Functional Saxon: Elder Respect 2

"Apart from sport, enduring strength means that a businessman shall stand, without a break-down, business cares and worries, that he shall be capable, when necessary, of working morning, afternoon and night with unflagging energy, holding tightly in his grasp the reigns of business, retaining all the while a clear mind and untiring energy, both of body and brain." p28 Development of Physical Power

Huh…how about that. 1906, and that’s just about as clear of a definition of “functional” fitness as I’ve ever heard. What he's calling "enduring strength,” (fitness) is the ability to function all day , doing well those things which are demanded of us on a regular basis. The point I''m trying to make here is this: Functional training doesn't necessarily mean standing on one leg on a Bosu doing overhead dumbbell press and whistling Dixie. Functional training doesn't need a bunch of fancy toys, wobble boards, foam pads, specialty bars, elastic bands, vibration trainers, blah, blah, blah. It's all static, static that distracts from the main task at hand. We have to find how to train your body to function better every day doing the things your life demands of you.

Is there a place for all those things? Sure. Just make sure you're picking the right tool for the job. If you need to cut a piece of wood in half, you're not going to reach for a hammer. Similarly if your goal is to generate enough strength gains in your "core" to reduce back pain and improve posture wile dropping a few pounds along the way, sometimes all it takes is an open space, you and a little determination.