Is Functional Fitness Training Right for You?
One thing that holds people back from exercising is that it’s hard to see or feel an immediate benefit. Spending endless afternoons walking on a treadmill or lifting weights takes more dedication than most people have. This is one of the reasons that many doctors are recommending functional fitness training regimens after weight loss surgery instead of traditional work outs.
Functional fitness training uses exercises that work many of your joints and muscles at the same time in order to enhance your general physical fitness. It is designed to keep you healthier and allow you to participate more fully in activities in your day to day life ranging from carrying in groceries to a game of catch or Frisbee played in one of Tampa, FL’s many parks.
A few examples of functional fitness exercises:
- multi-directional lunges. To do these, keep one leg stationary while, with the other, you step to the front or side. Continue bending until your front knee is at a 90 degree angle. These help increase your general fitness and make it easier to do yardwork or to pick up the living room.
- step-ups. These are performed while holding weights. Simply step up onto an exercise step. This exercise helps increase your general strength and endurance.
- squat to biceps curls. To perform these, begin by standing with your feet at shoulder distance from one another. Hold dumbbells, and begin with your arms at your sides. Slowly bend your knees, hips and ankles. Straighten back up again and raise the weights to your shoulders. This functional exercise will help you with normal day to day lifting.
Becoming more active in your day to day life is important after Lap Band Surgery. Talk to your doctor about whether a functional fitness training regimen would be a good choice for you.
