ABSTRACT
Functional movements are those we perform on a daily basis or that relate to some aspect of sport performance. Functional training is a health industry hot topic. Numerous articles are being produced giving the next new ‘functional’ exercise designed to improve how we move. But what makes one exercise more functional than another? Are typical gym programmes functional? And how do we design a functional workout? In this chapter we will answer these questions. We will explain how the brain’s ability to coordinate muscle action is the key behind accurate and powerful movement. We shall see that instead of focusing solely on training muscles in the gym we should also train our brain to improve the quality of our movement.
