What is Functional Fitness?

Functional fitness gets thrown around a lot these days. Recently, the meaning of it formed into weird movements on unstable surfaces and choreographed flows that require intense studying to understand. Today, I want to give you my definition.

Functional fitness is the ability to do a wide variety of physical demands with ease. That means you can move a couch, mow your lawn, go on a hike, kayak, paddle board, get off the floor, stand up from a low seat, grab a something from the top shelf and take a long walk.

Strength and conditioning, the broad definition of what we do at GAIN, will improve your functional fitness. We hit basic human shapes like squatting, hinging, pressing and pulling. These have a direct carryover to performance and function.

You’ve probably noticed some small wins. Things like carrying groceries in the house, walking up stairs, mulching your garden, shoveling snow and long days of walking are becoming easier. This is huge. It doesn’t seem like it, but too many people lose these capabilities and therefore, lose their independence.

While you're out enjoying this holiday weekend, take a minute to pause on your fitness. I bet it’s helping more than you realize.

Justin Miner

@portsmouthcoach

We will be closed on Monday May 27 for Memorial Day.