The key to functional fitness is integration – when you’re able to teach all of your muscles to work together, your body functions as a whole. Functional fitness means creating a body that is capable of handling everyday situations, like lugging a heavy suitcase or lifting a toddler from a car seat.

Multi-Muscle Coordination
Functional fitness requires the brain to simultaneously coordinate different parts of the body. As you repeatedly bend to pick up a load of full grocery bags, you’re mimicking a series of weighted squats that you’d do at the gym – this move requires several muscle groups to work together in harmony to get the job done without injury.

Balancing Body Weight
Another aspect of functional fitness is teaching your body to balance its own weight. This can be achieved with simple movements like stability-ball crunches or single-leg squats. Remember to switch sides when practicing these moves to create equal balance on both sides of the body.

Controlling Body Movement
Next time you’re at the gym, check out the Dual Adjustable Pulley (DAP) machine. This type of system offers a less controlled movement than traditional weight machines, requiring more joint and core stabilization. With greater potential to recruit multiple muscles groups with each exercise, you can produce results quickly.

Get Strong!

To avoid allowing some muscles to get stronger while others weaken, incorporate functional fitness into your routine and help your body’s muscles work together. Get started by utilizing tools like wobble boards, stability balls, resistance balls and DAP machines.

Dispelling Common Exercise Myths

Will doing 100 leg lifts a day give you thinner thighs? Does muscle turn to fat when you stop exercising? With all the information available about fitness and exercise, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. While some exercise myths are falling by the wayside, others still exist. Without proper knowledge, you may hinder your exercise progress.

Myth: Spot reducing. One of the most common exercise myths is that you can reduce fat from specific parts of your body, such as your thighs or abdomen. The truth is fat cannot be burned from specific body parts. Fat is stored throughout the body, and exercise will use fat from different areas and not necessarily the part you are working. The best way to reduce body fat is with a consistent routine of cardiovascular exercise, strength training and stretching.

Myth: “No pain, no gain.” A second exercise fallacy is that you must exercise at a very high intensity or for long hours to get results. Research shows, however, that even low to moderate intensity routines have valuable health benefits. A good general recommendation is to do cardiovascular exercise three to five days a week for 20 to 45 minutes per session at 65 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age), which is a level where you are working but aren’t gasping for air.

To help you stay in the right range, many fitness equipment manufacturers offer cardiovascular machines with digital heart rate sensors. For example, Life Fitness treadmills, total-body elliptical Cross-Trainers, Lifecycle exercise bikes and stairclimbers have Lifepulse hand sensors and interactive heart rate Zone Training+ workouts that automatically adjust the resistance level based on your target heart rate.

Myth: Strength training will make you very muscular. A common misconception among women is that lifting weights will make them bulk up. Bodybuilders usually have spent hours at the gym, may use steroids and follow strict diets to achieve their physiques. In addition, compared to men, women have less of the hormone testosterone, which is key to developing large muscles. Strength training approximately two to four times a week, doing a variety of exercises for the major muscle groups, will help lead to a lean and toned appearance.

Myth: If you stop working out, muscle will turn into fat. Many people believe that if they stop working out, their muscle will turn into fat. Muscle and fat are two distinct tissues, however, and never can be converted from one to the other. If you stop exercising, muscle tissue will shrink, so you may feel flabbier. Also, when muscles get smaller, they do not need as many calories, so your metabolism slows. With a slower metabolism, if you eat the same amount of calories, you may gain body fat.

Myth: If you didn’t exercise when you were younger, it’s too late. Some older people tend to think that it is too late to start an exercise routine if they didn’t work out when they were younger. Studies have shown that it is never too late to start working out – you can reap benefits at any age. As we age, exercise can help reduce the risk of bone and muscle diseases and help enhance daily functionality. Regardless of age and medical history, consult a doctor before starting any exercise program.

Once you dispel some common exercise myths, you can start to exercise smart and develop a fitter, healthier you.

Avoid long periods of vigorous activity during the heat of the summer. Make sure you take frequent breaks and drink lots of water to keep hydrated. Summer can be a dangerous time for long periods of activity outside in the sun and heat. Keep your family protected by offering shade, frequent breaks, and lots of fluids. Make sure you drink plenty of water. Summer is hot and in a lot of places very humid. These factors can lead to dehydration very quickly. Remember to drink plenty of liquids and water is by far the best option for prevention dehydration, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke.

If your image of fitness boot camps is killer workouts for only the very buff, you may not be paying attention to one of today’s hottest workout trends. Boot camp-style fitness programs are reaching all age groups and all fitness levels. Follow these tips from Life Fitness to learn how boot camps can be an effective way to reach fitness goals.

Boot camps challenge the body by requiring discipline, full body movements, quick transitions and constant activity. While the exercises can vary from simple to quite challenging, they offer more variety than a typical gym regimen with exercises like jumping rope, using resistance tubes, and maneuvering agility ladders or cones. Some focus more on cardio, while others specialize in strength-training or martial arts movements. Body weight exercises are also the norm in these types of programs, often incorporating moves like push-ups, lunges, squats, planks and crunches.

Do Your Research

Not all boot camps are created equal, so as with any exercise program, do your research. Some camps are for beginners and others for advanced athletes. They are usually limited to a certain number of participants and the instructors are able to offer more individual attention on a variety of issues, including technique, form, breathing, core training and recovery.
If you are willing to give your best, fitness boots camps will be a fun, motivating experience, and will provide an opportunity to make real-life connections with fellow exercisers.