HEALTH 6 I N S TA N T H E A LT H B O O S T S
|
OR AL CARE
Real-World Workout How functional fitness trains you to be in top shape for everyday activities.
PHOTOGRAPHY, SANDY NICHOLSON. HAIR AND MAKEUP, TAMI EL SOMBATI. SUGOI VERVE JACKET, SPORTINGLIFE.CA. TIGHT STUFF TIGHTS, LULULEMON.COM. CROSSFIT NANO 5.0 SHOES, REEBOK.CA
BY JILL BUCHNER
|
YO U R R E L AT I O N S H I P W I T H F O O D
Adding a twist or rotation to some of your exercises will help you with everyday activities like reaching for a suitcase beside you.
YOU MIGHT HAVE MASTERED your fitness class, but do you still have trouble lifting your luggage into the overhead compartment or moving furniture for your reno? It turns out that, though biceps curls and crunches may make you look good, they won’t necessarily prepare you for the movements you need to perform in real life. That’s why a workout trend called functional fitness is becoming popular. It aims to make you better equipped for everyday tasks. The training philosophy pulls the focus away from individual body parts and toward movements that incorporate multiple muscle groups, says Jamie Snow, personal trainer and general manager of Fuel Training Club in Toronto. “In life, you squat, you move, you rotate and your body is working together as one unit,” she says. Functional fitness helps people develop better physical control, avoid injuries and feel more energetic throughout the day. It’s an approach physiotherapists have been using to correct posture and faulty movements for more than 30 years, adds Maureen Hagan, a physiotherapist herself and GoodLife’s vicepresident of program innovation and fitness development. And it’s growing in popularity because of our aging and sedentary population. “People are weaker, they have less vitality and they’re gaining weight,” says Hagan. “People are looking to feel better, not just look better.” Curious? Snow showed us how to master a few key exercises to become more functionally fit. (And, as always, stop if you feel any pain during these exercises and consult a health-care provider.) SHOT ON LOCATION AT TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN
OCTOBER 2015 | CANADIANLIVING.COM
39
