At WickedStrengthTraining.com, we get a lot of questions about functional strength training.
Pretty much every trainer thinks they know what it is and how to use it, and just about everyone has their own opinions about it.
Well, they can’t all be right, right? If you use it correctly, it can set you up for total peak performance.
If you don’t, you might just find that you’re doing more harm than good.
What’s worse, you just may make that discovery on the field or on the court, where it’ll hurt most.
So here’s the real story, straight from the top coaches.
Functional strength training is all about building strength that relates to the kinds of tasks you want to perform.
So, for example, a baseball batter who wants to improve his swing might use sledgehammer exercises.
The sledgehammer exercises will work his arms and shoulders and give him better grip.
That doesn’t mean that he’ll get exactly the same kind of motion from his hammer: in fact, lots of players mess up their swing by assuming that the two will be similar.
Functional Strength Training – Do It Correctly or Don’t Do It At All
That’s why this kind of training is important, but dangerous. If you overdo it or do it wrong, you’ll teach your body incorrectly.
Effective functional strength training creates a routine where your body is accustomed to the motions you need.
It gets as close as possible to the real motion without going overboard.
It delivers “relative strength,” meaning you’re not going to build major bulk through most of these exercises.
Instead, you’re going to prepare your muscle groups to perform under pressure.
You could think of the old cardio trope called “spot reduction.”
Spot reduction has been pretty well debunked, but in the strength training world, we’ve worked out ways to focus on specific muscles and performance goals.
The key is to avoid any temptation to over-train.
Functional strength training can be one of the most valuable tools in your arsenal when you’re getting ready for a major competition.
But you can also find yourself going astray if you fixate on only one part of the performance and let others go by the wayside.
That’s why WickedStrengthTraining.com has developed personalized coaching programs for both athletes and their trainers.
If you visit our site today, you can also join our member community – the BEAST MODE TRAINING LAB and get exclusive benefits.
We’re offering you the kind of tools you need to win in the off-season so you can win during the game.
You can even take advantage of our one-on-one strength coaching program to get you on the right track in accomplishing your strength training goals.
Check it out today.
