Bad weather? You don’t care – with functional training at home!

Do you know what your weakest self likes best? Bad weather! Rain, snow and storm. Best garnished with a little darkness. That's how he is, this bastard: As soon as autumn turns into winter, he stirs. Heading to the gym now? Go running again even though it's so cold outside? Cycling in the frost? We know it: the excuses increase, the sports sessions become less frequent.

In this story we'll tell you a simple trick on how to outsmart the bastard: just train at home! And not in any way, but highly effective, efficient and, above all, a lot of fun. The magic word is functional training (or functional training) for at home. The advantages: With this method and its exercises, the whole body is trained, in the warmth, in a cozy, safe atmosphere - an all-round happy strength training.

And because we know how powerful the inner bastard can be, we looked for a strong ally for our story : Anne Haisch is one of the strongest women in Germany. She was the best German woman at the Crossfit Open in 2022 (the world's largest meeting of Crossfit athletes), is ranked 185th in the Crossfit world rankings for women and knows strength training and functional fitness training like hardly anyone else.

Here she tells you and us five brilliant strength exercises to do at home , as well as a lot of tips on how you can transform your surroundings into sports equipment . And then she has a few aces up her sleeve on how you can overcome autumn blues , winter lows and, above all, your inner weaker self .

Sounds good? Then have fun reading . And while training in your home gym!

What is functional training and how does it differ from traditional strength training?

Functional training stands for mobility and strength training through movement(s) . In contrast to conventional strength training , individual muscles are not addressed in isolation , but rather several joints, muscles and muscle groups at the same time. The philosophy behind it: The training should strengthen the body holistically and prepare it for everyday life. Not surprisingly: functional training goes back to approaches in rehabilitation and physiotherapy in the 80s. The therapeutic measures then found their way into the world of sports and fitness. And today we can no longer imagine it without it. What this means for you is that functional exercises often activate the whole body or large parts of it. You can perform the exercises that we will describe to you in a moment with your body weight (so-called functional training with body weight), but also with simple tools such as kettlebells, medicine balls and dumbbells. Now we come to the equipment:

Functional training: You need these training materials for your exercises

The best news first: Functional training exercises do not require any equipment . That's why it's so perfect for home use. Basically all you need are gym clothes , a mat and weights . You can use household items such as water bottles - but we recommend kettlebells , dumbbells and/or (smaller) medicine balls . Don't worry: If you just want to get a taste of functional fitness, you can also work with your body weight - without any additional training equipment . All you can do is keep in mind that you won't make any progress in the long run because your body needs new challenges as your strength increases.

The sportswear

Make yourself comfortable. It's best to train in socks or barefoot - this gives you the best footing, especially if you're working with weights. Then choose a pair of sports pants and a shirt, prepare a towel, and you're done. The only important thing is that you feel good and comfortable in your clothing.

The mat

A solid, non-slip surface is important when doing functional fitness exercises. The reason: These are not static, they are about flowing, sometimes expansive movements. Without a secure footing it becomes dangerous. Smooth stone or wooden floors are just as bad as windy carpets. Therefore: Get a non-slip mat or look for a comparable surface that offers you support.

The weights

• Kettlebells (i.e. kettlebells) are reminiscent of bells that are tied around the necks of cows. Thanks to their shape, they are perfect for functional whole-body training. They allow you to perform movements cleanly and demandingly, they are safe to use and are available in many weight classes - so you can find exactly the load that suits your fitness level. 1-2 kettlebells are completely sufficient to start.
• You probably already know about dumbbells . They are also ideal for many exercises, especially for functional strength training. Compared to kettlebells, they are easier to grip, especially for beginners - this means that the sometimes complex functional whole-body exercises are often easier to implement. The same applies here: 1-2 dumbbells are enough to start with.
• Finally, medicine balls are suitable both as a training aid and as an aid for exercises where you have to sit up or want to put your legs down. As a beginner, you can pay attention to a lower weight and a smaller diameter - otherwise functional training with medicine balls quickly becomes too strenuous and the form becomes too unclean.
• Finally, your body weight is also a good training tool, especially at the beginning. Whether functional circuit training or individual, short training sessions: You can do most functional training exercises at home with just your body weight instead of dumbbells or kettlebells. Bodyweight exercises are perfect, especially for functional back training - this greatly reduces the risk of injury.
• Finally, bands can support exercises with body weight or training equipment by increasing the load and resistance - perfect if, for example, you want to increase the intensity of your exercises without immediately buying new, expensive weight vests, kettlebells and dumbbells.

Functional training is strenuous. This makes the breaks between units all the more important for Anne Haisch.

Five functional training exercises for at home from Crossfit champion Anne Haisch

Anne Haisch knows how functional strength training works. The Crossfit athlete from Calw took 185th place in the Crossfit world rankings for women in 2022 and first place among Crossfit women in Germany . For our story, she selected five functional fitness exercises that train the entire body and can be completed individually or as a circuit training session one after the other. You can't do this without a kettlebell, but you can also do all the exercises with dumbbells or even without weights. This is often stressful enough, especially for beginners.

Ready? Then put on your sports clothes, get out the dumbbells and bands, let's get started: Here comes your training plan for functional training at home!

Functional Training Exercise 1: Kettlebell Swing

You will need: A kettlebell with a relatively heavy weight

This is how it works: You stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, feet pointing slightly outwards, knees slightly bent. Grab the kettlebell (at least 10 to 15 kg) with both hands and place it in front of your body between your legs. The goal is to swing the kettlebell so that it moves upwards from between your legs on stretched arms - to about belly button height. The explosiveness comes primarily from the hips, which you move forward when swinging. It is important that the swing is even and controlled and that hip extension occurs. The back must always be straight - the spine does not move here, only the hip and knee joints work. Another tip: If the kettlebell is too light, the exercise will not be effective.

Repetitions : at least 12

Functional Training Exercise 2: Plank Drag

You will need: A dumbbell or another handy weight

Here's how to do it: Get into plank position (i.e. on all fours like a push-up) and place the weight diagonally behind one of your hands. The hands should be about shoulder-width apart, the legs are stretched, and the toes have a firm grip. The back and bottom form a line, the bottom is neither too low nor too high. Also make sure that the neck stays in line with the back. You now hold this plank position, at the same time alternately taking the weight with one hand and then pulling it diagonally across the floor behind the arm of the gripping hand. It is important to maintain tension at all times: your back, stomach, buttocks, legs and supporting arm are tensioned at all times, sagging is prohibited!

Reps: 15 to 25

Functional Training Exercise 3: Goblet Squat

You will need: A kettlebell

Here's how to do it: First you have to bring the kettlebell to chest height. To do this, you can push it upwards from your hips or lift it with the help of your knee. Then you reach over by grabbing the kettlebell with both hands on the short sides of the ring so that your little fingers rest on the ball and your fists point towards each other. All fingers should fully enclose the handle of the kettlebell for better grip. At the same time, the arms are close to the body. Once the kettlebell is in position in front of your upper chest and the grip is correct, you can get started: You take a stance that allows you to do the deepest possible squats. And that's exactly what you do. Go as low as possible, but make sure that the kettlebell always remains in position in front of your body, at chest height. A straight back, upright upper body and consistent body tension are important to minimize the risk of injury. Most important tip: The squats (i.e. knee bends) must be done in a controlled manner. If you just let yourself fall down or come back up shaking, it's over.

Reps: 10 to 20

Functional Training Exercise 4: Cross Body KB Deadlift

You need: a kettlebell

This is how it works: You stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your feet pointing outwards only slightly or not at all. The kettlebell stands next to one of your feet - so that the tip of the foot is approximately in the middle of the ball. The legs are slightly bent. Now grab the kettlebell by the foot with your opposite hand by bending down to the side of the kettlebell with your back straight. So if the kettlebell is on your left foot, grab it with your right hand. The hand grabs the kettlebell so that the palm faces the other foot (i.e. not outwards). In one movement, pick up the kettlebell, push your hips forward and move the weight to the other side of your body while standing upright. Then carry out the same movement to put the weight back on the same foot. Once again: Keep your back straight, make sure that you don't hunch over either the upper back or the lumbar vertebra.

Reps: 12 to 25

Functional Training Exercise 5: KB Clean and Press

You need: a kettlebell

Here's how to do it: For perhaps the most famous kettlebell exercise, you stand a little wider than shoulder-width apart. You start on the floor in a squat and grab the kettlebell with one hand. Meanwhile, the free arm is stretched to the side to ensure more balance and body tension. From the floor, bring the kettlebell to your chest in an upswing movement, where it rests on your arm between your chest and shoulder area. For the next step, you can change your grip so that the following press is easier for you: Now press the weight upwards in a straight line until your arm is fully extended. Then lower the weight down to chest height in a straight line and with full body tension, then place it back on the floor with your back straight and your legs bent. Then repeat the whole thing with the other arm.

Reps: 12 to 24

Important: The information about repetitions is only a guideline. Depending on your level of training, you can also do fewer repetitions. However, if the exercises are too easy for you, you can use bands to provide more resistance - or use heavier weights. And another note: If it is not clear to you how to carry out the exercises properly, if you feel pain or discomfort during the exercises, please stop them immediately or do not attempt them at all. A personal trainer or other expert can certainly help you.

Would you like even more functional training exercises to do at home? Here are Anne's household tips!

From now on, if you say you're going to the gym, just stay home. Because with these functional fitness exercises from Crossfit champion Anne Haisch you can transform your four walls into a gym. Let it rain, snow or storm outside!

• For squats and lunges you don't need anything except a little space. Our tip: Just do it on the carpet in the living room – and watch the series while you do it!
• Split squats (lunge squats, what a word!) can also be done easily in the room, but you can make them even more challenging by placing your back foot on a step or even the edge of the bed.
• Jumping rope , burpees (push-ups combined with stretch jumps) and mountain climbers (planks in which you quickly alternately pull your knees towards your shoulders, i.e. completing a “sprint up the mountain”) are incredibly strenuous and super effective functional fitness exercises for You also only need your body weight or a simple rope and some space.
• When doing a handstand against the wall, you - unsurprisingly - only need a wall to support yourself on. With the Pike Push Ups you do push-ups with your bottom stretched high up and your legs straight, your head pointing downwards. Here, as with handstands, the shoulder muscles in particular are put under extreme strain.
• Finally , sit ups and crunches are effective abdominal exercises that are extremely important for a strong core. You already guessed it. You just need a little space and time for this.

It would be beyond the scope to describe all the exercises in detail, but the internet is your best friend. Numerous fitness influencers and trainers are just waiting to help you with their videos. So you are never alone when it comes to functional training, even with these standard exercises.

What can you do against autumn blues and weaker feelings? Anne's pro tips

As a CrossFit champion, you can't just stop training just because you're in a bad mood or the weather is bad. That's why we asked Anne what tips she has for us so that we can train again and again at home with new motivation:

• Nutrition When training for fast carbohydrates, always have a delicious Dextro Energy* bar on hand instead of chocolate.
• Motivation and nutrition It sounds strange, but it works: simply stick a picture of your big goal on the fridge or on the candy box. This can be a sporting role model or a picture of an event that you are training for. It makes you think twice about whether you really need to snack or eat another sausage at midnight.
• Shopping Don't buy things that are unhealthy or have way too many calories. This way you won't be tempted at home, because you can't eat what you don't have at home.
• Training should be fun! Listen to music while exercising or watch a film – no problem, especially when doing functional training at home!
• Stretching exercises keep you fit and supple and can even replace entire training sessions. And if you just do them in the evening while watching TV, they'll be easier anyway.
• Training partner: The fight against the bastard is easier together. And: If you get support, it can also push you to new heights. It's never a bad idea to visit home anyway, right?
• Favorite shoes and sports clothes The right outfit is not only important for morale when working from home. It also counts when training at home. The sportier, stronger and more comfortable you feel, the better.
• Get inspired Follow athletes on YouTube or Instagram and keep creating moments that motivate, encourage and inspire you. By the way, you'll always find out new things from the world of functional training. And stay on your toes!

Dextro Energy* supports you in your functional training at home

Now you know almost all the tips and tricks for successful functional training at home. But one tip is still missing: At Dextro Energy* you get everything you need for your functional training. Whether protein powder , carbohydrate bars , Recovery° Drink or glucose for quickly available carbohydrates during your training exercises: our fitness products are ready to support you.

* contains carbohydrates

° Proteins contribute to increasing and maintaining muscle mass.

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

PHOTO CREDITS

all pictures: @ annehaisch