Functional Training

5 benefits of holistic workouts

Would you like to be more flexible, agile and stronger? Would you like to feel fitter overall? Then try functional training. The holistic workout will help you achieve your goals in no time. You can read about the specific benefits the workout has for your body and mind here. Find out why the trend sport is so effective and time-saving.

Functional training is more than just strength training . The idea is that you strengthen your body in a targeted manner - so that you can easily master your everyday life and sporting challenges. To do this, you train your joints as well as your tendons and muscles. But that's just the beginning.

With functional training...

• You strengthen your core: You strengthen all the important muscles in your middle. This improves your posture and protects your spine. Studies also prove this.
• You improve your balance: With exercises on unsteady surfaces you train deeper muscles. These muscles stabilize you and help you stay balanced.
• You promote your mobility: During functional training you carry out movements that you never or only rarely do in everyday life. This has the advantage that your range of motion increases - and you become more flexible.

Whether you want to restore, strengthen or optimize your sporting performance: you can definitely do it with functional training. You can also see the trend workout as a supplement - and with its help you can become even better at climbing, playing football or strength training.

Functional Training: These are the benefits

With functional training you train basic skills that are important for all sports . In addition, you release tension and increase your flexibility. But the workout brings you many other benefits. We'll tell you what they are.

Advantage 1: You strengthen your core

Core training strengthens your entire body core - and is an essential part of functional training . During core training you primarily strengthen the muscles in the ribs, the rectus abdominis, obliques and inner abdominal muscles, the lower back and the muscles in the abdomen, hips and pelvis. Why do you benefit from this in functional training? Very easy!

A stable core...

• gives you stability during every workout.
• Makes lifting, carrying and other movements that you carry out again and again in everyday life easier.
• ensures better posture.
• can minimize the risk of back pain and prevent injuries.

By the way: Don’t let the term “core stability” mislead you. The goal is a flexible, dynamic core – not a stiff, inflexible core. She supports you, but at the same time follows your every movement.

Advantage 2: You train multiple muscle groups – saving time

With functional training, you train several muscles and muscle groups at the same time - through complex movement sequences. For example, if you combine simple squats with a stretch jump. Or you can do standing balance - by standing on one leg and stretching the other back at a 90-degree angle - and then do arm muscle strengthening exercises.

If you train several muscle groups at the same time, this has a big advantage: In the long term, this ensures that you can move particularly smoothly - whether during fitness or strength training or in everyday life . Because over time, the muscles work together more and more harmoniously. Of course, you also build muscle mass quickly and effectively.

The reason: When you train several muscle groups at once, you address your intra- and intermuscular coordination.

• With intramuscular coordination, you use many existing muscle fibers in a single muscle - and strengthen their interaction. The result: you can lift heavy weights.
• In intermuscular coordination, several muscles interact with each other, all of which have their attachments in different places. An example: When you do a pull-up - i.e. pull yourself up while hanging from a bar - the large broad back muscle is involved as well as the biceps of the arm, the forearm muscles and other small muscles.

​​Do you want to optimally support your effective muscle building ? Then mix up a shake with whey or plant-based protein before or after training. Plant-based protein contains up to 22 grams of protein per serving and can help you build and maintain muscle mass. Try Plant Protein in the delicious varieties Vanilla and Chocolate Nut . Or drink an EAA shake. It contains eight essential amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine and valine and also the semi-essential amino acid histidine, which is important for building and storing proteins in the muscles .

Another positive side effect of the full-body workout: you save time! Because you train many muscles in parallel instead of one after the other, functional training is particularly efficient. And if you do two 30-minute sessions per week, you can start seeing results within a few months.

Advantage 3: You improve balance and mobility

Exercise balls or balance pads are often used in functional training. This has a big advantage for you: over time you will get better and better at keeping your balance - because training on unstable surfaces promotes your sense of balance . How it works? Very easy! For example, if you place your legs on an exercise ball while doing push-ups, many small muscles in your body work at the same time to stabilize you. Over time, strengthening these small muscles will help you balance better.

In addition to balance, functional training can also improve your mobility. Why? Because the workout includes, on the one hand, different movement sequences in all possible directions and, on the other hand, stretching exercises. The result: Your muscles become more flexible and your scope of action greater . Or to put it another way: you move more fluidly, healthier and easier on your joints.

Our tip for functional training beginners is: stretch gently and increase slowly - joints and tendons take a while to get used to new movements. At the same time, try to use the full extent of a movement – ​​the so-called range of motion – with every exercise. After all, you want to increase your flexibility and mobility. And that's only possible if you keep pushing your limits.

Advantage 4: You improve your posture – and your body awareness

Do you sit in front of the PC all day because of your job? Then you probably know the problem too: you are distracted, perhaps stressed - and over time your posture gets worse . Then you round your back, pull your shoulders up or actually collapse. If you notice that you are also sitting tensely, you should quickly take countermeasures.

The reason: An incorrect sitting position not only causes back pain, it also affects your ability to concentrate in the long term . This is because the blood in your body cannot flow optimally due to the “bent” posture - and therefore less oxygen reaches the brain.

You can counteract this with functional training. Because it specifically strengthens your back muscles and improves your posture. How it works? It's simple: training stabilizes your core. And if your core is stable, over time you will sit more upright and relieve your back.

Another advantage of functional training: It can be a form of mindfulness exercise because the exercises involve your entire body. In the long term, you will develop better body awareness and perceive your body better - when doing sports, but also when driving or working. This helps you react more quickly to stress because you recognize it earlier.

Advantage 5: You can train wherever you want

Another advantage of functional training: you can train flexibly and anywhere. This is because you are working primarily with your own body weight. Bulky devices? You don't need it for functional training! Of course, if you want, you can add dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, a medicine ball or an exercise ball - but you can also do it without . Because your own body weight is completely sufficient as resistance. For this reason, you can train virtually anywhere, regardless of the opening hours of the gym. How about a few exercises during your lunch break, for example?

During functional training you work with your body weight - but you can also use equipment if you want to increase the training intensity.

Our tip for functional training beginners is: Have a fitness trainer show you the movement sequences before you get started. This way you avoid bad posture and injuries. Once you have built up a basic knowledge, you can then do sports on your own in the living room or in the park. Even then, always make sure that you carry out movements precisely so that you prevent injuries.

Whether you're a beginner or a professional, at home or in the fresh air: If you want to support your body during training, make sure you eat a balanced diet . Start the day with a protein-rich breakfast if you know you want to work out later.

After exercise , Plant Protein from Dextro Energy* helps your muscles regenerate. You can make a protein shake very easily: Dissolve 30 grams of protein powder in 300 milliliters of cold water or a vegan milk alternative in a shaker. You can now enjoy the delicious drink - and support the increase and maintenance of your muscle mass.

Functional Training: 5 exercises for beginners

Are you curious and would you like to try out functional training? Let's go! We have put together a small selection of exercises suitable for beginners for you.

As with any sport, there are a few fitness mistakes that can creep in, especially at the beginning. So a little tip before you get started: proceed consciously and carefully. This will ensure that you carry out the movement sequences correctly, do not put unnecessary strain on your joints or overload your muscles. It's best to warm up for a few minutes beforehand.

• Strengthen straight abdominal muscles, prevent hollow back - dynamic forearm support, English: Plank with Leg Lift: Lie on your stomach and support yourself with your forearms. A line is created from your head to your heels. Now you alternately lift your heels upwards. Or you can take it to the side and tap it on the floor. Make sure your bottom doesn't sink or rise too far up. Start with three 30 second stretches.
• Strengthen the buttocks and front of the thighs - jump squats: Stand upright for this perfect anti-sitting workout. The feet are slightly wider than hip-width apart and the toes are slightly turned outwards. Tilt your upper body slightly forward and bend your knees. You stretch your arms downwards the whole time. When your fingertips touch the ground, jump up, straightening your knees and hips. Do eight to twelve jumps.
• Stretch along the spine, strengthen the triceps, shoulders and chest - push-up child, English: Child-Pose to Push-up: Do a push-up and when you are up again, move your butt backwards towards your heels. The knees should hover just above the floor, the arms remain in the same position and are now stretched out. Now slide forward again and do the next push-up. Make sure your movements are fluid and your stomach is firm. Eight to twelve repetitions are enough. Is that too strenuous for you? Try shortened push-ups! To do this, simply place your knees on the floor and bend your legs.
• Strengthen the straight and oblique abdominal muscles, stretch along the spine - torso bends with rotation, English: sit-up twist: lie on your back and bend your knees. The feet are hip-width apart. Extend your arms to your knees and slowly pull yourself up using your abdominal muscles. When you sit, turn your upper body to the right side and open your arms: the left stays in front, the right goes back. The next time you do a sit-up, turn to the other side. Start with a minute of slow, controlled repetitions and try to increase in subsequent workouts.
• Train your hip flexors – roll an exercise ball: Support yourself with your arms and place your feet on the ball. Now pull your knees towards your chest and roll the ball forward - and then back again. Make sure to keep your upper body stable. Try to work your way up to 20 reps.

Did you enjoy our five exercises? Then you have just discovered a new sport that you can use to strengthen your entire body!

Functional Training: Holistic strength training alternative

Whether you want to become more efficient at your favorite sport, want to find a way to compensate for sitting a lot or are looking for flexible training at home: functional training could be just the thing for you. Try it out now!

*Smart Protein: smart mix with a high protein content, without added sugar (NATURALLY CONTAINS SUGAR).

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.

SOURCES

Reed, CA, Ford, KR, Myer, GD, & Hewett, TE (2012). The effects of isolated and integrated 'core stability' training on athletic performance measures: a systematic review. Sports medicine (Auckland, NZ), 42(8), 697–706. https://doi.org/10.2165/11633450-000000000-00000

PHOTO CREDITS

all images: @iStock