Is Functional Training Really More Functional?

Functional Training. How functional is this form of training really?

Again and again it is claimed that Functional Training as a form of training is more functional than other forms of training. Sometimes it even goes so far that other forms of training are claimed to be not functional at all. These statements are often justified by the fact that several muscles or muscle groups are active at the same time and the interplay is trained. Supposedly the benefit of Functional Training for everyday life is greater because the exercises, seen from the outside, are closer to the movements of everyday life.

If these claims about Functional Training are examined critically, the claims must be questioned.

Functional Training vs. Muscle Function

The main function of the skeletal muscle is to produce force. If force is produced by a muscle during training, this is already functional. If we take the biceps brachii muscle as an example, it has 3 functions. The musculus biceps brachii is responsible for flexion (bending of the forearm) at the elbow joint. In addition, with the elbow at a right angle it is the strongest supinator (outward rotation of the hand). When both heads contract, anteversion (raising the arm forward) of the arm results. Therefore, each of these movements is functional, because it is a function of this muscle. If you now want to train your biceps, you should train these functions individually and weaken the muscle in its functions.

If you perform an exercise in Functional Training, you will be able to keep performing this exercise until the weakest muscle is completely exhausted. Which muscle this is can sometimes not be predicted through the coordinatively demanding exercises. So you do not know which adaptation you can expect.

Functional Training and the Central Nervous System

At the start of the exercise, the central nervous system apparently decides whether it is a force task or a position task (Rudroff et al 2011). In a position task, the muscles fatigue faster compared with a force task at the same training resistance. Therefore the stimulus on the muscles used is smaller. So if you want to increase your muscle mass, Functional Training is not the first choice.

Functional Training can make sense if you want to train the interplay of the muscles. However, it is important to know that neural adaptations are rather movement-specific. You will therefore learn to perform exactly this exercise "better" or more economically. You therefore cannot simply transfer the adaptation of the exercise to other movements. This has to do with the function-dependent recruitment of motor units. If you want to learn as many different movements as possible, we recommend that you practise a sport that ensures this (football, basketball, hockey, boxing etc.). Another way to learn varied movements is group fitness classes such as P.I.I.T, Kick Power, Fitboxe or Zumba.

Functional Training is therefore not really suitable for muscle building. For this you should not choose coordinatively demanding exercises. Concentrate on the muscle to be trained and exhaust it as much as possible.

Source: Rudroff T, Justice JN, Holmes MR, Matthews SD, Enoka RM (2011) Muscle activity and time to task failure differ with load compliance and target force for elbow flexor muscles. J Appl Physiol 110:126–136