“Functional training” refers to exercises that help you more easily perform activities in everyday life. It’s excellent for longtime athletes and gym newcomers alike—so come learn more about functional fitness from your friends at Jack City Fitness!

All workouts help your body move and function at its best level—but many were developed with athletic performance in mind. Functional exercise is a bit different. While many functional training exercises do enhance your performance on the field or at the gym, these workouts go beyond sports performance; they improve how you handle daily activities, like changing bedsheets or carrying a toddler. 

Whether you engage in daily exercise or haven’t seen a gym in years, we recommend trying some functional fitness workouts. We’ve written a simple guide to functional exercise to get you started. When you’re ready to give it a try, our fitness coaches are waiting to help.

What Are the Benefits of Functional Fitness Workouts?

Now that you know our functional training definition, you might have questions about what makes it so important.

Our biggest reason for trying functional fitness? It makes your life easier! It doesn’t matter if you’ve never played a sport in your life or dreaded PE in high school. Movement and motion are still essential parts of your daily life—even if you don’t pay them much mind. 

Whether you need to stay on your feet for your job, run around with your kids all afternoon, or carry your weekly groceries up a hill back home, you use your body in all sorts of ways—and sometimes, the wrong way can cause pain or injury. Functional fitness workouts can help you train your body to move more naturally and safely daily. This will make everything from errands to housework easier, giving you more energy and less grief overall. 

This isn’t the only reason we advise even the biggest gym-phobes to try their hand at functional fitness—we also think it might change the way you look at exercise and working out. By working with a helpful and supportive coach and maintaining goals of overall improved quality of life rather than sporting success, you might find the experience enriching rather than overwhelming. 

Finally, while functional fitness was designed to help improve daily movements, there are some natural benefits that will indeed help your sports performance, if that’s your desire! Engaging in functional training can help you become more flexible, boosts endurance levels, and has been shown to improve your overall balance. All of this leads to better athletic performance as well as daily motion. 

What Are Some Examples of Functional Exercises? 

One of the best things about functional exercises? There are (quite literally) dozens to choose from. We’ve listed some of our favorites below, but that’s only where the fun begins.

• Pushups

If you haven’t nailed this move yet, check out our guide to pushup progressions—our coach Marshall is a pushup king! 

• Suitcase Squat

These lower-body workouts are a functional fitness mainstay. 

• One-Arm Row

This workout requires a dumbbell—we have plenty of them at Jack City Fitness, plus dedicated coaches to ensure you’re using proper form.

• Transverse Twists

Never stumble on a crowded bus again! This functional training exercise is a great way to strengthen your core and improve overall balance. 

• Deadlifts

Deadlifts can be a fantastic functional fitness move—but if you’re new to lifting, it’s crucial to start out safely. We recommend chatting with your doctor before lifting for the first time, especially if you have any health conditions. It’s also best to try lifting under the guidance of a dedicated fitness coach. 

• Lateral Lunges

Lateral lunges rely on bodyweight for resistance, so they’re a great functional training option when you’re away from the gym.

If none of these functional training exercises sound like your cup of protein shake, contact your fitness coach. They’ll be able to work with you to find functional exercises that are enjoyable for you and help you work towards your goals.

Try Functional Training Exercises at Jack City Fitness

At Jack City Fitness, our team is passionate about functional exercise. Some of our trainers specialize in it! If you want to try personal functional training with one of our coaches, contact our team today by calling (208) 999-1111. We’ll invite you to our Boise gym for a FREE fitness consultation and a chance to meet our coaches. Once you become a Partner, you’ll have 24/7 access to our facility, plus the ability to work with our nutritional counselor and coaches, take classes, and more.