Tips and tricks for a functional body

If you want to have a functional body, don't miss this article. We will explain to you how to build a strong but also agile musculature.

Having a functional body means being able to perform any type of exercise or activity without pain or other impediments . Generally, it is the result of a type of training aimed at improving mobility and flexibility, so not only focused on muscle growth. As you know, in fact, an exaggerated increase in mass can affect aspects such as agility.

In this article, we will first explain what it means to have a functional body . Then, we will reveal to you some tricks to be able to build a physique capable of responding to the need for a resistant, strong but, at the same time, also dynamic and elastic musculature.

What does it mean to have a functional body?

Before tackling this topic in depth, it is right to clarify, once and for all, the meaning of "functional body". Having a functional body means being able to develop strength, power, flexibility, coordination, speed, agility, balance and strength in equal measure . Basically, we are talking about the best possible result for anyone training in the gym with the goal of improving their physique.

Perhaps some of you may think that it is humanly impossible to obtain a body with these qualities. The fact, if anything, is that to have a functional body requires a lot of perseverance, dedication and great willpower. And we are not referring only to the routine of training, but also to the lifestyle and, obviously, to a healthy diet . Therefore, the goal of going to the gym is not just to develop muscle mass. But to get the maximum potential of your body, correcting posture errors, problems with balance and mobility, so as to become "almost" a kind of superhero.

What are the advantages of having a functional body?

Perhaps, after reading the above, you are thinking that you do not have enough spirit of sacrifice to put yourself to work hard, to have a functional body. Leaving aside, for now, any discussion on the type and frequency of training, we will try to motivate you in another way. In fact, physical activity should always be a tool to achieve a better state of health, both physical and emotional.

Not surprisingly, the benefits of having a functional body are really many. Knowing them, no doubt will push you to start this path of improvement.

1. Having a functional body is better in everyday life

This is the first advantage that will serve as a lever to let you start a new workout with the goal of building a functional body. You won't go to the gym just to "inflate" your muscles but you will transform your body into something active and dynamic . You will earn a lot from a point of view of strength, endurance and above all agility.

Lift the shopping bags, walk the stairs, run behind the bus, face a climb ... Without forgetting that you will resist stress better, relying on a much more efficient immune system.

2. You will no longer have posture problems

Currently, cervical and back pain are the order of the day, as most people spend many hours in front of the computer or sitting at a work table. With a functional training routine you will be able to stimulate and develop all the muscles , but above all the stabilizers, or those that are located in the central area of ​​the body.

A functional body, therefore, will help you to abandon the wrong postures, avoiding muscle aches and contractures and improving various types of bone problems, such as scoliosis. At the same time, these types of exercises will help us prevent injuries, toning the muscles well and keeping your weight in shape.

3. You can carry out any type of activity

Another advantage of having a functional body is that it adapts to any discipline with which you want to measure yourself . Believe it or not, you will have much higher performance in many sports.

One of the best known examples is the contact sports or martial arts: Boxing, Karate, Kickboxing or Muay Thai. The speed of movement, strength, flexibility and reflexes, added to the resistance, will transform you into a true champion!

You will also notice improvements in other sports like football, tennis, basketball or hockey . Pay attention to the physique of the current professional sportsmen: they are more athletic, they do not have accumulated fat and they have a proportionate muscle mass, that is not exaggerated in an exaggerated way.

4 exercises to have a functional body

Now that you know what it means to have a functional body, we will move on to the practical part. That is to say, we will talk about the exercises that are fundamental to achieving this result. You should know that it will not be easy, it will take time and you will need humility, spirit of sacrifice and perseverance. Once you are aware of the fact that it is a real challenge against yourself, then you will be able to begin.

1. Squats

You already know this type of exercise. They are always present in any weight chart due to their extraordinary effectiveness. In this case, we suggest you do 50 repetitions of free squats (without weights) during the first few weeks . Therefore, you will gradually add more and more weight (for example using a kettlebell ) and gradually increase the repetitions.

2. Jump on the spot

These are the famous "knees to chest" leaps that will increase your heart rate, make you sweat and, above all, allow you to work with your leg and buttock muscles. In order to start, 50 repetitions are sufficient.

3. Burpee

The burpee is one of the most complete cardio exercises. Start from a standing position. Crouch down to assume the position of normal push-ups, pull your knees to your chest and jump up. Make it 30 in a row, as fast as possible and without stopping between repetitions .

4. Travel on the spot

Accelerate as much as possible, as if you were ready to sprint. The idea is to keep the movement constant, at most, for at least sixty seconds.

5. Push-up

Finally, to have a functional body, the classic bends that will allow you to strengthen the biceps and triceps, as well as the pectoral muscles, could not be missing . Do 40 repetitions with extended legs.

If your goal is to have a functional body, repeat this training routine three times a week for at least a month. Once you pass this initial stage, you will have to step up the exercises, adding weight and increasing the repetitions.