There are many reasons why functional exercises are important; here are some of the primary reasons:

1. They promote maintenance and improvement in Active Daily Living tasks
2. They promote spinal health and longevity
3. They mimic motor patterns that translate into daily tasks, recreational sports, and work activities.

Traditionally, when people exercise, they are working on “cosmetic fitness” – exercising to look good and working on surface muscles or those that we see. The problem with this is that it doesn’t help you in daily tasks. How often do you hear that someone hurt themselves reaching to the back seat of their car, turning quickly, or bending down quickly to pick up something? These are daily living tasks; therefore, it makes sense to train the muscles doing similar movements. You aren’t lying down most of the day doing crunches, yet your abdominal muscles are constantly working to stabilize your spine. So why not train them in a way that makes sense (i.e. standing, sitting, twisting)? That’s what core and functional training are about, and there are several methods you can use.

Related posts:

1. The 4 Principles of Functional Training – Principle #2 Reaction vs. Injury
2. Functional Training
3. The 4 Principles of Functional Training: Principle #1 – Isolation vs. Integration
4. Training Myth # 4 – It’s Best to Rest Between Exercises
5. The 4 Principles of Functional Training – Principle #3 Balance vs Bulk