fitness
WELLNESS
Jay utilizing a mobility exercise to enhance his gait.
Week 1: Functional Training Goals Your MDL Training Program was built with efficiency in mind. Workouts are designed to encompass various functional training goals all in one. • Flexibility / Mobility:
Traditional training programs looked at flexibility as stretching. MDL looks at functional flexibility in a different light. In order to efficiently enhance one's flexibility and mobility we must utilize strategies and techniques that incorporate movements that relate to your specific task at hand. If you are a baseball pitcher, your flexibility and mobility program will look much different than that of a runner's. • Stability / Balance: Traditional training focused on static balance when training for stability and balance. Testing and exercise was based on how long one could stand on
Application Tips:
one leg or on an unstable surface. Functional training aims to enhance your bodies ability to move in space while creating optimal levels of stability. • Strength / Power: In order to train at one's true functional capabilities in relation to strength and power we must move away from the traditional bodybuilding and strength programs. We are looking to create bodies that are athletic, not just muscular. • Endurance: A common association to endurance training is partaking in highly repetitive traditional exercises like biking, running, cardio machines, etc.. Those who love those activities do them, those who do not cannot stand doing them and generally will not. The benefits though of endurance are endless and needed. Functional training allows us to apply and endless array of movements to achieve the benefits of endurance.
biased towards straight ahead speed. Functional training looks at all planes of motion when addressing speed and reaction. • Coordination / Agility: Every athlete works for coordination and agility in their specific task at hand. Functional training challenges ones body to move in patterns with an ability to improvise on the go and break away from traditional movement patterns that cause us to be stuck in predictability. Nothing in life and sport is predictable. • Recovery / Restoration: Traditional training focuses on rest, nutrition, and hydration. These facets of R&R are important, but true R&R are multi-dimensional and work to help normalize the body, utilize strategies to actually enhance one's functional performance for the next day and increase mental performance.
• Speed / Reaction: Traditional training for speed and reaction were
Not all of the above goals are needed in balance. Dependent on the individual, the task, and overall goal creates more emphasis are certain functional goals. Take the above goals and list them in order of importance for you.