These functional training exercises can be done regardless of age and fitness level
The year’s first quarter is ending soon, and many are already planning Holy Week vacation trips. Others may have just recovered from the stress brought about by the holidays and are still contemplating how to begin their fitness routines. Some may still be confused about healthy eating programs to achieve their 2025 fitness goals.
READ: Eating your way through hormonal changes
Warning: Quick-fix strategies will never work
Dieting, pills, unsupervised extreme fasting, and starvation can cost a lot of energy, time, and money. These cannot give you muscles, boost your metabolism, or provide you strength. These can even negatively affect existing health problems and affect your mental health.
For over 25 years, I’ve dealt with people trying to lose weight, and I’ve witnessed how fast some lose weight only to regain it later on. Those who succeeded in maintaining their healthy body and lifestyle invested a lot in the whole process and stayed patient and consistent throughout. Here are some strategies that have worked:
Resistance training is a must
Lifting weights helps improve quality of life and increase healthspan (the period of time a person is living healthily). Functional training also aids in avoiding developing health problems and loss of function brought about by loss of muscle mass starting at age 30.
You don’t need to enroll in a gym for now; you can do it at home and pursue it until you can consistently do it. Then, as you progress, you also explore other options to maintain or improve your strength, such as getting a coach or trying various fitness programs to supplement your basic strength routines.
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Improve metabolism to avoid fat gain or weight regain
Muscle building is essential for effective weight management. Most who lose a considerable amount of weight from strict dieting without strength training regain most (or even more) of the weight once they resume their old unhealthy eating habits.
READ: Do you bulk up easily? Why we respond differently to strength training programs
Improve overall function to age gracefully
Strengthen not just one muscle group but all muscles of the body. It can lead to more effective day-to-day movements—preventing injuries and loss of age-related muscle mass. Think of being efficient in your daily household tasks, playing with your grandchildren, traveling the world, hiking with family, and dancing with your spouse during gatherings.
So, how can functional training improve metabolism while targeting all aspects of fitness?
You can reverse or prevent all of this by adhering to six exercises done at least twice a week that you can do regardless of age and fitness level.
This functional training routine is suitable for:
- Beginners who are confused about what to do and where to begin
- Busy people who work for eight hours or more each day
- Full-time moms who are always taking care of the whole family
- Endurance athletes who don’t prioritize full-body strength training
- Older people who are prone to injuries and accidents
The workout
Try the following exercises for at least 10 minutes a day, gradually increasing intensity, frequency, and/or duration every time you feel the progress.
Week 1: At least 1-2x a week
Week 2: 2-3x a week
Week 3: 3-4x a week
Week 4: Every other day
Week 5: Make it a habit
Week 6 onwards: Continue the program even while on a short break (at home or even while traveling) at least twice a week and/or continue to explore other workouts
1. Squat and biceps curl
Start: With feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your sides, sit by bending your knees and hips and bringing your buttocks out.
End: Stand and curl your arms at the same time.
2. Back lunge with wood chop
Start: While holding a dumbbell, medicine ball or kettlebell, bring one leg back and bend both knees as you twist to the arms on the opposite side.
End: Come up and lift the arms diagonally up.
3. Hinge and row
Start: Keep a flat back (neutral spine), bend from the hips while holding dumbbells, and place your palms facing the side.
End: Squeeze the back and bend elbows while lifting the weights.
4. Shoulder press with an opposite knee lift
Start: Lift one arm, extending the elbow while holding a dumbbell.
End: Rotate by lifting the opposite knee in line with the hip as you bend the opposite elbow.
5. Bird dog
Start: Go on all fours facing down, with wrists below the shoulders and knees below the hips.
End: Reach forward with one arm as you bring the opposite leg back without arching the back. Then, switch sides.
6. Push-up
Start: You can do it on all fours, on a kneeling plank, or on your toes (full push-up) with your wrists directly below the shoulders. Bend your elbows as you bring your torso down only as far as you comfortably can while keeping a neutral spine.
End: Straighten your arms as you return to your start position.
- Depending on your fitness level, you can repeat the same sequence two to three more times.
- Rest for 10 seconds or more in between exercises.
- For a more prolonged and intense session, you can add a cardio move for 20 to 50 seconds between functional strength exercises: leg lifts, step-ups, bench or stair steps, aero or dance moves, shadowboxing, burpees, jumping jacks, high-knee jogs, or sprints.
- Before engaging in a fitness program, consult your health practitioner and seek guidance from a credible fitness professional if you have special health issues and concerns.
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