Fit to Print Volume 24 Issue 4 December 2015 | Page 18
P e r s o n a l Tr a i n i n g
by TJ Lynch, CPT
The Functional Foundations
Re-discovering the Fundementals
O
ver
the
past
several
years the
functional
fitness
craze has
exploded in
the fitness
industry.
Overall, it
has been a
great thing
for fitness,
but are
people
using the
latest
functional
I've been working with trainers for over 15 years.
techniques
I've never seen results like in the past
10 months working with TJ.
getting the
He is all about the basics and they work!
best results?
-Diana Candela (pictured above)
Is the
functional
training just
keeping you entertained, or are you
getting physically and mentally stronger?
Many times, the so-called functional
training I see is merely a bunch of mixedup exercises that lack structure and
exhibit no real understanding of why one
is doing a particular movement. Just do
this for 15 reps then go right to this next
exercise, but now add a twist, a hop, a
skip and a jump. (No thank you, not for
me!) But if you understand why you are
doing what you are doing, then you can
make some actual progress. Are your
movements controlled? Are you feeling
the working muscle or going through the
motions? Are you getting the most out of
every rep of every set? Because without
awareness of proper form and sequencing
of exercises, you may be entertained, but
you probably won't be successful.
In the fitness industry, we see trends
come and go all the time. It's hard to get
people to commit to regular exercise, and
I am all for anything that gets people
working out. I am also not against new
styles of training and like to see people
active and excited about getting a new
piece of equipment to use as a productive
training tool. I have even accepted the
fact that not everybody will have the
time or inclination to pursue a serious
weight training program. But if you are
reading this, I assume you are interested
18
in getting the best results you can. And
while I do respect and use many of the
new training techniques, the fact is
that traditional weight training
techniques that I recommend are
proven, tried and true, and can also
deliver exceptional functional fitness.
That is what I am teaching, what I am
passionate about, and what I have
found to work for myself and my
clients. These fundamental exercises
are the foundation of my training and
have been responsible for changing
lives. Your training goes far beyond just
working up a sweat or getting sore. If
you want your body to function at its
absolute best, you want to make sure
that the foundation of your training
structure is, first and foremost, built on
the basic compound movements.
When I'm out on the weight room floor,
I witness what I consider to be too
much emphasis on twisting and turning
movements, balancing acts, and cable
work. All these things have their place,
and many of these movements feel
"nice" and keep you stimulated, but are
not meant to function as the core of
your exercise program. I promise you
they will not produce maximum results.
Real lasting results will come from the
"real deal" functional movements, or
what I like to call the "foundational
movements." These will get you
stronger and work the greatest amount
of muscle on your body. Movements like
FULL RANGE OF MOTION squats or
deadlifts are exceptionally productive
and will work every muscle in your
body, including the ones protecting
your spine. Another example is a strong
rowing movement, which is essential
for a healthy back and good posture.
Add to that a powerful press or dip
movement - it doesn't get any more
functional than that! I believe that
these movements are irreplaceable
core movements, the best movements
for balance, and simply the best
functional movements for anyone who
is willing to truly put the time and
effort into learning how to execute
them properly. Each and every one of
these movements requires excellent
form and take time to master, but once
mastered they will never let you down.
It's painful for me to see so many
members avoiding these movements
and, even worse, many not performing
Holidays 2015 FIT to Print
them properly, either with too heavy a
weight, bad form or both. They say
experience is the best teacher, and I
certainly can attest to that. I have
learned from my mistakes over the years,
such as experimenting with high-rep highvolume workouts where I actually lost
strength. I also learned from my past
injuries when I overdid it, using a weight
that was too heavy. Even worse, I was not
working the muscles with a full range of
motion. The key is to use a weight that is
challenging enough that you can use it
with a complete full range of motion,
getting a full stretch of the working
muscles, while controlling the weight into
the contracted position.
Look, in fitness as in life, it is very easy to
be misled by the latest fad. We're all
bombarded by the new, and all the
different styles of exercise and so-called
strength training that are out there today
are competing for our attention, time and
dollars. But the basic foundational
bodybuilding movements remain so very
important. And don't let that word bodybuilding - scare you! Understand that
bodybuilding is simply weight training
with a purpose. When you learn the basics
and consistently put them into action,
you can and will experience the powerful
benefits that come with them. Sure,
many of these movements are hard work,
require time, energy, patience and real
focus. But as with anything of true value
in life it's worth it, especially when it
comes to your body. It is worth learning
how to master these functional,
foundational movements as they have
stood, and will continue to stand, the test
of time and always produce results. Be
open-minded and willing to learning new
things, even when they are really old
things! Keep these movements at the
heart and soul fo your workouts and you'll
see how your body responds and how
consistently they work for you. You don't
need to get caught up in the hype of the
latest fitness craze. If you want true
functional strength training, then focus
on the basic foundational movements,
and incorporate them into your training
as they work and always will.
TJ Lynch is a Certified Personal Trainer at Fitness
Incentive. If you have questions or would like a
complimentary consultation, email him at
[email protected]