By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach

If you’re wondering what is functional fitness, this guide will break it down for you and help you decide if it’s right for you. Functional fitness, sometimes called functional training, prepares your body to function well in everyday life. According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, functional exercises often include compound movements. Compound exercises work multiple muscle groups at the same time and bend at multiple joints. Compound exercises offer an efficient workout and are a great way to improve your functional fitness.

As a trainer, I’m a big fan of functional exercises as they help you enjoy daily life more, improve your fitness, and are efficient. In this overview, you’ll learn more about what is functional fitness and get some exercises you can try. Ultimately, deciding on a fitness program is a personal choice, and this article can help you figure out if functional fitness is right for you.

What Is Functional Fitness?

So, what is functional fitness exactly, and is it right for you? Functional fitness is a type of training that improves your movements in everyday activities. Our bodies were made to move, and functional training helps improve our efficiency when we bend, step, rotate, pull, and push items in daily life.

Functional exercises simulate common movements that you do in life, such as sitting down and getting up from a chair, carrying things, walking up stairs, picking up objects, and walking on different inclines and surfaces. Functional training often works multiple muscle groups simultaneously (as opposed to isolation exercises, which train one muscle group at a time).

Examples of functional fitness exercises include:

Squats
Lunges
Deadlifts
Push-ups
Glute Bridges
Pull-ups
Push presses
Kettlebell swings
Planks
Medicine ball throws
Battle ropes exercises

Forms of Functional Fitness

Functional fitness includes a wide range of exercises, from walking and running to squats, lunges, and push-ups. Functional training exercises can be categorized into five main groups, including:

Strength training or resistance training uses your body weight, weight machines, or weights to train your muscles, making them stronger. Some examples of functional strength training exercises include squats, lunges, planks, pull-ups, and deadlifts.
Endurance or cardiovascular training improves your heart health, circulation, lung health, and overall fitness level. Examples of functional fitness endurance exercises include walking, stepping, and running.
Flexibility training improves your range of motion in your joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Functional flexibility exercises help improve your range of motion and prevent muscle tightness and limited mobility. Some functional flexibility exercises could include hip stretches, ankle stretches, and spinal twists.
Balance and coordination training helps prevent falls and injuries during daily activities. Some functional balance exercises are standing single-leg raises, balance walks, planks on a stability ball, and tai chi.
Power training involves using maximum strength in short bursts of time. Power training is best for intermediate to advanced fitness levels. Some functional power training exercises are kettlebell swings, box jumps, and plyometric push-ups.

Benefits of Functional Fitness

Functional training offers many health and fitness benefits. Whether you want to feel more energized in your daily life or are concerned about preventing injuries, functional fitness can help. Functional exercises can help your body function more efficiently in daily life. If you’re still wondering what is functional fitness, it involves training your muscles to work together in the same way as when you’re doing things like lifting groceries, climbing stairs, or playing sports.

Here are some of the benefits of functional training:

Improved balance and coordination. Functional exercises challenge your body to move in different directions and planes of motion, which can help improve your balance and coordination. This can reduce your risk of falls and injuries, especially as you age.
Reduced risk of injury. Functional training helps to strengthen the muscles and connective tissues that support your joints. This can help to prevent injuries, such as sprains and strains.
Better quality of life. Functional fitness helps your body perform everyday movements more efficiently, such as pulling, reaching, stepping, walking, and carrying objects. You’ll also enjoy better sleep and more energy throughout the day.
Increased strength and power. Functional training helps increase your lean muscle mass and allows your muscles to work together to generate more force. You’ll have a higher fitness level, burn more calories, and improve athletic performance from functional fitness workouts.
Improved cardiovascular health. Functional exercises can include cardio activities such as walking and running and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. These heart-healthy workouts boost your cardiovascular health and burn calories.
Reduced stress levels. Functional workouts can improve your mood and help reduce the effects of chronic stress.
Reduced risk of chronic diseases. Functional training can reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, depression, anxiety, and dementia.

Who Is Functional Fitness Best For?

Now that we’ve answered what is functional fitness, you may be wondering if it’s right for you. I recommend getting your doctor’s approval to begin any exercise program, including functional fitness training. Functional exercises offer an excellent way to improve your overall fitness level and quality of life. Functional training can be adapted for all fitness levels and ages.

Whether you’re just starting out with a workout program or already exercising regularly, functional fitness can help improve your fitness level, mood, and daily life activities. For beginners and people with health conditions, functional training can be modified to suit your needs and abilities.

How to Get Started with Functional Training

You can join a fitness class focusing on functional training exercises or do your own workouts at home. Check out my beginner-friendly functional workout below to get started.

Here is a beginner-friendly functional workout you can do at home:

Warmup

5 minutes of walking or jogging.
Do 30 seconds of each of the following exercises:

Arm circles - front and back
Leg swings - front and back
Jumping jacks

Workout

Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 for each exercise:

Squats
Side Lunges
Push-ups
Glute bridges

Do 2 to 3 sets of:

Planks for 30 seconds

Cooldown

5 minutes of walking.
Stretch.

Depending on your fitness level, you can modify the workout to make it easier or more challenging. For instance, if you’re a beginner, you can do modified push-ups on your knees or against a wall. If you want a more challenging workout, hold dumbbells for your squats and lunges.

You can also adjust the number of sets and reps you do to adapt to your fitness level and goals. If your goal is to build muscle, do more sets with a heavier weight. If you are a beginner or are working on weight loss, add more cardio time by doing 20 more minutes of walking or running before your workout.

FAQs

What is the meaning of functional fitness?
Functional exercises improve your strength, balance, and flexibility for movements you do in everyday life. Functional exercises include squats, lunges, push-ups, planks, deadlifts, pull-ups, and more.

Is functional fitness the same as HIIT?
HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. Functional exercises can be in HIIT form, but not all HIIT workouts are functional. A functional HIIT workout would include functional exercises such as running, squats, push-ups, and exercises that improve your movement patterns in everyday life.

Is CrossFit the same as functional fitness?
CrossFit is a brand of workouts with heavy weights and high-intensity interval training. CrossFit workouts often have functional exercises, but every movement in a CrossFit workout is not usually functional. Also, functional training often includes lighter weights or bodyweight exercises, while CrossFit often includes heavy weightlifting.

Functional training can be a great way to improve your fitness level, boost mood, reduce your risk of injuries, and enjoy more energy in daily life. Have you tried functional training? Tag @Runstreet on Instagram to get cheered on in your workouts.

Download my FREE Functional Fitness Workout to get started. Happy sweating to you!😊

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, a dog lover and Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet. Her mission is to help people get and stay active in order to enjoy a better quality of life.

What Is Functional Fitness? Complete Guide with Exercises