Functional Movement

I was speaking with an older woman, and she described her health goals to me: to get up off the floor with ease and have the strength to push her grandkids on the swings! I smiled as she shared these aspirations. What excellent and practical goals to have! What she desires is something we all should prioritize - functional movement.

Functional movement consists of sequences based on real-world situations. They involve multiple planes of motion and engage multiple joints. Essentially, it’s strength training that prepares your body for everyday tasks.

There are seven main movement patterns I like to consider:

1. Push

2. Pull

3. Squat

4. Lunge

5. Rotation

6. Hinge

7. Gait

It’s now 11:47 in the morning, and I’ve already performed all seven movements multiple times today. I pushed a lawn mower around my yard, pulled weeds from my mailbox area, squatted while moving laundry from the washer to the dryer, lunged to pick up shoes off the floor, rotated as I put away dishes, hinged while picking up sticks from the garden, and used gait while running around my neighborhood.

Every day! We perform these movements routinely, so let’s train accordingly. My weekly workout plan reflects these seven movements. I dedicate specific days to pushing, pulling, squatting/hinging, and lunging. I incorporate rotation and gait into each workout.

Now, let’s reflect:

1. Is your movement functional (done with the purpose of moving better)?

2. Is there a particular movement that is more challenging than the others?

3. Is there a specific movement you want to improve?

4. Throughout your day, do you use certain movements more frequently than others?

I exercise and train so I can enjoy life, just like the woman I mentioned earlier. Consider your health goals and write them down. Then, think about how you can utilize these seven movements to achieve those goals!