Functional fitness
Functional fitness. What a funny phrase. What does it actually mean to be doing functional fitness? How does flipping a tire correlate to everyday life? Or why would I ever need to climb a rope?
I think the key for functional fitness is that it isn't actually about the direct correlation with real world activities. There are a lot of movements we do that are actually needed in day to day life. But what about seeing how functional our bodies are? I would like to remain capable of lifting odd objects or running from a dead stop.
I started writing this article this morning and 2 hours later my sister, who goes to the gym now, sent me a hilarious meme and said “what exercise will prepare me for this?” The funny thing about this conversation is my brain immediately had an answer… KB Snatch… Somethings wrong with me.
Prep your body for the real world situations that we face. The airport situation. I know I want to be strong enough to carry the baby, my backpack and a roller at the same time. Then throw my roller in the overhead bin with one hand, help the older gentleman that looks stuck in the aisle with his, while still holding the baby of course, all while pretending to not break a sweat. Look I am not a perfect man by any means, I want to be the hero to that 80 year old for just one second. Can you imagine if I just assumed he needed help and then as I sit down next to him, I see his Reebok Nanos and a Crossfit L-1 shirt and realize I made a terrible mistake assuming he needed help? Haha.
Ok, so back to functional fitness. I want to not just be functionally fit, where I can be prepared for the “known and unknowable”, I want to also be prepared for the “known and unknowable of those around me”. I want my fitness to spill over and help others as well. I don’t want to have to question whether I have it in me to be there for someone else. I want to know that I do.
I want my fitness to keep me functional. There we go, that's it. Functional fitness is keeping my body functional. That's the real goal isn't it? To make everything in life easier. To be 70 year old James out running or out climbing 20 year old James.
Good job getting better everyday at getting up off the ground, or building stronger bones through lifting heavy weights, or being able to support your own weight on the peg board. Those little steps everyday add up to something bigger. Broken record.
Keep building,
James Cooper
