Functional Fitness: Building a Body That Works

What if working out were not about building a body that looks good, but about building a body that works well? Would more people do it? Or fewer? Geezer, never one to underestimate the power of vanity, votes for "fewer," but wishes the answer were "more." All those interested in "more" will enjoy this piece in the Los Angeles Times, which suggests that the newfound popularity of old-fashioned calisthenics such as push-ups and squat thrusts is evidence on widespread interest in functional fitness. Exercises like those, the paper points out, use the body’s own weight as resistance, focus on dynamic
movement, and demand core strength. They also use multiple muscle groups simultaneously, just like body movement in the real world, and unlike an entire generation of exercises (like dumbell curls) that work isolated muscles. To make a dumbell curl part of a functional fitness routine, the piece suggests, try doing it while sitting on a stability ball. Geezer finds lots of good advice here, and a few good exercises designed for function, not form:
•  One-legged balance touch: Stand on one foot, reach down and
touch the floor. Beginners should be able to repeat this (without falling) 10 to
15 times in a minute; advanced, 25 to 30.
•  Hover
plank: From the upward position of a push-up, lower your body. Your
elbows will be bent and pointing up toward the ceiling. There should be a
straight line from your heels to your neck. Hold this position for 30 seconds or
60 seconds for advanced exercisers. This tests back muscles and core
•  Wall sit: Put your back against the wall and slide
down until it’s as if you are sitting on a chair. Hold that pose for 30 seconds,
60 for advanced exercisers, to test leg strength.
•  Rotating
wood-chop: Hold a 5- or 6-pound medicine ball over your head, then
bring it down from your upper right to your lower left. Then repeat the other
way. Check to see if you rotate the same amount each direction. This tests how
well you can rotate your body.
•  T push-up: At the top
of a push-up, rotate your body, leaving one hand on the floor and reaching the
other toward the ceiling. This checks how well you can hold a stable
position.