Functional Training Part 2
As I have mentioned previously (13) people can get over focussed on functional or sport specific training.In fact members of my profession are far too often guilty is using the buzzword 'functional' (along with 'core') and getting clients to use instability training (bosu balls, swiss balls etc) when all the client actually needs is to squat!
So what if you can already squat 100kg for reps comfortably, you can deadlift 140kg with no issues and you can press 80kg.Should you now do some functional training?
While this is clearly open to debate the more I think about it the more I tend to think along the lines of; Well you've got it, what are you going to do with it?So you have this strength, some muscle size and some capacity to work but everything you have done is linear, it is straight lines (up, down, forwards), it is work for a minute, rest for a minute.In fact what you can do is actually quite limited compared with what the body can do.I would bet I can give you a relatively simple exercise with a low weight that you will struggle to do which seems daft when you can lift 140kg off the floor.
The body is a system, it should be trained as a system.
The body is only as strong as it's weakest point.
Here are some examples of things you could do:
If you have a Vipr
cheers - wil lwatch them videos tonight... I'm moving house soon so will be selling my gym and exericse equipment as I no longer will have the space...but I'm going to buy a couple of kettlebells tho... one will be over 28kg I reckon... data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 and an 8kg for my lady...
yep, good videos data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
I've done most of them to varying degrees (except for the bulgian bags, the vipr and the turkish lift) and they're amazing exercises to do... I used to do a bootcamp of a saturday morning with used a 16kg kettlebell, 7 minute burpee challenge (i managed about 50), rope climbing, etc, etc - but that got stopped...nowjust do a kettlercise class and a metafit class of a friday night - as well as my push, pull, leg routine on a mon, tues, and wed... data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
how heavy are those vipr's?
Viprs are all different weights, I can't afford a set so just have a 12kg but they go higher:
fitproshop.com – ViPR™
yep, they are expensive..!
If you like the science side of things these are excellent:
The B&B Connection with Bret Contreras and Brad Schoenfeld - YouTube
I do like Turkish getups. I like how it works the shoulder through all angles and really strengthens it's stability. It's also awesome for the core. As they say, it's more of a movement of skill and finesse than just brute strength. Getups shouldn't be ugly.
Im going to try to write 2 more items this weekend, however I have been too busy training people to start them.Yet it is the training of people that gives me the ideas of what to write aboutdata:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Fantastic thread.
Thanks for taking the time to type all that up and share it with us
Absolutely brilliant thread. I agree, thanks for taking the time. I'm just about to join a gym and could do with some guidance. Thanks Wardy!