Train with Basic Movements to Make Your Life Easier 

Who likes Functional Movement classes? 

Functional movement, or training, is low impact, sparing members of additional wear and tear on their joints and spine. It’s a great starting point for anyone at any fitness level. That's why many WK Fitness & Wellness Center members begin their workout programs with Functional Movement and progress to other group classes as they become better prepared to participate. 

What is a Functional Movement class? 

If you don’t use it, you lose it. We humans take for granted our physical abilities, likely unaware of how much strength and stamina it takes us to pursue the normal activities we engage in every day. So we become sedentary and look for the easiest way out of tasks, not maintaining the physical skills and abilities we have acquired so far in life. This often results in our losing the ability to perform regular tasks. In order to live independently and well, we must keep our bodies conditioned for the tasks we perform each day.  

Functional training is dedicated exercise that replicates and enhances the movements you need to make in your daily life. It is rooted in occupational, physical and chiropractic therapies. Although training origins were very basic like sitting and standing, it has evolved to incorporate many more aspects of life like carrying in groceries from the car and lifting yourself from a tub soak. Functional movements use large groups of muscles working together over your whole body to perform tasks like these. 

In the gym, certified group exercise instructors keep members of all ages strong and resilient so that life away from the gym is easier. Certified instructors use a variety of tools and methods to accomplish this in a group setting. Some tools include gym equipment like hand weights, resistance bands, kettlebells, medicine balls and suspension trainers. Although not typically used at home, these tools provide resistance to increase your muscle strength, flexibility and balance, vital skills for everyday living and independence.  

Many factors are considered by instructors to effectively train class members. Functional training exercises are: 

• Enhanced – Mirror and strengthen your ability to perform everyday life activities 
• Integrated – Incorporate multiple movement planes to improve your flexibility, core, balance, strength and power
• Progressive – Steadily increases the difficulty of the exercise program and therefore your strength
• Repetitive – Repeated frequently in order to sustain the conditioning already obtained
• Varied – Always changing so that muscle confusion keeps the body responsive 

Feedback from members is a critical component of Functional Movement training. Members may indicate that certain daily tasks have become much easier since the beginning of this class, clues that the training works. Reported improvements by our members: 

• Better sleep  
• More energy throughout the day instead of dozing in the afternoons
• Easier to move
• Simpler rise from a chair or recliner 

When and where does the Functional Movement class meet? 

Functional Movement is currently offered at WK Health & Fitness Center on Greenwood Road and at WK South Wellness Center on Bert Kouns Industrial Loop. Classes meet for 50 minutes every week. 

Comfortable clothes allow a greater range of movement and shoes that grip well are best for this class. Some of the work may be done in chairs for those who have trouble with standing. Modifications are always available so all members should feel confident to attend.

Why do Functional Movement? 

Fluid movements can be helpful for athletic performance, injury prevention and everyday fitness tasks. Functional training benefits members by increasing their overall strength, flexibility, balance and  endurance. The low-impact exercises allow members with joint and spine limitations to adapt and reap long-term benefits. Consistent class attendance aligns with an instructional program full of variety so the whole body sees progress. It’s a great way to stay fit and healthy for your whole life.