Functional Movement

You've probably heard people mention "functional movement" and / or "functional training" a lot, but what do these terms actually mean?

The generally accepted benefits of functional movement are:

• Making everyday activities easier

• Targeting multiple muscle groups simultaneously

• Boosting overall fitness

At Melius, we try to simplify this a little bit further :

Functional means moving in a way that is in sync with your lifestyle.

After all, if something is ‘functional’, it’s operational. Doing its job. Working as it should.

So the functional movement of one person will look very different to that of somebody else.

For a typical day at work, the demands on an office worker’s body are very different to those experienced by someone in the construction industry.

But in the evening or on the weekend, those same two people might play together in the same sports team. Now, the functional demands placed on each of them become much closer and the differences will depend on things like the positions they play and their roles in the team.

There are some global criteria that we at Melius consider when designing functional training programmes for our members:

• The different components of the body move in concert with one another in a global, balanced, “greater than the sum of its parts” way

• Flexion and extension of the joints that are designed to do so, such as your hips, knees and shoulders

• Rotation through multiple planes of motion

• Loads and speeds that are an appropriate challenge for the person’s current level

Function = what something is intended for and is capable of in a given moment in time.

A car is functional if it gets you from A to B. The rest (paint job, sound system, comfortable seats) are merely details.

However, the car stereo and seats can be functional in their own right, and the trip from A to B is more enjoyable. That’s function within function.

‘Functional movement’ is, really, intentional movement that is in sync with your context and capabilities.

Walking is functional for those who are able to walk. For those who aren’t, functional means moving in adapted ways that are in sync with their capabilities.

Rehab exercises are functional because they help the injured area return to full function.

Weightlifting, running, jumping, sprinting, wrestling… these are ‘functional’ if they are synchronous with the reason you are doing them in the first place.

When implemented correctly, functional movement can improve strength, balance, flexibility, and coordination, while reducing the risk of injury.

From athletes looking to optimise performance to people who want more health and vitality, ‘functional movement’ is relevant for everyone. It’s a versatile solution because it’s not limited by strict definitions, and is applicable to all fitness levels.

Move with intent. Stay connected with your context and always seek to challenge your capabilities.

That’s functional training.

Thanks for reading!