I’ve been teaching Group Exercise for almost 10 years now, wow, I feel old. But actually, I started off teaching when I was in college. Back then, it was all about the burn baby. Work harder, burn more calories, sweat more, yada yada yada. Good thing that mentality is no longer… well, at least for my classes. I may sometimes sound like Gillian Michaels when I teach, but I’m not screaming at them to lose weight, I’m pushing them to work WITH their body and embrace their TRUE strength, FUNCTIONAL strength. I sound corny, don’t I?
Anyway, we’ve talk about my walk/run routine when I’m not teaching, so lets talk about the FOCUS when I am teaching! This Fall I’ve designed my indoor and outdoor group fitness classes to focus on just that… FUNCTION.
What exercises can we work on to IMPROVE our overall FUNCTIONAL strength?
And what is functional strength?
To me, it’s the way the body was designed to move and work naturally. No weight machines needed.
Let me walk you through one of my favorite functional fitness routines…
Clothed by Adidas for course!
First we’d walk or lightly run outside and do a series of dynamic stretches, lunges with twist, etc.
And I always bring my adidas techfit climalite warm up top in case it’s chilly to start off. Plus it’s breathable!
Next we’d perform a push, press, sprint, walk circuit with a partner.
One person puts a band around their waste while the other person holds the band back. Together they move forward. The person with the band around the waste moves 25 yards up in bear crawl position while the person holding the band tries to make their partner work as much as possible while also holding a squat and moving forward with them. Then they switch and crawl back to start.
After that we complete 1 minute of med ball squat and toss together.
Followed by 1 minute Rope slams. Don’t have a rope? Just jump rope or use a med ball to pick up and slam down.
Then it’s outside again to sprint.
3 rounds.. up hill or flat. Race your partner in a full out Sprint for 10-15 seconds, walk back to start. Oh and if you wear leopard print marathon T cooler shorts, you guaranteed to win, haha. They are actually pretty dang amazing and light as a feather!
Repeat that whole circuit 3-5x.
Then back inside for a little CORE WORK.
Dive Bomber push up to toe tap reach and repeat for 1 minute. Followed by 1 minute lower leg lifts with the balance ball. Repeat 3x. And please excuse my poor form on the last push up.. uh.. I was tired.
Depending on the weather and structure of the routine (inside/outside, etc.), I alternate between capris, like the Supernova ¾ Tights and shorts (like the marathon T cooler shorts).
OR —> I’ll be crazy cotter mix them up by wearing both! Tights under shorts! Made with he breathable ventilated climacool® fabric so you don’t overheat but still stay warm.
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by adidas via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of adidas.
Well… what do you think? Would you join me?
What’s your idea of functional fitness?
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Crazy Cotter
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Love this! I try to focus more on functional training than on other forms of exercise but it can be easy to forget. Now that I’m getting my training cert, I’ll definitely be incorporating these types of workout into my classes and sessions!
oh i can’t wait to hear more about this! Which certification?
Your shorts!! love!!
Great post! Functional fitness to me means doing exercises and movements that improve your everyday life. Things like squats and step ups that help build strength while mimicking movements you do in everyday life. I feel like functional movements can have a dramatic impact on correcting bad posture or chronic pains you may have thought you would have for the rest of your life.
This sounds like a killer workout! Want to come to NYC to work me out?!
yes! so fun! but only if it’s not too cold, okay? hehe
I’m a bodybuilder and workout regularly in the gym to build my muscles and to be big and big.
I’m not much familier with functional fitness.
Love this Lindsay! this is where fitness should be and what we all should focus on – fitness for health and function! 🙂
Love the partner band idea and that core move at the end. Um…… hello awesomeness. 🙂 Hugs friend!
Functional fitness to me is clothing that I can go for run in, and then go volunteer at school in. So it’s nice if it’s cute, stylish, and if it would shower me, put my make up on, and wash itself before we get to school. Oh yeah, and it has to be booger resistant– my kids always wipe their noses on my sleeve.
Oh hey- can you be my trainer? I’ll take your legs (oh and the shorts are pretty cute too)- K, thanks!
Heck yes I would join you! That would be a dream come true 😉 What did you go to school for ?! 🙂
I would LOVE to take one of your classes. For real, I think it would be a blast.
I LOVE functional fitness. I think gym machines are great and serve their purpose, but I find a lot of body-weight training is more functional and can still be a killer workout.
To me, “functional fitness” is strengthening movements that mimic things you do every day (i.e. weighted squats for picking up boxes/laundry basket/your kiddo, or calf raises while holding dumbbells for when you have to reach up high for something)
Looks like fun 🙂
I need to get Alex working out with me! We used to do it a lot and it was a good way to stay motivated 🙂 We do usually get in lots of long walks though!
I so wish I could attend your class so you could whip me back into shape. I need the functional stuff after being injured all year!
Hi there! I agree that it’s all about functional fitness. I’m a trainer and group fitness instructor, and I like to tell my clients or participants we want to get them “fit for life,” which means doing things with the body that you would do in everyday life. Pushing, pulling, carrying are all important aspects. If you add some weight, I like farmer’s walks, overhead walks and other moves that make people brace their core, use their balance and walk with good posture while loaded.
I would totally join you even though I have no doubt that I would end up in a puddle on the floor by the end!!!
Love the shorts!
Love this workout!! I gotta try it!! I am trying to do more weights/strength training – so this is perfect!
I am such a believer in functional fitness and using our body as our tool. Good stuff!
I am going to recruit a friend to do this with me–love the sounds of it and love that it’s done outdoors! And functional fitness is where we all should be focusing.
Thanks for sharing these awesome moves and exercises! I can’t wait to incorporate them into my own class. 🙂
This sounds awesome! I need to find other ways to move now that I’ve taken a hiatus from running. And the Adidas capris….LOVE them!
I keep reading mixed messages about functional fitness, mostly how it’s become a term sort of flung around, but I guess for me it’s more like how we move naturally, definitely no weight machines and it can be used to improve fitness in a particular sport. As always, a great looking workout. When can we try this one out together??
I’ll have to keep this circuit in mind for this next year while we’re traveling and making our own workouts when we won’t have access to a gym! 🙂
I need to get back on the functional fitness train. Well, I need to get back on the lifting train, too, but that is another story.
how are you so cute? 🙂 I love that you are talking about this! especially runners we forget that fitness should make us better at life not just one thing
I’ve never heard of the term Functional Fitness until today, actually. Thanks for the education.
Awesome clothing & workout!!!! I am tired reading & that video move – holy cow! You are amazing!
Love this. And I agree. I try to make sure I have those components when I make workouts for the blog and bootcamp. I do love lifting heavy things in the gym, but I still love the workout I get from doing basic, functional, bodyweight movements! Must try the circuit too
I have no leopard shorts!!! I cannot go the fast! =(
Funny you mentioned sprints. I’m plan on incorporating sprint training when spring comes back, after my current strength bias program. Sprinting is so beenficial for you and chances are you’ll have to sprint away from something over needing to run 26 miles as far as functional fitness goes!
exactly… i still need work on my form too. slacking.
Love it! I used to be a fan of machines at the gym but can’t stand them now – I’m all about the functional moves that engage the entire body, especially the slams. Whether it’s with a ball or ropes, they’re so much fun and such a great stress reliever (as long as the ball doesn’t bounce right up and whack you in the face – I speak from experience!)
haha totally done that too
I like your “crazy cotter mix” idea of tights AND shorts! Oh heck yeah!
Yes to functional exercise – currently I am not a gym goer, but Tony Horton does this workout with dumbells that stimulates picking things up and putting them on a shelf; basically a side lunge, twist with weight, reach down and lift weight up and repeat on other side. For me, this not only hits a lot of key muscles but helps me not throw my back out when I am doing heavy lifting and pulling work in my yard!
Lindsay, I love all of these workouts! I am going to have to give them a try!
I would -love- to get my butt kicked by one of your fitness classes… as long as you didn’t make me sprint outside in a Canadian winter 😛 Do you accept payment in muffins and/or granola? 😀
deal! and it’s 93F in TX today, so ya, not cold. haha
I love those band walks! I also love using the band to do “monster walks” where you walk sideways down the length of the gym in a squat position with the band around your ankles. Good for the booty. 😉
I think you need to be my exercise instructor 🙂 I do really believe in functional fitness, those are definitely the best movements for overall strength and health, yet I don’t make enough time for it. Great suggestions here.
I’ll have to give that workout a try with my bootcampers 🙂
Oh I am a lllllll about functional fitness, those are the exercises that keep me strong. I really need to change mine up though, I think my body is too used to them. Next time I can try incorporating these…….but a little late for chicago haha, would make me VERY sore, not ideal 😛
yes, no soreness till after chicago! when do you leave?
My hubby and I have always say we want to buy ropes for doing rope slams!
Ahhh love it! You’re a tough fitness instructor but I love that you take your classes outdoors. Sign me up!
LOVE this. I cancelled my gym membership last month because I decided the gym had bad energy and it wasn’t promoting the fitness I want in my life. Medicine ball slams are my FAVORITE!!! Did them last night after my run/walk. But I think I need to get John to hang on behind me while I do those crawl things…that or I can fly you up north 🙂
i’ll fly up until it gets cold.
That sounds so fun! Just wish I had someone to work out with on the partner stuff haha! Love taking my workouts outside too – it’s getting nippy though so I’ll make the most of it before I can’t face it any more 😉
I just added the core finisher exercise to my Youtube exercise videos to do later this week. Thanks!
oh let me know whatcha think!
I love incorporating functional fitness moves into my routine. It just feels good! Haha. I posted a couple on the blog over the years that I should revisit. Thanks for the reminder!!