What’s the difference? “Piston” style training & “Functional Training?”
First let’s look at “piston style,” which is usually an “in & out” or “out and back!” way of training. Either way resistance is traveling on the same path in both directions. What’s the problem? Over time if you “only” use piston style it will be very easy to injure yourself because you are “beating to death, so to speak,” the same areas of your body and “injury” is sure to happen! Also you won’t prepare yourself for the “non-piston” way the life hands to each of us! So what to do? Either switch to “Functional Training” or at least incorporate some functional training into your workouts along with piston style so that you give your body a “respite” of sorts from the continuous “beating” you are receiving from the piston style!
Now we take a peek at my favorite, “Functional Training!” What is it? It’s when you do much less “isolation” exercises and with each exercise you do more circular type movements! Why do functional training? We’ve already talked about how it helps prevent injuries but it does so much more! What? It mimics what each of us must do in real life situations! In real life we don’t normally “isolate” a single muscle or a “joint!” That would be very odd and also “counterproductive!” What do we do? We take life straight on which usually means we adhere to more circular movements! When we “live life” as it presents itself, we have to deal with many “unorthodox” situations and many require that we move many parts of our bodies at the same time and that we deal with “imbalances” found in our everyday situations!
So before you accept a specific way of handling the issues in life, make sure you “assess” all avenues fully! Thanks, Rick “The” Trainer/Inside Out Fitness functional trainer…#functionaltraining Hoodriver #thetrainerhoodriver #60yearsoldchallenge#hoodriveroregonphotographer #hoodriverfarmer #hoodriverfarmersmarket
