Functional fitness is all about strengthening key areas of the body that help you to perform everyday activities without injury. If you've ever reached into your car for a bag of groceries and had a back spasm, or stretched up to get something off a shelf and tweaked your shoulder, you know how easy it can be to injure yourself if your body isn't fit and strong.
Performing regular exercise and stretching can help keep your muscles flexible and prevent injury, but it's also important to keep your muscles strong and toned, so they will be able to handle unexpected demands such as shoveling snow, wrestling with the grandkids, or having a water balloon fight in the back yard!
This workout will take you through a series of exercises designed to strengthen and tone key areas of the body, while taking your body through its entire range of motion to loosen tight muscles and increase flexibility. Many of the exercises mimic common daily movements such as climbing stairs, reaching down to pick something up, or squatting. There is also a focus on core muscles, which are important for maintaining spine stability and keeping your whole body in alignment. This is a bodyweight workout, so you can do it at home, and no equipment is required. All you need is a mat or folded blanket.
Stay in shape and enjoy your life without pain by building a fit, strong body!
Here's the workout (you will need to do a brief warmup first, as the video does not include one):
Showing posts with label functional exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label functional exercise. Show all posts
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
What Is Functional Fitness & How Can It Benefit You?
Functional fitness can be thought of as working out for "real-life" situations. You prepare your body to allow you to do the normal things that you do, day in and day out. This is the reason that most people want to be fit in the first place. Not everyone wants to exercise so they can run marathons and compete in weightlifting tournaments. Most people just want to be strong and healthy enough to live their life and go about their daily routine.
The Mayo Clinic, a globally recognized health authority, defines functional fitness as:
"Exercises that train your muscles to work together and prepare them for daily tasks by stimulating common movements you might do at home, at work or in sports. While using various muscles in the upper and lower body at the same time, functional fitness exercises also emphasize core stability."
You will see that the Mayo Clinic mentions core stability. Your core group of muscles include several muscle groups. Their number one job is to protect your spine. They are also vital for proper balance and mobility. Functional fitness exercises often target your core, since a healthy core is so important for performing everyday tasks.
How Can Functional Fitness Benefit You?
Why do you want to be stronger and healthier? Think about your answers to that question. If you live to exercise, functional fitness is probably not all that interesting to you. However, if you just want to become fit so you can effortlessly play with your kids or grandchildren, unload your groceries or enjoy a walk with a friend without getting tired and worn down, functional fitness is ideally suited to your goals.
A simple squat is an example of a functional exercise that works multiple muscle groups. It also mimics daily movements that you make, such as getting out of a chair or squatting down to pick something up off of the floor. Lunges, standing bicep curls and simple step-ups with weights are a few other types of functional exercises. Kettle bells and dumbbells can be used to accentuate your functional exercise routine, but are not required.
Body weight exercises which require no weights are excellent examples of functional exercises. A search for "functional exercises" on YouTube will give you some free video training about exactly how to perform these body strengthening, health enhancing maneuvers - and of course check this blog regularly, as we often share great bodyweight workouts for free! There are also books and DVDs available at online retail outlets like Amazon.com which deliver the everyday benefits of functional exercise.
The Mayo Clinic, a globally recognized health authority, defines functional fitness as:
"Exercises that train your muscles to work together and prepare them for daily tasks by stimulating common movements you might do at home, at work or in sports. While using various muscles in the upper and lower body at the same time, functional fitness exercises also emphasize core stability."
You will see that the Mayo Clinic mentions core stability. Your core group of muscles include several muscle groups. Their number one job is to protect your spine. They are also vital for proper balance and mobility. Functional fitness exercises often target your core, since a healthy core is so important for performing everyday tasks.
How Can Functional Fitness Benefit You?
Why do you want to be stronger and healthier? Think about your answers to that question. If you live to exercise, functional fitness is probably not all that interesting to you. However, if you just want to become fit so you can effortlessly play with your kids or grandchildren, unload your groceries or enjoy a walk with a friend without getting tired and worn down, functional fitness is ideally suited to your goals.
A simple squat is an example of a functional exercise that works multiple muscle groups. It also mimics daily movements that you make, such as getting out of a chair or squatting down to pick something up off of the floor. Lunges, standing bicep curls and simple step-ups with weights are a few other types of functional exercises. Kettle bells and dumbbells can be used to accentuate your functional exercise routine, but are not required.
Body weight exercises which require no weights are excellent examples of functional exercises. A search for "functional exercises" on YouTube will give you some free video training about exactly how to perform these body strengthening, health enhancing maneuvers - and of course check this blog regularly, as we often share great bodyweight workouts for free! There are also books and DVDs available at online retail outlets like Amazon.com which deliver the everyday benefits of functional exercise.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Video: 5 Simple Daily Anti-Aging Exercises
This short video demonstrates 5 simple, easy exercises you should do every day for mobility and anti-aging benefits. These simple movements mimic movements useful in everyday life, for improved functional fitness. They loosen tight muscles, improve mobility, and help reduce the risk of pain and injury, and they only take 5 minutes.
Do these daily to keep your body flexible and young!
Do these daily to keep your body flexible and young!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
5 Benefits of Biking To Work
Do you commute every day? If so, then you and I have something in common, along with tens of millions of others. Many people choose to drive to work, while others may take a train or bus. However, few choose to cycle. But cycling could be the best choice of all, and here’s why:
1) Save Money: Choosing to cycle to work is pretty much guaranteed to save you money, and who isn’t looking to save money in these difficult times? Firstly, you don’t have to pay for a car in the first place. Secondly, you don’t have to pay any tax for your car. Thirdly, you don’t have to pay for fuel and, well, you get the picture.
If you’re using any kind of transport other than your own two feet to get to work every day, then you’ll almost certainly save money by going on a bicycle instead.
2) Improve Your Health: With many of us doing little more than sitting at a computer all day while at work, exercise is becoming more and more important to living well. It’s your body that keeps you going day in and day out, so it’s important to keep it in decent shape.
Cycling to work is a fantastic way to help keep your body healthy. By cycling, you’ll also eliminate the need to spend so many hours in the gym before and after work, saving you money and also time.
3) Clear Your Mind: Those who exercise regularly know how good it can feel for the body, but they also know it feels good for the mind. Exercise can help clear your mind, distracting you from your worries and concerns. It’s also a known fact that cardiovascular exercise can help with mental health, reducing both anxiety and depression.
4) Help The Environment: Global warming scientists suggest that we could have a big problem on our hands if we don’t start to take action right now, and the best place to start is with your carbon emissions. One of the biggest sources of these emissions is car travel. By using your car less, you can directly contribute to reduced carbon emissions.
5) Save Time: Although cycling isn’t usually thought of as the fastest way to travel, it clearly beats walking. However, on commutes where there’s a lot of traffic, cycling can also be quicker than travel by bus or car if you don't live too far away. Even if it’s slower than your car journey, you’ll still get to work pretty quickly, and can enjoy the other benefits listed above at the same time.
Spring is a great time to get outdoors and onto your bike, so there's never been a better time to incorporate bicycling into your daily transportation and exercise routines.
1) Save Money: Choosing to cycle to work is pretty much guaranteed to save you money, and who isn’t looking to save money in these difficult times? Firstly, you don’t have to pay for a car in the first place. Secondly, you don’t have to pay any tax for your car. Thirdly, you don’t have to pay for fuel and, well, you get the picture.
If you’re using any kind of transport other than your own two feet to get to work every day, then you’ll almost certainly save money by going on a bicycle instead.
 |
| (Photo credit: tejvanphotos) |
Cycling to work is a fantastic way to help keep your body healthy. By cycling, you’ll also eliminate the need to spend so many hours in the gym before and after work, saving you money and also time.
3) Clear Your Mind: Those who exercise regularly know how good it can feel for the body, but they also know it feels good for the mind. Exercise can help clear your mind, distracting you from your worries and concerns. It’s also a known fact that cardiovascular exercise can help with mental health, reducing both anxiety and depression.
4) Help The Environment: Global warming scientists suggest that we could have a big problem on our hands if we don’t start to take action right now, and the best place to start is with your carbon emissions. One of the biggest sources of these emissions is car travel. By using your car less, you can directly contribute to reduced carbon emissions.
5) Save Time: Although cycling isn’t usually thought of as the fastest way to travel, it clearly beats walking. However, on commutes where there’s a lot of traffic, cycling can also be quicker than travel by bus or car if you don't live too far away. Even if it’s slower than your car journey, you’ll still get to work pretty quickly, and can enjoy the other benefits listed above at the same time.
Spring is a great time to get outdoors and onto your bike, so there's never been a better time to incorporate bicycling into your daily transportation and exercise routines.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)