Functional movement involves performing movements that simulate everyday activities such as pushing, pulling, twisting, bending, lifting, and squats. These workouts use multiple joints and muscle groups simultaneously, mimicking real-life movements. They are integral to achieving higher performance, improved muscle memory, and safer, more efficient motion.
Here’s a guide on functional movement patterns used for exercise;
Squatting Movement
This pattern helps develop the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. Proper squatting form involves keeping your feet hip-width apart with your spine neutral, hips pushed back, chest up, and knees above your toes. You can boost the intensity using weights, box jumps, or single-leg squats. The squatting motion replicates movements such as picking up heavy objects or climbing stairs. Squats benefit athletes by improving running speed and jumping height.
Hinging movement
This pattern focuses on engaging the posterior chain muscles, such as the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Exercises such as deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and Romanian deadlifts help to strengthen these muscles while improving hip mobility. The hinge motion helps in explosive jumping or lifting, making it common among athletes, cross-fitters, and powerlifters.
Push-up Movement
This exercise is perfect for building upper body and core strength. You can do push-ups using incline, decline, wide-grip, or close-grip variations. The proper form involves keeping your body straight, tucking your elbows in, and keeping tension throughout the core. Push-ups develop chest, triceps, shoulders, and core muscles, and they improve mobility for other upper-body workouts.
Pulling Pattern
The pulling motion strengthens the back, biceps, and forearms. Exercises such as chin-ups, rows, and pull-downs use the pulling pattern. While doing these exercises, aim to engage your shoulder blades and keep your spine neutral. Improved pulling movement can increase grip strength, enhance posture, prevent lower back pain, and assist with balance and stability.
Lunging pattern
This pattern targets the lower body muscles, such as the glutes, quads, and hamstrings, challenging your balance and coordination. You can do lunges in different directions with or without weights, alternating your legs. Keep your knees in line with your toes and your core engaged. It is a low-impact exercise that places less strain on joints, reducing the risk of injury. Lunging benefits sports performance and everyday movements such as walking and climbing stairs.
Rotating Movement
Rotating involves twisting your body from side to side, engaging your core muscles, and improving your flexibility. Rotational movements mimic everyday actions like swinging a golf club. Examples of rotating exercises include Russian twists, woodchoppers, medicine ball throws, and bicycle crunches. These rotating exercises can help prevent injury in other body parts, such as the lower back, hips, and knees. Incorporating rotating movements into your workout routine can increase your overall strength and stability, leading to better posture and balance.
Benefits of Functional Movement
Functional movement is an effective way to improve overall body performance. It helps to prevent muscle imbalances and injuries, enhance flexibility, and increase strength and endurance. By working out with functional movements, you can mimic real-life actions required for daily activities such as lifting boxes, bending to reach a shelf, or pushing a door open. These workouts increase coordination, balance and stability, mobility, and overall body awareness. Function movements can be easily tailored to fit individual fitness levels and goals. Using functional movement patterns for exercise can enhance your physical abilities and improve your overall quality of life.
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Incorporate Functional Movement into Your Workout Today
Functional movement patterns have become popular in fitness circles due to their practicality, versatility, and effectiveness. They mimic everyday movements useful in daily activities and sports, making them a suitable workout. By including exercises that target different patterns, you can enhance your overall body performance and reduce the risk of injuries while improving body awareness, balance, and coordination. Incorporate functional movement patterns into your workouts and enjoy the benefits of a stronger, healthier, and more agile body.
