THE “FUNCTIONAL TRAINING” TRAP
the odyssey chronicles
The topic of holistic training comes up a lot in conversations with clients and friends of mine. However, (let’s jump straight in here) the idea that there is a way of training that directly correlates to “normal” daily activity more so than others is not true. Here is the cut and dry of it. Most of the functional training models are just low intensity and low volume. (Intensity being weight moved and volume being sets and reps.) Meaning, this model doesn’t challenge you much past the first week or two, if at all.
if you have a model that doesn't push you past your current level of capability your results are not “functional” they are weak.
The conversation usually starts with the individual telling me how their program, that has little to no weight other than body weight, is more “functional” then moving iron. First off, there aren’t specific movements in the gym that are more correlated to normal movement than others. There is no way you could work through a program that increases overall strength that wouldn't cross over to normal daily activity. Normal activity is subjective to the needs of the individual. Just because you sit behind a desk doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to squat, bench or deadlift. You probably won’t use those movements specifically that at your job, that doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from training them. This is a hard one for someone individuals to swallow… Just because the stimulus is lower doesn’t mean the results are more functional. It tends to be something that is easier sold to the masses, i.e. people who have been lied to about their actual ability or those who have decided that they aren’t worth investing time and effort into. A program that insists on you moving little to no weight with little to no volume is going to produce little to no results. There are plenty of body weight programs out there that produce great results because of the high volume. There are plenty of weight lifting programs out there that produce great results with lower volume and higher intensity. Either way you need stimulus outside the regular patterns and volumes (reps and weight) to produce results.
low volume and low intensity is not functional, it's a lie and a lazy approach to development.
The entire point of training yourself personally and professionally can be broken down into two concepts.
To be more efficient/stronger at baseline movements/habits, which grow with individual/athlete
Understanding that you can accomplish more than you are currently and giving yourself a roadmap for progress.
I met with a guy not too long ago over lunch. We had a light working relationship and the meeting was supposed to be about marrying the service his company supplies with the current clients of the business I was working for. He and I discussed our business networks and how we could collaborate for about the first twenty minutes, the conversation was smooth and super collaborative. The point at which it turned into nonsense was when he asked me this question. “So, I see that you're dedicated to your career, how would you like to make an extra 3-4k a month?” I set my fork down and leaned back in my chair and answered, “Well, I’m not interested in moving careers but I’m always open to learn how to make more money.” The next thing I know we are twenty minutes into a conversation about some “magic pill” from some company I had never heard of.
“It may not make you feel or act any different, you may not lose weight or be any stronger but you will be healthier, plus think about all the extra money you will make.” Read that twice… it sounded even wilder hearing it in person.
The conversation slowly morphed into his version of training, what he thought about going to the gym and pushing himself. I let him talk without interruption. To sum everything up he said he was “more into the functional version of training, sit ups, push ups, slow walks and moderate drinking”. The pill was a way to increase functional movement through various nutrient blah blah blah. The word “functional” came up about twenty times during this pitch. The “functional version” was just a weak and lazy fitness model. Easy to follow, easy to perform, everything easy. The goal was to have something that didn’t make him struggle or bring to light anything he needed to work on. There were no metrics to show growth or structure other than the way that he felt that day. Just like the silly little pill he was selling.
This is a trap a lot of us fall into. Professionally we want to find a development program that doesn't make us dig too deep. We can read a book, write down some stuff in a journal occationally and feel good about ourselves. We use generalities to confirm that we are working harder than most or to find an excuse for why our situation prevents us from doing something. Personally, it's easy to want a program that makes us feel like we did something but does not require a change in our daily routine. We are essentially looking for a scapegoat, something or someone that we can blame when we don't see results. All while we ignore the fact that we actually never put much time or effort into it to begin with. If it is not challenging you there is no way it can change you.
you have to make a conscious effort to be hard on yourself. you have to turn the volume and intensity up yourself.
Your effort level is what controls you success or failure. This is why I have so much respect for those who compete on a high level in the boardroom or weightroom. At some point they were better than everyone they were around. However, they still knew they had more in the tank. They upgraded their friend or pier group to enhance their ability further. They upgraded coaches, training facilities, models and personal expectations.
if we base our training on anyone other than ourselves we are going to give ourselves either too low of a ceiling or unrealistic expectations.
We live in a society that worships the easy way. That challenges in your life mean you are not on the right path. It also lies to you, saying that if you are doing the right thing doors will just open up without any challenge. This is total and complete bullshit. This lie is cheating you out of the real glory and happiness in being alive. Life is about challenges. It is about being pushed and changed and developed as it goes on. If a sailor never has to sail through a storm are they actually a good sailor? If we don’t push ourselves until we fail do we really understand our current level of capabilities? We are only as good as our training. Why set yourself up for failure? One question I ask my clients is
are you applying more “grace” to your daily actions and habits then the world is going to apply to you?
Do we admire the athlete that is never faced with adversity? No, of course not. We admire the athlete that stays strong in adversity. It is a requirement of excellence to be challenged. We are only as good as our training has built us up to be. I am a firm believer that doors of excellence and achievement only open up for you when you earn the right to walk through them. You have to acquire the right to go through new doors, they are not brought down to you.
The way we train our body and mind is the way we view our abilities and our future selves.
Training and development is not all about this hard, dungeon of chalk and iron or a never ending black hole of introspection. It is about finding something that challenges you and becoming great at it. Then finding something else that is hard and becoming great at that. The cool part is you get to choose, you get to be the master and commander of this ship and decide where the hell it sails. One of the reasons people find so much fulfillment in deep, intense training is that it shows them the full level of control they have over their body and mind. Understanding you are in control is also understanding that there are no more scapegoats. You set a measurable level of expectations out for yourself and you achieve. You hold yourself accountable and change when needed.
watering down a training model for your personal or professional development so it’s easy, is probably the laziest, weakest thing you can do.
In the end you get to choose your hard. Choose to show up at the end with some scrapes, bruises and stories of triumph and defeat or show up with nothing.
Don’t shortchange yourself because you might get challenged at some point. You are being watched, you are paving the way for those watching. Set a good example.
-stay consistent my friends
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