What is Functional Movement and Why is it Important to You?

Functional movements entail everyday movements like carrying groceries, taking out the trash, or bending over to pick up the laundry. It may sound insignificant but as we age, these small tasks become more difficult, and our range of motion naturally decreases. Functional training enhances mobility, increases coordination, improves balance and posture, and increases flexibility.

Ways to combat reductions in movement is to:

• Weight lift

• Strengthen your core

• Improve flexibility and range of motion

• Improve balance and stability

Here is a short list of Functional Movement exercises:

• Push Ups

• Push and pulls

• Walking Lunges

• Jump Squats

• Jumping Rope/Jumping Jacks

• Lunges

• Step Work

• Balancing on one leg – single leg deadlifts

• Lateral bounds – side to side

• Squats

• Lunges with rotation

• Deadlifts