Function Over Form: How to Emphasize Functional Training in Your Workouts

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Would you say your training routine is functional or is it more about hitting your biceps, calves and other “mirror muscles”? Aesthetics play a crucial role in many workout routines, but we must also consider how our bodies move and work in addition to how they look. Functional training has taken off in recent years and has moved outside of niche private gyms and into commercial settings and even the home. What is functional training and how do you incorporate it into your routine? Here are a few things to consider.
 

Cross Training Shoes
 

Why Is Functional Training Important?
 
At its core, functional training is all about becoming stronger and better in tune with your body and its many moving parts. Rather than trying to have the biggest biceps or the leanest physique, it’s about your overall health and conditioning. Functional training is truly about throwing on your gym shorts and hitting compound movements that aren’t too dissimilar from everyday actions like lifting boxes into a truck, carrying groceries up three flights of stairs or keeping up with your younger, much more energetic relatives. In short, functional training provides a deeper purpose to training beyond aesthetics (which you can still gain through a functional training routine).
 
 Steer Clear of Isolation Machines If You Can Help It
 
Isolation machines, you know the ones with instructions printed on them that lock you into a strict movement, are great for bodybuilding and general hypertrophy. However, they don’t necessarily mimic real-world actions, nor do they typically target multiple muscle groups. If you value aesthetics, they’re great, but if you want to emphasize function in your routine, compound movements with free weights like barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells or your own bodyweight offer better results.
 
 Consider Movements You Perform in Everyday Life
 
What type of movements do you in your daily life? Everyone is different, with some people working a job that involves a lot of lifting while others look for any way to make their job more active. Consider what you typically do in daily life and more importantly, what you might not do enough and incorporate select functional, compound movements into your routine.
 
 Exercises to Incorporate Into Your Routine
 
Ready to lace up your cross training shoes and get moving? Here are a few of the most common and popular functional exercises you can try.
 
 · Kettlebell swings
 
 · Inverted bodyweight rows
 
 · Clean and press
 
 · Box jumps
 
 · Front squats
 
 · Anything that requires you to use multiple muscle groups, including stabilizer muscles such as the outer thighs and abs.
 
There are plenty of other functional training exercises and complete routines you can try. When building out your routine, consider how many muscle groups a specific exercise targets, how the movement mimics real-world activities and the efficiency of the movement. Unlike one-trick-pony isolation machines, functional exercises can help you hit multiple parts of your body with one fluid motion. Add them to your routine a few times per week and you should notice improvements over time.
 
 About Reebok
 
 Whether you’re a professional athlete or just enjoy the thrill of an evening run, Reebok’s signature footwear and activewear are for you. This performance brand has decades of experience helping people from all walks of life perform at their best with iconic designs that still set the standard even today. Whatever your workout routine or style preferences, there’s something for everyone from Reebok. The brand offers a wide selection of athletic shoes and apparel, including athletic leggings, walking shoes, gym shorts, basketball shoes and much more. The brand also hosts an extensive collection of insightful and inspirational content on their site, allowing you to learn more about your craft and plot a path toward achieving your goals. Level up your workout apparel and take Reebok’s iconic styles out into the streets. 
 
 Check out Reebok’s functional workout essentials at https://www.reebok.com/us

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