With so many variations, it can be difficult to understand what Functional Basic Training really is. But the key is to redirect your attention away from a specific set of exercises and towards the underlying principles.
“At the heart of functional training is an exercise program that covered effectively to daily activities,” says Phoenix-based physical therapist Tony Kottoor, DPT. “This idea that if an exercise doesn’t accurately mimic real-life activity, then it’s not functional comes from a limited understanding of training. It’s much more about how an exercise mimics muscle activation.
In other words, training that better prepares you for daily activities is not as simple as doing After of these activities. Want to be able to hike or play basketball or clean up the yard during the winter? You will want to focus on activating the muscles you will need to do these activities safely.
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“The core, which includes the abs, back, and hips, is a platform for effective movement,” says Alan Hsieh, fitness and performance trainer at Quantum Performance in Calabasas, Calif. “The core always gets a lot of attention and there’s always a new training fad always coming out – you may have heard a lot about ‘anti-resistance’ training in recent years – but the training of base does not need to be so isolated or compartmentalised.”
Abdominal exercises like crunches, scissors, and Pallof presses definitely have their place. But they each miss an integral part of basic functional training: movement. Once you incorporate movement into an exercise, you now add layers like coordination, proprioception, and balance that mimic real life.
One of the most effective ways to incorporate this type of functional movement into your core routine is to do lifts, which is to lift something heavy and walk with it.
“Portages are incredibly simple, yet effective exercises because they add a dynamic load during movement that mimics real-life activities,” says Hsieh. “Whether it’s a mother who wants to get stronger, someone recovering from injury, or an elite athlete training for performance, lifts can unlock core strength. and functional gains like few other things.”
Research on carrys backs it up: science shows they engage a multitude of core muscles. One study demonstrated how specific carrying positions for certain exercises, namely split squats and walking lunges, can lead to significant benefits.
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If you’re looking forward to adding litters to your training plan, it’s best to start small to avoid injury. In this four-part progression, start with the first exercise and add it to your workout plan twice a week. Once you can complete it to its final progression with relative ease, then…and only then— move on to the next exercise of the following week.
Note: Start with dumbbells that are about 10% of your body weight and work your way up to 45% as you get stronger and more comfortable with each exercise.
Exercise 1: Farmer’s Carry
- Find a path where you can walk straight and unhindered for 30 seconds.
- Take two dumbbells of equal weight and place one on either side of you.
- Set a timer for 30 seconds, grab each dumbbell off the floor, and walk straight.
- Complete five repetitions in total
Exercise 2: Carrying a suitcase
- Follow the same instructions as the farmer’s carry, but instead of two dumbbells, just hold one in one hand as you walk for 30 seconds: the key here is to combat tipping to the weighted side by keeping the hips and shoulders level.
- Repeat five times on each side.
Exercise 3: Lunge walk, one-handed carry, ipsilateral
- Grab a dumbbell and hold it by your side.
- Perform 10 walking lunges starting with the leg on the same side you are holding the dumbbell (ipsilateral means occurring on the same side). In the video below, it looks like the second step taken (weight in left hand, left leg forward).
- When done, place the weight in the other hand and repeat on that side.
Exercise 4: Lunge walk, one-handed carry, contralateral
- Grab a dumbbell and hold it by your side. Perform 10 walking lunges starting with the leg on the opposite side where you hold the dumbbell (contralateral means occurring on the opposite side). In the video above, this is similar to the first step taken (weight in left hand, right leg forward).
- When done, place the weight in the other hand and repeat on that side.
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