Functional Training 101

Improving your athletic performance starts with training like an athlete.

“What is functional training and why are we doing it?” are two questions lots of athletes ask when they realize bicep curls are missing in our workouts. To which I usually ask, “Would you rather look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and be absolutely terrible at your sport, or look weak and be the best athlete that ever lived?“

While most inevitably ask if “both” is an option, the majority usually realize that they’d rather be Kevin Durant than Arnold Schwarzenegger. But what if I told you “both” actually was an option. That there actually is a way to train like an athlete and look like an athlete? If that interests you, read on.

“Functional Training” has become increasingly more popular in the athletic community because of the results it produces, but what does training functionally actually entail? According to Gary Gray, considered by most to be the Father of Function, the definition is as follows:

“Applied Functional Science is the convergence of Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Behavioral Sciences that consists of the Principles-Strategies-Techniques process for functional assessment, training and conditioning, rehabilitation, and injury prevention that is practical for any and all individuals regardless of age or ability.”

Whoa! Let’s break this down. Essentially Gray is saying that there are three foundations (Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Behavioral Sciences), we can use them to create workout strategies, assess injuries, and determine rehab approaches, and we use them on everybody (whether you’re an athlete or not).

There are two principles you must know in order to functionally train the body. The first is that every single joint and muscle in the body moves in three planes of motion. These three planes of motion are defined as:

Sagittal: An imaginary plane that divides the body into right and left parts.
Frontal: An imaginary plane that divides the body into front and back parts.
Transverse: An imaginary that divides the body into top and bottom parts.

Now that you have a better idea of what we mean by tri-plane motion, let’s look at tri-plane movement in the spine.

Sagittal: Flexion/Extension
Frontal: Right Lateral Flexion/Left Lateral Flexion
Transverse: Right Rotation/Left Rotation

The second principle you need to know is that we live in a world with gravity. And so, depending upon the body’s orientation with gravity, the function of muscle can actually change. Don’t believe me? Try this experiment out on yourself: Lie down flat on your back and make yourself go through sagittal plane spinal flexion (like you’re doing a full situp). What muscle is active? The abs are causing spinal flexion, and if you were to inspect the muscles in your back you would find that they are relatively inactive.

Now stand up and make your spine go through the same spinal flexion (bend over as if you’re touching your toes). Did your abs do any work? Unless you tried to flex faster than what gravity naturally pulls, the answer is no. What about those back muscles? Chances are you found they were pretty active in trying to slow down that flexion to act against gravity. The muscles did the exact opposite in the two scenarios! Now answer this: which of those two positions do you play your sport in? Unless you’re a wrestler, swimmer, or gymnast, you probably spend most of your time on your feet. And if that’s the case, wouldn’t it then make sense to train your body in that position? Right, exactly.

Thus, let’s examine the hip motions your body performs when in an athletic position on your feet.

Sagittal: Flexion/Extension
Frontal: Abduction/Adduction
Transverse: Internal/External Rotation

When we put these motions together in one exercise we get a lunge matrix that works all of these muscular plans in your body. This approach not only helps maximize your results in the weight room, but also helps improve your athletic performance on the field as well. The video below should give you a good sense of how to perform this routine, but focus on completing it consistently, even at body weight, and you’ll see a great improvement in both your body composition and your athleticism. Why? Because for the first time, you’re actually working your muscles in an athletic, functional, manner.

Welcome to true functional training!