This year the fitness world is seeing a lovely blend of holistic approaches to movement. Functional fitness, hybrid exercises, and recovery are all part of the trend. What do those types of movements entail?

Functional Fitness:
These are moves that prepare you for the activities you’ll face in daily life without making you so sore you can’t move the next day. While they can be more isolated, like push-ups or bicep curls, they usually involve the whole body. They don’t always look like a movement you’ll see in daily activity. For example, steps ups alone mimic going upstairs. That is a functional movement. Adding an overhead press adds arm work, increases the cardio challenge, and works more core so it creates a greater functional challenge.

Examples:
Walking Lunges
Push Ups
Squat with Bicep Curls
Step Up with Opposite Arm Overhead Press

Hybrid Moves:
It’s very clear the body needs variety. Doing the same repetitive motions all the time is not functional and can lead to wear and tear. That means throughout the week you want to change up your workout. Try strength one day and stretching the next. Make sure to get in some cardio (both intense, like interval, and […]