Functionality

Another day, another new experience on the training program.

This morning it was back to the gym for a bit of what the cool kids called "functional strength training".

Now I am not a physio and I am also not a strength and conditioning coach, but I have been around exercise long enough to understand the idea of functional training and it makes sense. This doesn't mean I am off to join a boot camp or any sorts of speciality gyms, but I am happy to do exercise if it is going to make me fitter, faster and less injury prone.

Way back when I was rowing (about 20 years ago now) the idea of core exercise was really starting to gain traction. People were starting to understand that you shouldn't just do abdominal exercises because you wanted an awesome 6-pack, but because it helped form a connection between the upper and lower parts of your body, adding stability, power production and increased efficiency, also helping to maintain form and reduce risk of injury.  However, not just any old abdominal exercise would do, not just more sit-ups, but rather exercises that activated the core. When I first starting hitting the gym in the rowing days exercises like planking and other exercises involving strange giant beach balls were starting to turn up, exercises which are now a regular staple of any strength routine today. 

For me I see functional strength training as a natural progression of this sort of core focused training. Exercises that work on things like core and stability, but also general strength, usually by working on a chain of movements. Ideally a chain of movements related to the sport you are training for. This helps to not just work on power and efficiency, but also produce strength specific to your event. As I have said, it makes sense.

Just like core training was when it gained mainstream popularity, none of this is new, the ideas and exercises having been around for a long time. However, they are getting a lot of attention at the moment, and while there is a lot of unnecessary hype, the underlying concept is a solid one. I am just a bit late to the party.

It was a great session, damn it was tough though. Once again I suspect I will be sore in the morning.