Functional strength training

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Functional training may seem like its on the rise in the fitness community, but it’s one of the oldest and most common types of training around. Functional training got its beginnings in the physical rehabilitation field and was created by physical therapists to improve patient recovery after injury or disability.

Specific exercises were developed to help patients regain function and return to activities of daily living. From this start, functional training has been embraced by fitness professionals and morphed into predominantly weight-bearing exercises that simulate everyday movements and target core strength.

Functional training, though, is one method that research shows is effective for everyone from children to grandma and grandpa, as well as athletes like us runners. This type of training strengthens the major muscle groups needed for the positions and movements that healthy running requires, and it also addresses mobility to encourage good form.

“Running is essentially a single-leg sport, requiring impressive muscular strength and endurance,” says Nicole Ramos, P.T., D.P.T., a physical therapist and fitness coach at Shift Integrative Medicine. “Prioritizing functional strength work as part of your training routine can help improve your pace and endurance and prevent overuse injuries.”

By breaking down the movements needed to function as a runner (think: hip flexion and extension, single-leg and oblique stability), you begin to see some basic functional exercises that can promote those specific patterns and muscle needs. Playing with speed and resistance can improve strength and power within these functional movement patterns. Running, unlike most sports, does not require fancy equipment to perform. Your body is your most powerful tool. Therefore, working your body in the ways that emphasize functional movement patterns can help improve the propulsion and dynamic stability you need to move through these positions safely and swiftly.