How you lift weight matters. You want each movement to feel as fluid and natural as possible. One way to do that is to make the strength training movements that you do purposeful. Rather than seeing strength training as “move the weight in any way you can,” you teach your body to move like a finely tuned machine. How? By including more functional movements in your training. And, by being more mindful about the way you perform each repetition.

The Importance of Mindful Movements

The key to smarter training is to identify and work with the natural rhythm of your muscles, so your movements are smooth. It’s also lifting in a way that taps into your body’s natural design and the way you were built to move. Rather than forcing your muscles to adopt awkward positions, you work with your body’s natural inclinations and teach them how to “dance.” The result is a symphony of movement.

When you take this approach, you get stronger and more functional. But you also lower your risk of injury by taking stress off your joints and ligaments. Your workout becomes more efficient and easier on your body when you train in a way that’s consistent with your body’s natural rhythms.

Get Back to Basics

And don’t forget to include foundational movements in your training. Before there were barbells, dumbbells and weight machines, early humans built strength and muscle size with the movements they did every day – lifting things, running, throwing, and climbing. They tapped into primal movements that humans naturally make. For example, when you squat, you use an ingrained movement pattern that your body understands. This basic movement is hardwired into your DNA.

Likewise, the deadlift. When you do a deadlift, you recruit muscles along your posterior chain, from your shoulders and core to your glutes and hamstrings. If you do them correctly, you engage these muscles in a manner that makes the movement seamless. Deadlifts are a fundamental human movement that you do without thinking every day. For example, you do a deadlift when you bend over to pick up a toddler or a pet. It’s a foundational movement.

Understanding Functional Training

Foundational, functional movements, like squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and presses are the movements on which you should focus. These exercises build more than raw strength. They enhance functionality when you do everyday tasks or play sports. Plus, they lead to significant strength gains when you use progressive overload. But it’s not just about getting stronger – it’s about getting smarter with how you train.

Functional Movements and Your Nervous System

By including functional movement in your training and being mindful with your movements, you build more than strength and muscle size. You also boost neuromuscular efficiency, making your movements more efficient. Focusing on functional movement patterns also improves your coordination and balance. These changes occur through fine-tuning your nervous system to function more efficiently. You’re training in a manner that taps into your body’s natural movement tendencies.

Practical Tips and Tricks

So, how can you take advantage of these benefits? Here’s how you can start incorporating these principles into your training:

• Embrace compound movements: Ditch the isolation exercises and focus on moves that engage multiple muscle groups. Squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and pull-ups should be your new best friends.
• Focus on form over weight: It’s not about how much you lift; it’s about how you lift it. Pay attention to your body’s alignment and movement patterns. Quality trumps quantity every time.
• Incorporate unilateral exercises: Single-leg squats, one-arm rows, and lunges challenge your balance and engage stabilizing muscles, mimicking real-life movements.
• Add variety with functional tools: Kettlebells, resistance bands, and medicine balls can add a new dimension to your workouts, challenging your muscles in diverse ways.
• Approach each exercise with purpose and mindfulness.
• Practice tempo training: Vary the speed of your repetitions to challenge your muscles in different ways and improve control throughout the entire range of motion.
• Include plyometric exercises: Add explosive movements like box jumps or medicine ball slams to improve power and fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment.
• Focus on mobility work: Incorporate dynamic stretching and mobility exercises to improve your range of motion and prepare your body for functional movements.

Here’s a sample workout to get you started:

• Dynamic warm-up (5-10 minutes): Include movements like arm circles, leg swings, and torso twists.
• Goblet Squats: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per arm
• Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Push-ups (or modified push-ups): 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Farmer’s Walks: 3 sets of 30-second walks
• Cool-down and stretch (5-10 minutes)

Remember, the key is to focus on how your muscles feel when they move. Are your movements smooth and natural, or do they feel forced? Let your body guide you, and don’t be afraid to modify exercises to suit your individual needs. We’re all a little different!

Conclusion

When you apply the principles of mindfulness and emphasize functional training, you enhance your life beyond your exercise nook. You become more fit and function while tapping into your body’s innate wisdom and movement patterns.

References:

• Weiss, T., Kreitinger, J., Wilde, H., Wiora, C., Steege, M., Dalleck, L., & Janot, J. (2010). Effect of functional resistance training on muscular fitness outcomes in young adults. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, 8(2), 113-122.
• Behm, D. G., & Sale, D. G. (1993). Velocity specificity of resistance training. Sports Medicine, 15(6), 374-388.
• Paoli, A., Gentil, P., Moro, T., Marcolin, G., & Bianco, A. (2017). Resistance training with single vs. multi-joint exercises at equal total load volume: Effects on body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscle strength. Frontiers in Physiology, 8, 1105.
• McCurdy, K. W., Langford, G. A., Doscher, M. W., Wiley, L. P., & Mallard, K. G. (2005). The effects of short-term unilateral and bilateral lower-body resistance training on measures of strength and power. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(1), 9-15.
• Cook G, Burton L, Hoogenboom BJ, Voight M. Functional movement screening: the use of fundamental movements as an assessment of function – part 1. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2014 May;9(3):396-409. PMID: 24944860; PMCID: PMC4060319.
• Feito, Y., Heinrich, K. M., Butcher, S. J., & Poston, W. S. C. (2018). High-intensity functional training (HIFT): Definition and research implications for improved fitness. Sports, 6(3), 76.
• Gabriel, D. A., Kamen, G., & Frost, G. (2006). Neural adaptations to resistive exercise. Sports Medicine, 36(2), 133-149.
• Kiesel, K., Plisky, P. J., & Voight, M. L. (2007). Can serious injury in professional football be predicted by a preseason functional movement screen? North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 2(3), 147.

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