There are many definitions for Functional Training that range from making every day activities easier to exercises that build functional fitness for my activities beyond the workout. My personal definition of functional training is that my workout needs to support and enhance the things I need and love to do with energy, enthusiasm and free from pain. As a new father I need to be able to squat and pick up my son free from pain and I want to have the mobility to crawl on the floor with him. When I head out to the trails with my mountain bike, I want to have the strength, power, endurance and accuracy to ride the trails for hours. As a fitness instructor, I want to have the ability to teach my indoor cycling classes and circuit training classes with authenticity, energy and stamina.
Regardless of whether you are a professional or aspiring athlete looking to perform at your best or a parent looking to be able to perform daily tasks/activities with energy and free from pain, it's important to include exercises into your daily/weekly routine that promote all the components of fitness that make up a healthy and resilient body. These components include but are not limited to, Cardiovascular Endurance, Stamina, Strength, Flexibility, Mobility, Power, Speed, Agility, Coordination, Balance and Accuracy.
The things to consider with Functional Training include the functional training equipment to use and how to optimize your function training space. Functional Training Equipment can be described as equipment that allows for total body movement in all directions/planes of motion with unrestricted natural movement. The Raptor falls under this umbrella.
The VertiMax Raptor is a staple piece of equipment in my functional playground (a.k.a gym) because no matter which exercise I decide to include in my program, I know that I am ticking off one, if not several components of fitness mentioned above. Whether I am Squatting, Lunging, Pushing, Pulling, Hinging or Rotating (Functional Movement Patterns that contribute to Functional Training) the Raptor puts me in an environment that forces me to react (align and stabilize) & think (connect brain to body)
Top Ten VertiMax Raptor Exercises
Below are my top ten favorite exercises/movements on the Raptor that will help you build all the components of fitness mentioned above. Depending on your routine/programming, exercises below can be performed as stand-alone exercises or can be layered together to form blocks/circuits.
1. Standing Plank
Overview: A great exercise for full body activation before any workout or to develop core strength.
Main Focus: Full Body Core Stability and Shoulder Stability.
2. Paloff Press
Overview: A great unilateral core exercise that challenges anti-rotation.
Main focus: Upper Body Core & Stability.
3. Front and Reverse Crawls
Overview: A ground-based movement that helps to develop stability, mobility and coordination
Main focus: Upper Body Stability/Strength and Lower Body Mobility
4. Side-to-Side Crawls
Overview: A ground-based movement that help to develop stability, mobility and coordination
Main focus: Upper Body Stability/Strength and Lower Body Mobility
5. Squat Row Combo
Overview: A great full-body integrated exercise that focuses on a Pull and a Squat
Main focus: Upper Body Strength/Stability and Lower Body Strength and Mobility
6. S.L Deadlift/RDL
Overview: This exercise will help to develop unilateral strength and stability in the lower body that can increase efficiency in running, sprinting and jumping.
Main focus: Stability, Balance & Unilateral Strength.
7. Step Lateral Lunge w/ Balance
Overview: This exercise help to develop unilateral strength, stability and mobility in the lower body.
Main focus: Lower Body Strength/Mobility/Balance and Upper Body Stability
8. Side Step Lunge to Step Back Lunge to Burpee
Overview: A great sequence that involves three exercises that will challenge both lower body and upper body.
Main focus: Lower Body Balance, Strength, Mobility, Stability and Power and Upper Body Strength & Stability
9. Squat Jump
Overview: A great exercise to improve lower body explosive power that transfers
to any sport/activity
Main focus: Lower Body Mobility and Power
10. Forward Hop to S.L. Hold
Overview: This will challenge lower body unilateral balance and strength that will transfer to any sport/activity
Main focus: Unilateral strength, balance and core stability
Two Points to Focus On During Raptor Exercises
Regardless of which exercise you choose, here are couple of important things to keep in mind:
- Focus on precision for every single repetition that you perform. Take a moment to reset (align posture and gain control) before performing the next repetition.
- Quality over Quantity Once you can no long maintain proper technique, a good rule of thumb is to stop the exercise. Continuing an exercise with bad technique can lead to an injury.
Conclusion
Functional training is not only transferable to things we love to do but it can also be a lot of fun! Using different modalities like the Raptor and the Vertimax platform can help to add variety into your workout routine to keep things interesting and challenging. Working out with a partner can also be fun and can help to give you motivation and keep you accountable as you strive to reach your fitness goals!
