Functional Fitness

Functional Fitness focuses on how the human body moves. The goal is to teach efficient movement patterns with good joint alignment and body control.

Functional movement is dynamic and involves multiple joint movements simultaneously.  It requires significant stabilization of the body’s muscles, particularly through the pelvic and shoulder regions.  It occurs in a three dimensional environment: forward, backward, side to side, up and down, and in any combination.  In other words you may have to bend, reach, stretch, twist, and maintain your balance all at the same time, in order to perform a given task.

By the age of 40 most of us have some residual functional deficit.  By addressing the causes, versus treating the symptoms, it is possible to move through problem areas safely.  Taking an active approach in the right direction, at an appropriate rate of progress is the key.

We all experience some of the natural physical changes of aging.  By age 12 our bones are no longer pliable.

What we do, what we don’t do (the “if you don’t use it, you ‘loose it, syndrome”), our environment, our gestures, habits, activities, hand and foot dominance, injuries and repetitive movements all affect our posture.

Postural habits are developed. Some are efficient and some are not.  Do not assume that what feels natural is the best way to move.

Muscles do not get tight or weak for just any reason.  Muscles grow tight because of the way they are used.  The same applies to weak muscles.

What used to be normal physical activity can become a challenge because we are no longer as FUNCTIONALLY FIT, and this will restrict our lifestyle.

We can recover a great deal of what we have lost and regain physical efficiency, whether it is strength, endurance, flexibility, joint or core stability, coordination, balance, reactive ability, and cardio respiratory capabilities.   With proper training it can all come back.