Functional Fitness: The Key To Aging with Grace

We only have one life to live, and it’s our duty to make the best of it. One of the most important things we can do for ourselves is to exercise and move our bodies. Every person’s fitness goals are different, but the endgame is typically the same. We all want to be healthy. Right now, functional fitness training is on the rise, and people love what the training does for their bodies.

By Wix

The Mayo Clinic defines functional fitness as “exercises that train your muscles to work together and prepare them for daily tasks by simulating common movements you might do at home, at work, or in sports.”

Functional Fitness Prevents Injury

When done correctly, functional fitness can transform our bodies and reduce the risk of injury from everyday tasks. Brodie Schroeder explained in an essay for Muscle Armory that functional fitness has been a part of the human race for centuries before it had a cool name.

“If we’re being honest, before the modern era, functional fitness was basically the only kind of fitness there was. Ancient humans hunted stuff and gathered stuff. That’s how they survived. If they couldn’t run fast enough to catch their prey or were not strong enough to wield their weapons, they simply would not live. Ever hear of the phrase ‘survival of the fittest?’ This is how the human race was able to evolve over millennia. Our bodies adapted to our environment and what we needed to do to survive. By training for functional fitness, you are training your body the way it was designed to be used,” he wrote.

By Wix

Functional fitness exercises like dead lifts, squats, overhead presses, lunges, kettlebell dead lifts, and forearm planks are a great way to start. Those exercises will engage your core and fortify muscles for an overall stronger body.

Harvard Health loves the idea of functional exercise and what it can do to give us longevity.

“Functional fitness is a powerful tool for maintaining strength, mobility, and independence as you age. By staying active and following safety guidelines, you can slow down some of these age-related changes and continue to enjoy a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle well into your later years,” Harvard Health explains.