Hey Fitness Enthusiast,
Did you know...,
A well-rounded workout program should involve moving in every direction – forward, backward, sideways, and even rotationally. Functional strength in every plane of motion is crucial for preventing injuries during everyday activities.
When the gym exercises mimic daily movements, you become stronger, more efficient, and can slow down age-related muscle atrophy while reducing injury risk!
The 7 Functional Movement Patterns are natural movements that our bodies perform daily.
Think of bending over to pick up your child, picking up a box from the floor, pushing yourself up off the floor, playing soccer, carrying your child on your hip, tying your shoe, vacuuming, rearranging furniture... each of these activities falls under one of the 7 Functional Movement Patterns.
By strengthening these patterns at the gym, we can move more efficiently throughout life, reduce injury risk, and increase life quality, both now and as we age.
The 7 Functional Movement Patterns are:
- Hinge: Example Exercise: Deadlifts
- Squat: Example Exercise: Bodyweight Squats
- Lunge: Example Exercise: Forward Lunges
- Push: Example Exercise: Push-Ups
- Pull: Example Exercise: Pull-Ups
- Brace: Example Exercise: Plank
- Locomotion: Example Exercise: Running
You don't have to perform all of these in a single day. Instead, focus on three or four each day and alter them as your training week progresses.
For instance, if you have a four-day training split, on day one, you could do squats and pushes, day two, hinges and pulls. On day three, you're back to squats and pushes, but maybe now you also have a lunging exercise, and then on day four, you have some bracing work and locomotion as well.
By incorporating all of the 7 Functional Movement Patterns, you'll be hitting every major muscle group and moving through all the functional patterns your body has at its disposal. This strategy will ensure a well-rounded and effective workout regimen.
Ready to kickstart your fitness journey? Visit Max Muscle Sports Nutrition - Stone Mountain or give us a call at (678) 344-1501 today!