Functional Training

Training For Functionality
By
Tim LaVallee

Functional training is the latest buzzword in strength and conditioning circles these days and for good reason. It's about training to handle real-life situations in the sport(s) of choice. Functional training involves mainly weight bearing activities targeted at the core muscles of the abdomen and lower back. Most fitness facilities have a variety of weight training machines that target and isolate specific muscles. The standard resistance training machines found in the gym are of limited use for functional training. Their fixed movement patterns rarely mimic natural movements. They focus the effort on a single muscle group and usually do not ever engage the stabilizers and peripheral muscles which are always involved in real life sports performance. As a result the movements do not necessarily bear any relationship to the movements athletes use to perform their specific sports skills.

Functional training attempts to adapt or develop exercises which allow individuals to perform the skills of their sport more easily and without injuries. Functional training is not a new concept. We have known, for example, doing squats with body weight or free weights is far superior than using a leg press machine. Squatting with free weights incorporates the stabilizing muscles. An athlete may be able to get on a leg-press machine and press 500 pounds, but may not have the muscular control for a one-legged squat because he doesn’t have the stability or the muscles working together. Although it has changed, European ski racers have opted for years to do what they call training in the natural environment using logs to enhance strength, slack line for balance and up and down the mountains for energy system training and strength.

Functional training leads to better muscular balance and joint stability, possibly decreasing the number of injuries sustained in sport. The benefits may arise from the use of training that emphasizes the body's natural ability to move in three anatomical planes of motion (saggital, frontal, and transverse). In comparison, though machines can often be safer to use, they restrict movements to a single plane of motion which is an unnatural form of movement for the body and may potentially lead to faulty movement patterns or injury.

Video from: www. Sports-Drills.com

To be effective a functional training program should take into consideration a number of different elements:

Specific to the sport - Any program must be sport specific. The goal is to develop and maintain sport specific strength and the energy systems.

Integrated approach – It should include a variety of exercises that work on flexibility, core, balance, strength, power and the energy systems.

Core Stability – Core stability is crucial for any sport or activity. A stable core allows for more efficient transference of power to the lower or upper body. In skiing it increased ability to maintain correct athletic skiing posture over long periods of time and enhance technical abilities.

Multiple Planes – A properly designed program will incorporate training in all planes of movement (saggital, frontal, and transverse). Examples of multiplanners are lunges and step-ups. Side lunges and lateral step-ups are good variations.

4 Pillars - Inclusion of all four pillars is often overlooked in training programs. In skiing, the body moves in a complex interaction of all four of the pillars. The most often neglected in a training regime is rotation.
a. Standing or locomotion
b. Changes in level
c. Pushing or pulling
d. Rotation

Progressive – Progressive training steadily increases the demand from workout to workout. While most people are aware of the need for this in relation to traditional training programs, it is sometimes overlooked in functional training. For functional training it is important to vary the speed of movement to make it sport specific.

Periodized – For competitive athletes, functional training needs to fit into their competitive cycle of competition. In broad terms, this means that they will vary their program throughout the year to achieve optimal results, peaking for competitions or races, and building in recovery time.

Time Efficient – With the exception of athletes on the national team, most skiers are student/athletes. Their training time may be limited. A functional strength and conditioning program need not be time consuming. 45-60 minutes, 2-3 times per week is all it will take. Performing a functional strength and conditioning program incorporating various forms of circuit training will allow an athlete to get more done in less time.

Injury Prevention – Obviously, strength training helps build strength and conditioning will improve the energy systems. Improved strength, minimize the chance of injury, improves resistance to fatigue, and enhance endurance. The ability to resist fatigue will allow the athlete to take 6-12 quality training runs at speed on a given day during a two-hour training session. It has been clearly demonstrated that muscular imbalances especially between the quads and hamstrings can result in ACL injuries and those imbalances can be addressed and improved with a properly designed functional strength and conditioning program.

Individualized – An athlete’s program needs to be designed for them. A “cookie cutter” approach is just not functional in today’s world. The only way to do this is to work with a coach or trainer who understands how to custom design programs. A qualified coach or trainer can easily include functional training in their athletes’ exercise programs, whether they are recovering from an injury or preparing for competition.

A ski strength and conditioning program that is “functional” will mimic, as much as possible, the elements and movement patterns of those used in skiing:
Aerobic fitness
Anaerobic capacity
Strength
Power
Agility
Coordination
Balance
Specific motor skills

Putting It Together
The training modality will be the stadium steps. The goal will be to impact the athlete’s anaerobic capacity, strength, and force fatigue adaptation to balance. The athlete will do 11 interval sprints to the top of the stadium (anaerobic & concentric strength). Coming down, each step will be made with a slower eccentric lowering to the step below (very ski specific). Before the next rep up the stadium, the athlete will be asked to perform a balance skill. Total time for this interval routine, 20 minutes.

By incorporating a variety of exercises and utilizing minimal equipment, you can incorporate functional strength and conditioning training into the yearly training program.

Typical Equipment:
Dumbbells
Medicine balls
Kettlebells
Physioballs (also called Swiss balls or exercise balls)
Resistance bans
Rocker and wobble boards
Balance disks
Sandbags
Ladders
Cones
Plyo boxes

Functional strength and conditioning training goes beyond where some fitness programs fall short. Functional strength and conditioning training easily combines all the elements of a total program including aerobic and anaerobic conditioning along with development of joint mobility, flexibility, balance, speed agility, quickness, strength, and power. When combined with appropriate rest/sleep, good nutrition, and appropriate levels of stress, functional training will help the athlete achieve his goals.

References:
Spennewyn,K. 2009. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, January, Volume 22, Number 1.
Sports-Drills.com