The Ultimate Guide to Functional Strength Training (2024)

Functional strength training has become a bit of a buzzword in the fitness world, but unless you’re a personal trainer or an athlete, you might not be familiar with what it actually entails. The ironic aspect of functional fitness is that you don’t have to be an athlete, a trainer, or even an avid exerciser to partake in—or benefit from—functional fitness since it involves movements and activities you probably do every day.

What is Functional Strength Training?

Forget about isolating muscle groups or lifting weights for aesthetics. While it is technically a type of fitness training, functional strength training focuses on building strength that translates to real-world movements like carrying groceries, climbing stairs, or playing with your kids or grandkids.

While traditional strength training exercises muscle groups in isolation, functional strength training exercises the body through movement patterns, explainsJordan Duncan, DC. With functional exercises, you work several muscle groups simultaneously, replicating how your body moves naturally.

“You want to think about how your body moves naturally on a day-to-day basis—movements such as squats, lunges, chops and lifts, patterns that involve hip hinging and carries,” he says. “These movements incorporate global movement patterns as well as balance, proprioceptive training, and diaphragmatic breathing.”

The ultimate goal of functional strength training is to use time spent in the gym or working out to improve one's life outside of it.

Benefits of Functional Strength Training

Functional training exercises simultaneously target multiple muscle groups, mimicking these everyday motions. This approach builds strength, improves balance and coordination, and enhances flexibility—all essential for easily navigating daily life. Here’s a breakdown of some key benefits of functional strength training.

Eases everyday activities

The activities you’re tasked with on a day-to-day or weekly basis—like carrying groceries, bending down to tie your shoes, lifting your kids or grandkids, taking out the trash, carrying your laundry basket, etc.—require more effort than you likely realize. Functional strength training focuses on the muscles you use to move with more confidence, control, and ease during these activities.

Increases core strength

Your core is your body's powerhouse, providing stability and support for all your movements. It includes your pelvis, lower back, hips, and stomach (abs) and is involved with almost everything you do on a functional basis. Functional exercises often engage your core muscles naturally, strengthening them and improving your posture, explains health and wellness coach Marvin Nixon, MS, NBC-HWC, CPT. “This translates to better back support, reduced lower back pain, and a more stable foundation for all your movements, from bending down to pick something up to playing with your kids,” he says.

Gives you a boost in metabolism

Through functional strength training, you’re building muscle, which naturally burns more calories at rest compared to fatty tissue. So, the more muscle you have, the higher (although slightly) your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which means you burn more calories while at rest. Moreover, since functional strength training exercises are often quite intense and involve many muscle groups, you’re increasing the demand on your body’s oxygen system. In other words, long after your workout, your body continues to replenish your oxygen stores and repair muscle tissue in a process known as Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).

Improves your balance and coordination

Many dynamic exercises you might perform during a functional strength training session can help stretch and strengthen your muscles, improving your flexibility and responsiveness, notes Nixon. “Over time, this translates to better balance in everyday life, from walking confidently down the street to excelling in sports and activities,” he says. One study published in Sports Medicine found a direct connection between strong balance and improved motor skills.

Who Should Perform Functional Strength Training?

Dr. Duncan explains that functional strength training can be scaled to meet the capacities of a wide array of people. “While athletes often require exercises to improve speed, power, and sport-specific skills, older adults can benefit from exercises that improve their ability to get in and out of bed, reach overhead, and walk around the block,” he says.

Anyone recovering from a recent injury, especially if it involves muscles, bones, or ligaments, should hold off on functional strength training for the time being and follow their doctor's recommendations before starting any exercise program. The last thing you want to do is stress the area, potentially delaying healing or causing further injury.

Additionally, individuals with certain medical conditions, such as severe arthritis, osteoporosis, or uncontrolled heart disease, might require modifications or alternative exercise options. Consult a doctor or physical therapist before starting a functional strength training routine to ensure it's safe and appropriate for your condition.

Functional Strength Training Exercises

The beauty of functional training is its versatility—you can do functional strength training exercises almost anywhere with very little to no equipment. Here are some popular types of strength training exercises.

Push-ups

This classic bodyweight exercise strengthens your chest, shoulders, and triceps—all muscles you use when you carry out day-to-day tasks. Working these muscles by performing push-ups translates to better overall strength and function in everyday movements like pushing open doors, carrying groceries, or playing with your kids. Variations like incline push-ups or decline push-ups can target different muscle groups.

Squats

Squats work your legs, core, and glutes. While they may be a pain to perform during a workout, you actually do them a ton in your day-to-day life (think picking things off the floor or getting out of a chair). Nixon notes that squats can help build muscle, improve your core, and even boost bone density. You can add variations like jump squats or pistol squats for an extra challenge.

Lunges

Lunge exercises mimic everyday activities like climbing stairs or getting out of your car, so practicing them can help build the right muscles—namely your quads (front of the thighs), hamstrings (back of the thighs), and glutes (buttocks) on both sides. There are many variations, like walking lunges, reverse lunges, and Bulgarian split squats.

Planks

Planks can be tough to hold, but this isometric exercise strengthens your core, back, and shoulders, all of which you use on a functional basis. Since planks engage your deep abdominal muscles (transverse abdominis), rectus abdominis ("six-pack"), and obliques (muscles on the sides of your torso) isometrically, they can help with everything from better posture and reduced back pain to improved stability.

Rows

Rows, which mimic the motion of rowing a boat, work your back muscles, particularly your lats (the broadest muscles in your upper back) and rhomboids (the muscles between your shoulder blades). A strong back is crucial for good posture, supporting your spine and preventing slouching. Additionally, strong back muscles improve pulling power, which benefits various activities and sports, notes Nixon.

Dumbbell exercises

Dumbbell exercises allow you to train each side of your body independently, mimicking bilateral movements used in everyday activities. They engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously and can help improve your balance, stability, and range of motion.

Barbell exercises

Barbell exercises involve movements that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, like deadlifts, presses, rows, and squats, all of which mimic movements you perform in everyday life. You can save time by performing barbell exercises as part of your functional strength training routine since you’re targeting multiple muscle groups at once.

Getting Started with Functional Strength Training

Here are expert tips to help you embark on your functional strength training journey.

• Assess your fitness level and goals: Before starting any fitness regimen, it’s a good idea to be realistic about where you are in your fitness journey. Are you a complete beginner, or do you have some experience with exercise? This will help you determine the intensity and complexity of exercises you can start with.
• Consult a professional: Consider hiring professional help to get you off the ground and design a personalized program tailored to your goals. This can help ensure you are following proper form and ultimately avoiding injury.
• Focus on form over weight: You want to ensure you have a good handle on movement patterns to make any necessary corrections, notes Dr. Duncan. “You should make sure they are breathing properly throughout the movement, and they can perform exercises without pain,” he says. “This may require coaching or feedback, but a careful eye can usually pick out any faults in technique.”
• Increase intensity gradually: Once you feel comfortable with various bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, planks, and rows, you can increase the difficulty—but it’s smart to do so gradually. You can do this by adding variations, increasing repetitions or sets, or adding lightweights like dumbbells.
• Stay consistent: As with anything, it’s important that you stay consistent with functional strength training by making it a habit and incorporating it into your routine. Nixon recommends aiming for 2-3 strength training sessions each week, allowing for rest and recovery between workouts. One way to encourage consistency is to make your workouts fun—enlist a workout buddy's help and add some music to get the mood right.