going down stairways and ramps or feel unsteady walking on a slope in your backyard, try :
BOSU® BALANCE: The Bosu is an aid helping users to coordinate muscles and nerves for unstable conditions that you experience in everyday life, like uneven pavement, backyard slopes, and steps. With the proper balance, you’ll be able to climb the steps holding a load of laundry!
HOW: Put a BOSU balance trainer on the floor in front of you so that you can stand on it and still reach the wall; as an alternative, use the bottom step of a flight of stairs. Place the fingertips of your right hand on the wall for support and your right foot in the center of the ball. Pressing down into it, rise up so your left foot comes off the floor and is suspended behind you. Hold the balance for three to five seconds and lower back down. Perform five reps and then repeat on the other side, turning around so the wall is now to your left. Once you feel comfortable, try the same balance exercise without using the wall for support. Place your hands on your hips or hold them out to your sides. From there, try closing your eyes.
If you avoid carrying a full watering can, luggage, or shopping bags, try:
BICEP CURLS: Bicep curls improve upper-body power by strengthening your biceps muscles, so you can carry your groceries into the house; hold your grandchild when he’s crying; and carry your luggage through an airport.
HOW: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees soft and a dumbbell in each hand. (Women: start with five-pound weights; men: start with eight-pound weights.) With your hands at your sides and your palms facing forward, bend your elbows and curl the weights up to your shoulders. Slowly lower the weights back to starting position, keeping constant tension on the muscle. Your abdominals should be engaged and your spine should remain stable throughout the exercise. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions for each arm; complete three sets.
If you avoid carrying bags of mulch from the car to the garden, try:
UPRIGHT ROWS: Upright rows work the deltoids, biceps, and upper trapezius to help you lift heavy items like furniture; moving boxes stuffed with family memories; and top soil from the shelf to the cart.
HOW: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, a little less than shoulder-width apart, with your palms facing your body, resting the weights on your thighs. Start with a slight bend in your elbows. Inhale, and then as you exhale, lift the weights, keeping them close to your body until they come close to your chin. Make sure your elbows are always higher than your forearms as you raise them. Then, slowly lower the weights back down to your starting position. Perform 10 reps; complete two sets.
If you can’t cross the street before the light changes, try:
WALKING BRISKLY ON A TREADMILL: Getting your heart rate up will help your gait speed, so you can keep up with the grandchildren; catch the train before the doors close; and cross the street before the light changes.
If you want to train for every day life, click the button below for a complimentary assessment with a Success Studio personal trainer. By participating in a series of simple activities that measure your strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, and aerobic fitness, they can determine how functionally fit you are, and will devise a personalized routine, so you can live life on your own terms.