Functional fitness is a term that you hear everywhere! But what is it? Well let me explain. Functional fitness allows you to jump higher, run faster, react quicker, hit harder and perform more effectively with greater co-ordination in everyday life. This term is used to describe the overall physical capabitities that are needed to optimally function in our environment with greater ease. The term was coined with the event of office jobs and a decrease in physical work and activity.
This is bale number 1299 & 1300 lifted over 3 days in 33°C heat, during hay carting season. The strength and stamina for this cannot be gained in a gym. Every bale is loaded and unloaded by hand. So in total 2600 lifts in 72 hours! Average weight 25kg, you do the math!
Our environment is unstable by nature, this means that we need to perform physically at any given moment in any angle - that’s life! Kettlebell training gives you an incredible advantage in this regard. By doing any of the lifts, the body is forced to recruit muscles and stabilisers just to lift it! The design of the kettlebell naturally makes it difficult to handle. Thus your entire body gets a workout from many different angles and heights simultaneously. You will never get these result from machines in gyms, or a swiss ball! Leave that for rehabilitation not the serious athlete.
Above is an example of 100% total overall muscular tension. In this
pic Brett is performing a body extension in which he holds himself in a static
position for time or reps, with only his toes and the "wheel" touching
the ground.
My training methods are very effective in training the central nervous system. This means that you will learn to use your body more effectivly by recruiting and activating more muscle fibres. Basically you learn to use your body as a complete functional unit and not the sum of its parts, this is functional fitness at its highest level.
Functional fitness is the ability to replicate odd lifts and movements that we perform in every day life. As demonstrated below.
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| The "Clean" | The "Press" |
