What is Functional Personal Training?
Functional personal training is a holistic, movement-based approach to exercise. Its primary goal is to help you move better functionally — by improving how your muscles, joints, and nervous system work together.
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Instead of just building muscle size or lifting heavy weights for their own sake, functional training develops strength, balance, coordination, mobility, and stability in ways that directly translate to real-life tasks — like lifting up children or groceries, climbing stairs, hiking, or playing sports.
Core Principles
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Movement patterns over muscle isolation:
Exercises mimic natural movements (push, pull, squat, hinge, twist, lunge, gait) rather than isolating single muscles. -
Multi-joint, multi-plane movements:
You move through different planes of motion (forward/backward, side-to-side, rotational) — not just straight up and down. -
Core engagement: Nearly all functional training emphasizes a strong, stable core to support posture and prevent injury.
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Personalization: Our functional personal trainer designs programs tailored to your goals, daily life, and physical aspirations.
Key Components of Functional Personal Training
1) Movement Assessment
A session usually begins with a movement scan from our highly skilled Functional Personal Trainers. This helps the trainer identify:
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Muscle imbalances
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Mobility restrictions
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Postural issues
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Weak movement patterns (like poor squatting mechanics or limited shoulder rotation)
From there, they design a personalized plan to address those weaknesses.
2) Core and Stability Training
The core (not just abs, but the entire trunk and pelvis region) is the foundation for all functional movement. You’ll often work on:
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Planks and side planks
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Pallof presses
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Dead bugs or bird dogs
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Stability ball or BOSU exercises
These build strength and stability in your midsection to prevent injuries and improve posture.
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3) Multi-Plane, Compound Movements
Functional training develops movement across all three planes of motion:
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Sagittal plane: forward/backward (e.g., squats, lunges)
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Frontal plane: side-to-side (e.g., lateral lunges, side shuffles)
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Transverse plane: rotational (e.g., medicine ball twists, cable rotations)
This ensures your body moves efficiently in the same way you move through the world.​​
4) Balance and Coordination
Since daily life rarely happens in perfect symmetry, balance training is vital. Exercises might include:
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Single-leg squats or deadlifts
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Stability board or balance pad drills
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Dynamic movements that challenge coordination
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5) Mobility and Flexibility Work
A functional trainer also integrates mobility drills and stretching to keep joints healthy and muscles supple — essential for both performance and injury prevention.
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6) Progressive Overload with Purpose
Rather than simply lifting heavier weights, functional training programs focus on progressing movement complexity — such as:
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Adding instability (using a balance tool or uneven load)
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Increasing range of motion
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Combining movements (e.g., squat + press)
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Improving control and tempo
