Let’s work together to get the mind and body to perform in synchrony, not separately. Functional fitness could mean different things to many people. Certain aspects of how we function daily such as balance, general strength, endurance, coordination, reaction, general cardiovascular strength, and self awareness are pertinent to our everyday lives. Thus, everything that happens at the gym or in your particular training environment should be specific and reflective of your physical life demands. Functional fitness training is not only about cardiovascular activity, it is inclusive of it. Functional fitness training is known to improve:
- Proprioception – Sense of balance
- Coordination – Ability to move smoothly and efficiently
- Posture – Ability to arrange oneself in a way that allows production of movement with the least amount of pressure and damage to the structures involved
- Self awareness – Ability to sense faulty arrangement of the body during movement
- Strength – Ability to create muscular force
- Power – Ability to coordinate oneself in a harmonious way to produce a faster and more dynamic movement that could involve momentum or torque
Therefore, the physical training you are subjecting yourself to should suit your needs and not the other way around!
In addition, the massage therapy and bodywork aspect brings a unique element that allows one to reconnect their mind and body via the practitioner acting as a medium during the experience. There are countless benefits to massage therapy that range from injury rehabilitation to injury prevention. Coupling it with exercise is even more precious and extraordinary. Mobilizing and “freeing” the joint and incorporating that change into movement allows the brain to further process new information and integrate it.