The F-Word…

What is “Functional”?
“Functional.”  I would be hard pressed to find a word that the fitness community has abused more than this one.  Every new exercise, every new piece of equipment, every new training method, and even every new piece of training apparel is better than what’s currently out there because it’s “functional.”  And the most frustrating part of this marketing scheme (because that’s what it is the majority of the time) is that most of the people who get sold on something “functional” have no idea what “functional” means.

In order to clear up the confusion here are some “functional” definitions.  According to the dictionary, something is functional if it is useful, serves a purpose, and fulfills a function.  And according to my professors,  an exercise/training method/piece of equipment is functional if it has some carry over to sport or every day life.  So if a training method or an exercise can be shown to serve a purpose and improve ones function or ability to carry out other activities in their lives, then it is “functional”.

OK, so now that we know what functional means we can figure out what’s functional and what’s not, right?!  Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple.  Hopefully you noticed that all of those definitions offer quite a bit of wiggle room.  In fact, one could probably make an argument for the functionality of almost anything based on those definitions.  These definitions also make it possible for something to be “functional” for one person or in one situation, but not “functional” for someone else or in another situation.  Although the definition is loose, it does offer some useful information.  To be “functional” something must have some carry over to another activity.  So, logically it follows that the more carry over, the more “functional” something is.  This means that although we can’t definitively say what is or is not “functional”, we can rate an exercise/training method on its degree of carry over and determine how “functional” it is.

What happened to “Functional” Training?
“Functional” training was not always the f-word.  It started out as a great concept.  Who wouldn’t want to train in a way that made everyday life easier; or perform an exercise that made them better at their chosen sport or activity.  Unfortunately, somehow marketing gurus were able to take this great concept and make people think training on an unstable surface, or performing an exercise that would be tough for a circus performer, is “functional” training.  Can some one please explain the carry over of one-legged squats, done on a bosu ball, while doing alternating arm dumbbell curls.  Standing on a squishy ball means you can’t use your full strength, so you’re not getting stronger in any way.  And I can’t think of any activities that are performed on a constantly shifting surface, besides maybe two-legged squats on a bosu ball (or tight-rope walking).  If for some reason you need to do stability training (maybe for prehab or rehab), then call it that.  But don’t go around calling it functional.

“But Cameron, I’m trying to activate my core.”  First, core activation has nothing to do with how functional an exercise is.  Second, any exercise where the trunk must be held steady in order to move a large load (e.g. squat & deadlift) places a much higher demand on the muscles of the stomach and low back then anything done on a squishy surface, while twirling a five-pound dumbbell like a baton.  Third, if you really want to make core exercises “functional”, then do them in a way that imitates some activity in sport or everyday life.

Take Home Points

• All exercises are functional, what changes is the degree to which they are functional.  If a person needs strong shoulders to perform a task in their daily life, then any exercise that  strengthens their shoulders is functional.  And the one that has the greatest effect on shoulder strength is the most functional.
• Stability training ≠” funtional” training (unless you need to perform in an unstable environment).  Just because it’s great for rehab/prehab does not make it functional.
• A novel training method ≠ “functional” training (unless there is a good reason for it).  Sometimes a weird-looking exercise or piece of equipment is just a weird-looking exercise or piece of equipment.

The secret to “functional” strength: GET OFF THE SQUISHY BALL!  PUT AWAY YOUR TOYS!  AND LIFT SOMETHING HEAVY!