Have you ever gotten home from the gym feeling strong, only to feel creaks in your knees while lifting a bag of dog food? Sometimes, the best type of workout is the one that can help you make carrying groceries or playing with your kids easier. Discover functional fitness workouts that enhance your everyday life.

What Is Functional Fitness?

Functional fitness is a type of strength training that aims to enhance your ability to perform daily activities more effectively. It consists of exercises that strengthen your body for day-to-day actions like lifting, twisting, bending, pushing, loading, pulling, hauling and squatting. Most exercises require you to move multiple body parts all at once, generally involving your hips, knees, spine, elbows, shoulders and wrists.

Research shows that people who did functional strength training experienced better scores on a movement test — how well they could perform daily tasks and movements with ease — by almost 20% in a span of eight weeks. The best part about functional training is that you don’t have to be an athlete or an avid exercise enthusiast to try it out. 

What Are the Benefits of Functional Training for Women

Here’s a rundown of the advantages of doing functional fitness workouts.

• Makes daily activities easier: Stick to a solid functional workout routine and suddenly, carrying groceries, going down the stairs and carrying your kid will feel easier.
• Boosts your core strength: Your core provides stability and support to your daily movements. Functional exercises often require you to engage your core muscles, which can result in reduced lower back pain and a more stable foundation for your day-to-day movements.
• Improves posture and balance: A stronger core and better coordination can help improve your posture. This is especially important for those who spend hours at a desk.
• Reduces risk of injury: Functional fitness strengthens your major muscle groups, helping protect your joints and prevent common strains.

7 Functional Fitness Workouts to Get Started

Ready to improve your functional fitness? Here are exercises you can do at the gym or at home.

1. Goblet Squats

Functional for: Sitting, standing and lifting boxes

Goblet squats activate the quadriceps, gluteal muscles, calves and core. This exercise mimics the natural position for lifting a heavy object, making it highly functional. Hold a weight — dumbbell, medicine ball, kettlebell or a bag of sand — at your chest using both hands. 

Engage your core, drop your buttocks and lower into a squat. Avoid rounding the spine. Squat deeply to maximize glute activation. Come back standing and squeeze your glutes.

2. Farmer’s Carries

Functional for: Carrying suitcases and groceries

What was once a strongman’s exercise has earned recognition in many workout routines, thanks to the rise of Hyrox. The farmer’s carry is a weighted exercise where you hold two weights and walk for a certain distance or duration.

Simply pick a pair of heavy weights, place them on your sides with palms facing in. Engage your shoulders, pull your shoulders slightly down, stand upright and take controlled steps without letting the weights swing. Stop after your desired time or distance, then repeat the process.

3. Push-Ups

Functional for: Getting up from the floor and pushing doors

Push-ups require you to engage your core, triceps, chest and shoulders. Simply position yourself on all fours, with hands a bit wider than shoulder-width apart. Engage your core and slowly bend your lower body and elbows until your elbows are perpendicular to the floor.

For beginners, this can be a challenging exercise to pull off. If regular push-ups are difficult, try doing them against a bench or a table. 

4. Bent-Over Rows

Functional for: Starting a lawnmower, pulling open heavy doors

The bent-over row works the muscles in the back of your shoulder. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with both feet flat on the floor and comfortably apart. Tighten your abs, lean forward at the hips and slightly bend your knees. Slowly raise the dumbbells until your elbows line up below your shoulders.

A set usually has 12 to 15 repetitions. Remember not to roll your shoulders forward during the exercise.

5. Lunges

Functional for: Climbing stairs, picking things up

The lunge is an excellent functional exercise that allows you to move quickly and without pain. It’s also beneficial for those who engage in sports with lunging movements, like basketball, soccer and tennis.

Stand comfortably, step forward with one foot and lean forward until your rear knee is aligned with the ground. Maintain a neutral spine position. Hold it for three to five seconds and change positions. You can also use weights for added challenge.

6. Overhead Press

Functional for: Placing items on high shelves

Also known as the military press and shoulder press, this exercise involves pushing a barbell or a pair of dumbbells from your shoulders to an overhead position, with your arms extended upward. Consider doing a squat with this exercise to further strengthen your muscles.

When practicing with a barbell for the first time, ensure that someone is watching you. Avoid this if you experience shoulder pain or rotator cuff issues.

7. Step-Ups

Functional for: Climbing stairs and stepping onto a curb

A step-up is a simple exercise that helps improve the muscles in the buttocks and legs. All you need is a small step tool or your stairs. Push through your lead foot, then lift your body up onto the step. Step down and exchange sides.

Straighten your back on each step and ensure your foot is fully planted on the step.

Tips for a Successful Functional Fitness Training

Getting started with any routine can feel intimidating, but success comes from building sustainable habits. Here are tips to keep in mind as you begin.

• Start small: It’s easy to get excited and try all these exercises. You don’t need to do everything all at once. Start with a 20-to 30-minute session, two to three times a week.
• Don’t forget warm up and cool down: Do arm circles, leg swings, torso twists and walking lunges before exercising. Do static stretches after working out.
• Consult your doctor: It’s always a good idea to visit your health care provider, especially if you have preexisting health conditions or a past injury.

Start Your Workout Today

Functional fitness isn’t a fad, but a practical approach to building a body that’s capable, resilient and ready for anything life throws your way. You now have the tools to start moving better today. Which exercises are you most excited to try out?