The Functional Athlete Philosophy

You compete the way that you train, so if you need to be explosive during a wrestling match, boxing match or other sport, you will need to train to be explosive. We take your annual goals into consideration when we create your functional training program, and we break it up into multiple phases so you don’t get overwhelmed or overtrained.

At the Functional Athlete we believe that if an Athlete or a FAnatic is looking to reach the highest levels of training to accomplish their ultimate goals in their specific sports, it is vital they train Human movement and not focus on body parts.

We feel that unless you are a Bodybuilder (which is a very dedicated and disciplined sport where the focus is on the competitors isolating body parts so they can reach the ultimate goals in their specific sport, then there would be no reason to train like a bodybuilder.

The human body can only move in these 5 ways, Pushing > Pulling > Level Change > Locomotion> Rotation. FA feels that by training human movements anyone we train will benefit from the functional training and ultimately reach their goals, whether it’s to get to the highest level of sports or just living a healthier lifestyle!!!

In Sports as in everyday life we need to be able to move quickly, easily and with balance; we must be able to push and pull, squat and lift objects, walk, run, skate, ski, we must be able to rotate; and we must be able to handle and react to the unexpected.

Our Definition of functional training is “training all human movements, in all 3 planes of motion, using all three muscle contractions.”

HUMAN MOVEMENTS

A. Pushing-Pulling
B. Level Change
C. Propulsion
D. Rotation

IN ALL 3 PLANES OF MOTION

A. Sagittal – Flexion and Extension ie., Bicep Curls, Squat, etc
B. Frontal – Lateral movement ie., Lateral Lunge, Side shuffle, etc
C. Transverse – Rotation ie., Rotational Lunge, Rotational Chest Pass etc

USING ALL 3 MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS

A. Concentric – Lifting the load. shortening of the muscle
B. Eccentric – Lowering the load, Lengthening of the muscle
C. Isometric – Stabilizing the load No visible change in the length of the muscle.

We believe it is vital to develop strength, speed, power, balance and agility in each of these movements by using multi joint and multi-muscle exercises to develop the natural movements of the body.

If you train using this philosophy I would consider your training program Functional, no matter which exercises are being incorporated

FA’s Definition of Sports Specific Training can be described in one word; PRACTICE!!!

The sports specific coach is the coach who will teach the specific technical and tactical skills needed to perform during Competition.

The job of a strength and conditioning coach is to make the athletes better athletes by building their strength, speed, power, agility, quickness and flexibility.

The stronger, faster, and more powerful an athlete is the more success they will have performing the technical and tactical skills needed to be successful in their specific sport.

SCIENCE VS PRACTICAL

The Strength Coaches and Trainers at the Functional Athlete are very knowledgeable about the science behind the Training, but just as important we know how to take our knowledge of the human body and exercise science and we use our many years of experience to make it Practical. We offer personal training or group class settings for all ages.