The purpose of this article is to discuss functional training and how it can be applied when designing a performance enhancement program for athletes. Over the years I have heard multiple definitions and seen various exercises that people have defined as “functional”. This blog will help to define what functional training means to me and is the foundation for program design to increase quickness, foot speed, agility, coordination, power and strength (these workouts will be posted in the future). Some of the information is a bit technical and comes from multiple sources of literature, as well as my own experiences.
As a strength and conditioning coach/personal trainer we often have a unique privilege to work with athletes who present us with functional limitations and/or pain. In order for us as professionals to assist these athletes, it is imperative we have a solid understanding of how the body functions.
What is functional training? As trainers, we must have a clear definition of what functional training is and how to apply it. One must take into account: how old the athlete is, training history, if the athlete is in season or off season, and the goals of the athlete at that particular time. Training to be a better athlete is something done year-round and the athlete's goals may change throughout that particular year. Training programs must be specific enough to reach short term goals, and at the same time, keep long term goals in mind.
Each session should be purposeful and efficient. I have seen trainers put an athlete though a brutally tough workout with the sole purpose of having the athlete train hard with no concern for proper progression or technique. These workout sevre no purpose. Programs need to be adjusted and evaluated on an ongoing basis.
Over the years I have had many discussions and I have read multiple variations of what "functional training" means. This seems to be a catch phrase that people use in order to market any exercise that does not fit in the category of traditional lifting. For example, doing an exercise on a BOSU or wobble board may be considered "functional training" by some. However I disagree. This is not to say a wobble board or BOSU should never be utilized as a training tool, however one must evaluate why it is being used and what is the purpose of the exercise. Certainly, if you want to be a world champion BOSU athlete, then by all means train on a BOSU.
In order to define and understand human function as a professional, we must have a model to base our definition on. This model is human locomotion (e.g. walking gait pattern). The gait pattern is common, cyclical, and repeatable; thus, lending itself to study. Gait is a combination of coordinated muscular actions that propel the body from one point to another.
As strength and conditioning specialists, we must challenge conventional wisdom regarding program design and really ask ourselves are we achieving the goals of the client in the most effective, time efficient, and safest way possible. “One work out will not make an athlete, however one workout can break an athlete” is a quote from Vern Gambetta that I have found to be extremely accurate. In reality, if something is done long enough, the body will overcome it in spite of the incorrect exercises and training programs. As an athletic trainer working in a high school, college and clinical setting, I have seen a multitude of injuries that could have been prevented by implementing a more appropriate training program. Safety and correct progression should be at the highest priority when training, especially in the younger athlete.
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