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What is Functional Fitness?

Functional-Fitness_MMA-Classes-Chennai_Combat-Kinetics

Yesterday you had a great workout at the gym. You did your time on the efx, You were bench-pressing more weight than ever before, and curling enough weight on the bar to scare small children.

Today, you suddenly hoist a 20 kg  suitcase to carry it downstairs — and throw your back out. What happened? In all likelihood, you’re not paying enough attention to your functional fitness. You might have large muscles, but are you ready to sprint all out, jump over an obstacle or play a game of football? 
Functional fitness focuses on building a body capable of doing real-life activities in real-life positions, not just lifting a certain amount of weight following movement pathways created by a “one size fits all” gym machine.
Conventional weight training  isolates muscle groups, but it doesn’t teach the muscle groups you’re isolating to work with others. The key to functional exercise is integration. It’s about teaching all the muscles to work together rather than isolating them to work independently and because of its nature it will really work your whole body. With functional exercises you will find a carryover in things you do in normal life.

 When you use machines and hydraulic assistance you may be strengthening certain muscles, but your body’s not learning anything, because you don’t have to activate your core stabilizer muscles or the stabilizers of your arms and shoulders. The machine’s doing it for you. In functional fitness, most of the time, you should be standing on your own two feet and supporting your own weight when you lift anything.

In fact, to get started with functional fitness, you might want to forget about the weights entirely at first. Most people can’t even control their own body weight or do a one-legged squat without falling over. Try it now. Can you?

 I have met people who could lie down on a leg-press machine and press 150 kgs, but they don’t have the muscular control for a one-legged squat because they don’t have the stability or the muscles working together. Your first step, should be to teach your body to control and balance its own weight. Start with simple movements, like the deep squat, and other exercises to promote balance and muscle integration evenly across your body.

Jumping into functional exercise may startle some people used to working on machines alone. It’s a lot harder! Functional exercise is much more neurologically demanding than machine exercises, it not only strengthens the body, but also strengthens the mind. If you arent willing to focus and push you arent even going to scratch the surface.

It is essential you find a trainer who knows exactly what he is doing as you are working with complex body movements engaging multiple muscle groups. Don’t try to go too fast. The longer you’ve been away from exercise, the more time it takes to build your body back up. As with any exercise programme , rest and diet are extremely important for good results.

Last but not least, a fit body is also very aesthetically pleasing, well balanced and athletic. Your body will shape itself and it will show in the way you look and feel to the way you walk. See you guys at class soon.

25 replies
  1. malvika
    malvika says:

    Hi Ajit,
    wanted to know if you guys had a 1 hour stretch/exercise programme involving a combination of kicks, etc.
    I dont think I could cope with something as strenuous as this. But dont mind a group class. Let me know.
    Malvika

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:

      Malvika, all our programmes are completely scalable. Someone next to you could be doing 300 pushups and you could be doing 3, the idea is to keep improving your own best. The first half of the programme is exactly what you are looking at. Why dont you come in for a free trial class and see for yourself.

      Reply
      • Akhil
        Akhil says:

        Hi guys Im a regular couch potato suddenly inspired into taking care of my body cuz the girls in my college are gettin hotter by the day :-p just kiddin Im looking for a fitness solution that not just focusses on the body cuz Im a stress snow baller and need a way to release my stress. (I find Yoga too boring). Im from SRM Engg college Chennai. Lemme know if you guys can help me out and the closest location I can meet up with you. Thanks in advance.
        P.S.
        Love the website. Smashing colors 😉

        Reply
        • admin
          admin says:

          Akhil, Nice to see that stress issue hasn’t affected your sense of humour, though beautiful women are always great motivation, you wont have a problem with either if you do start working out with us, quite the opposite actually… Youll be running around so full of endorphins you wont know what to do with yourself. Only problem might be distance if you are from SRM Kattankolathur because we dont have anything close by. If you are from SRM Ramapuram or Vadapalani the closest centre is just a few minutes away at Nehru Nagar, Ramapuram. Why dont you give me a call at 9791158888 and ill walk you through the details.

          Reply
  2. Anisha
    Anisha says:

    Hey,

    Friend of Lu’s (your cousin, Amrita). Really liking the writing. Would love to try something like this. Planning to come along for one of the sessions when we’re in town, probably in April. Probably Kilpauk coz it’s the closest

    Anisha

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:

      Anisha,
      Thank you and you should come in when you hit Chennai, Amrita should be in class by then too. You can call me at 9791158888 anytime for more details. See you soon!

      Reply
  3. rohit
    rohit says:

    hi thr i am a mariner and i work on cargo ships. My ship passes from gulf of aden which i hope u would be knowing is a pirate effected area. So for my personnal defence not to get caught up by these pirates i would like to learn MMA so that atleast i can defend myself

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:

      Rohit, We have a specialized self defense course for people like yourself. Iserali Krav Maga is a superb modern self defense system. It is taught quickly and is easy to learn as it is based on natural human reflexes. You can call me at 9791158888 for details.

      Reply
  4. Rama
    Rama says:

    hi dis is ram im really interested in keeping my body fit and to learn martial arts for self defence, till now ive been jus thinkin of it but my body is not really tat fit i want to take this up seriously atleast from nw on, pl help me with dis its always better to be late than never

    Reply
  5. aadith
    aadith says:

    Hello,I am interested in taking up MMA classes and i am currently residing in Annanagar. What would be the closest branch for me?

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:

      Ajith,
      Please call Ajit Sigamani at 9791158888 for details or post an enquiry from the “Contact us” page and you will get a call back.

      Reply
  6. Arun
    Arun says:

    Sir,

    Of all these blogs and explanation… I have a question that quenching my mind.. You have training centers at different place. Normally, i m sure, you are also aware the quality of training are not same evrywhere though it is on single umbrella. Would you advise hw we cud to feel confident .. I am least bothered abt the centres located in diff place..but i am concerend abt the quality training. Becoz these comments on the blogs give really a hype and a image hw i think a real fitness train should be. I love a hard core workout without that fantasy ambience… (steamer,hydralics,a/c).

    Reply
  7. PRAYAG PIYUSH
    PRAYAG PIYUSH says:

    Hi,

    I am prayag piyush and I used to practice krav maga previously. right now, i want to start back again. i was browsing through the net and came up to your website. I would like to know whether you are IKMF accredited.

    Regards,
    Prayag

    Reply
  8. Kiran Divagar
    Kiran Divagar says:

    Hi,

    Im interested in learning martial arts and self defense. The ECR Center is the closest to me. Can u please provide me the options and prices for the Same?

    Thanks,
    B.Kiran

    Reply

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