{"id":14414,"date":"2018-12-21T15:39:08","date_gmt":"2018-12-21T15:39:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/?p=14414"},"modified":"2019-03-11T11:19:09","modified_gmt":"2019-03-11T11:19:09","slug":"master-functional-fitness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/","title":{"rendered":"Master Functional Fitness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Looking for a workout that improves co-ordination, boosts balance, increases muscle strength, raises your endurance, and<\/em>\u00a0makes everyday tasks easier? Look no further than functional fitness. We know what you might be thinking: Functional fitness sounds technical and, frankly, like the opposite of fun, but don\u2019t be fooled by the name. Functional fitness is simply well-tailored strength training that involves multiple muscle groups and enhances your ability to get things done, like hauling a heavy backpack across campus, lifting your kids in and out of their car seats, or weeding the garden.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like training for life,\u201d says Nick Clayton, M.S., personal training program manager for the National Strength and Conditioning Association, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. You\u2019re teaching your muscles to work together. Doing 50 sit-ups? Great for your waistline, but they won\u2019t really make it easier to rearrange the living room furniture. Doing a squat while raising a kettlebell, on the other hand, trains the muscles you use to bend down, pick up and move the couch.<\/p>\n

Spend more time on functional fitness, he says, and you\u2019ll appreciate some pretty impressive perks: better balance, a stronger core, improved flexibility, and fewer nagging aches and pains.<\/p>\n

Ready to master functional fitness? Here\u2019s how to get started.<\/p>\n

Consider your daily routines. <\/strong>Think about everything you need to tackle in a day. Are you getting in and out of a car frequently? Does your job involve a lot of lifting or reaching? Or are you focused on smaller, repetitive motions? Knowing how you need to use your body will help you find the best functional exercises for you.<\/p>\n

Talk to a pro.<\/strong> You don\u2019t need a personal coach or a pricey series of one-on-one sessions, but it is a good idea to track down a certified personal trainer. \u201cBecause functional fitness exercises involve moving more than one muscle or joint, there\u2019s more coordination involved, and good form is important,\u201d says Clayton. \u201cGet instruction so you make sure you\u2019re doing it right and don\u2019t injure yourself.\u201d Most gyms and community fitness centres have trained staff on site who can help you map out a few basic moves to suit your goals. Or follow Clayton\u2019s starter plan in the three-week Mindful Functional Fitness Challenge<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Line up some basic equipment. <\/strong>Remember, functional fitness is tailored strength training. While your own body weight is enough for most functional exercises, you might want to pick up a few hand weights, kettlebells, fitness balls, resistance bands, and wobble boards to challenge yourself.<\/p>\n

Learn how to decode a gym\u2019s fitness class menu. <\/strong>Even though the American College of Sports Medicine has declared functional fitness a top 10 fitness trend for 2018, you\u2019ll be hard pressed to find those words in the title of any group fitness class. (Functional Fitness Yoga doesn\u2019t exactly scream “woo-hoo!”). Look for classes described as building muscle fitness (strength, muscular endurance, and power), flexibility, or balance, or that talk about delivering a head-to-toe workout. Tai chi, yoga, and barre classes are all great examples. Generally speaking, spinning classes, classes that target specific body parts, and classes that involve high-energy dance choreography don\u2019t count. (That doesn\u2019t mean stop taking those classes if you enjoy them!) When in doubt, ask the instructor.<\/p>\n

Give it a try. <\/strong>You can try out functional fitness exercises right now. For someone carrying a heavy backpack or lifting a toddler out of a car seat, for example, a bent over row will strengthen all of the muscles involved in those movements. To do: Holding a weight in one hand, lean over a bench or chair with arm at your side. Pull the weight up, pointing elbow to the ceiling and keeping upper arm parallel to the ground.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Looking for a workout that improves co-ordination, boosts balance, increases muscle strength, raises your endurance, and\u00a0makes everyday tasks easier? Look no further than functional fitness. We know what you might be thinking: Functional fitness sounds technical and, frankly, like the opposite of fun, but don\u2019t be fooled by the name. Functional fitness is simply well-tailored […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-move-uk"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nMaster Functional Fitness - Mindful by Sodexo - United Kingdom<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Make Your Workouts Work Harder for You\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Any exercise you get is good for you, but certain exercises go above and beyond. Grab your fitness gear and try out functional fitness.\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mindful by Sodexo\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-12-21T15:39:08+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-03-11T11:19:09+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/12\/FunctionalFit-710x401-1.jpg\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"710\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"401\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Make Your Workouts Work Harder for You\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Any exercise you get is good for you, but certain exercises go above and beyond. Grab your fitness gear and try out functional fitness.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/12\/FunctionalFit-710x401-1.jpg\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/\",\"name\":\"Master Functional Fitness - Mindful by Sodexo - United Kingdom\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2018-12-21T15:39:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-03-11T11:19:09+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/4b157e8eda4099995e7fc941ba25fd4e\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Master Functional Fitness\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/\",\"name\":\"Mindful by Sodexo\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/4b157e8eda4099995e7fc941ba25fd4e\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdcc65e64c381e8f0531cc0078524545?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdcc65e64c381e8f0531cc0078524545?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/author\/admin\/\"}]}<\/script>\r\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Master Functional Fitness - Mindful by Sodexo - United Kingdom","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Make Your Workouts Work Harder for You","og_description":"Any exercise you get is good for you, but certain exercises go above and beyond. Grab your fitness gear and try out functional fitness.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/","og_site_name":"Mindful by Sodexo","article_published_time":"2018-12-21T15:39:08+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-03-11T11:19:09+00:00","og_image":[{"width":710,"height":401,"url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/12\/FunctionalFit-710x401-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Make Your Workouts Work Harder for You","twitter_description":"Any exercise you get is good for you, but certain exercises go above and beyond. Grab your fitness gear and try out functional fitness.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/12\/FunctionalFit-710x401-1.jpg","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/","name":"Master Functional Fitness - Mindful by Sodexo - United Kingdom","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/#website"},"datePublished":"2018-12-21T15:39:08+00:00","dateModified":"2019-03-11T11:19:09+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/4b157e8eda4099995e7fc941ba25fd4e"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/master-functional-fitness\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Master Functional Fitness"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/","name":"Mindful by Sodexo","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/4b157e8eda4099995e7fc941ba25fd4e","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdcc65e64c381e8f0531cc0078524545?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdcc65e64c381e8f0531cc0078524545?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"url":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14414"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14414\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14416,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14414\/revisions\/14416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}