The term “Functional Training” has been a pet pev of mine for quite some time for the simple reason that the fitness industry it seemed had no idea what that term even meant.
It seemed to associate “Functionality” with twisting cables, kneeling on balls and Bosu training when in actual fact “Functional Training” is more about training in a away that will make your life easy and more enjoyable.
Moving well, lifting your own body weight, carrying things, going through a full range of motion and having a good level of conditioning is what functionality is really about.
Here is a great workout you can try to see if you are in fact functional in your training and have the ability to enjoy everything life has to offer.
Reps should be done unbroken.
No rest in between each exercise but rest for 3 minutes at the end and repeat for 4 rounds in total.
This is not a huge test of strength or anything crazy but rather a good benchmark or indication of your ability to do what MOST people should be able to do if you want to enjoy life to the fullest.
Fit females should be able to do this easily but if I were to modify it in any way I would swap chin-ups for inverted rows (ensure the feet are directly under the attachment point and the body is straight on only 10 cm off the ground at full extension) and push-ups could be done with hands on a bench (so slightly elevated but otherwise super strict with dead straight body and chest to bench each rep).
Other than that it would be the same.
See how you go and let me know if you enjoyed it. Better yet, post it on Instagram and tag me. I would love to see you killing it.