No Gym Necessary

Hey y’all, 

Functional training is training with a purpose. Whether the purpose is lifting a heavy box, getting up from sitting in a chair, or bending over to pick up something on the floor — investing time in functional exercises help us be better at everyday activities, preventing injury. When we incorporate functional training into our lives we make progress towards improving our endurance, balance, posture, strength, coordination and agility.

The best thing about functional training? You don’t need to head to a gym or buy fancy equipment! Workouts can be completed with just your bodyweight and a few ordinary everyday items.

Turn on an episode of your favorite show and try these 3 functional workouts in the convenience of your living room:

Seated Torso Rotation

Sit on the floor in a butterfly position with feet tucked close to the body. With torso straight, lift bent arms in front and twist to the side. Hold, then release and switch sides halfway.

Try holding a weighted object, such as a gallon of water, to add a layer of difficulty.

Complete 3 sets of 10 rotations. Rest for 1 minute after each set.

Turkish Sit-Ups

Lie on your back with one knee bent upward, and the other leg straight flat on the ground. Start with an object, like a water bottle, in your right hand, positioning it over your face. Your left hand should be down by your side. With your arm locked out and the object continuing to stay above you, do a sit-up—but instead of just flexing your abs, use your foot to roll the hips and shoulders to the side. As you do the sit-up, the object in your hand should continue to stay overhead. Slowly return to the floor.

Complete 5 sets of 5 sit-ups. Rest for 1 minute after each set.

Shoulder Press

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and a household object, such as a sack of flour, resting on your collarbone. Squeeze your belly and glutes. Press the object up using your shoulder muscles. Lock your elbows. The object should be above the crown of your head. Return the object to the resting position on your collarbone.

Complete 3 sets of 10 presses. Rest for 1 minute after each set.

With functional training, pain becomes less of an issue because you strengthen your muscles and joints that are used for real-life activities. Furthermore, it teaches you to move properly!

Cheers,

Tiana