Move. ◆ Functional Exercise

Functional exercise is a way to Move. your body in the same way you use your body for daily activities. The idea with functional exercise is to strengthen the body in the ways and places you will actually use your body. Having big biceps doesn't necessarily help you carry heavy bags of fresh, organic vegetables home from the farmer's market.

At its most basic level, functional exercise takes into account that your body is a system not a dissociated set of bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. The things we do each day rely on our body system to perform and keep us free from injury. Something simple like a squat engages the gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip rotators, trunk stabilizers, hip flexors and extensors, and the knee flexors and extensors. If you are only exercising your quads, you are more prone to injury when lifting something heavy.

While we have some functional exercises included in the videos on the Cybercise portal, stay tuned for more. Until then, think about your body as a whole and give all of it a little love when you Move.