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There are so many different exercises available and you will probably discover that each person prefers certain moves over others based on a wide variety of factors that are also different from person to person. Some of these factors encompass variables related to physique type, weight, knowledge, and what equipment is around to use. Many times, people do not vary their exercise programs enough and will inevitably become bored with working out the same way with the same exercises again and again. Over time, people start making up reasons to not exercise. It might be that the treadmill is broken or that all the exercise bikes are being used at that moment.

Functional strength training need not have restrictive limits and, as illustrated in this article, there are ways to remain flexible in your workout routine variations. One good guideline to follow is that the term ‘weight training’ simply refers to lifting a weight – any weight – while the term ‘cardiovascular exercise’ involves movement of any sort and not necessarily only in the gym.  Essentially, you need to be able to adapt your functional strength training program to give yourself the leeway to work out without needing a gym or exercise equipment. A lot of people spend quite a bit of time thinking about which exercise machine they should buy to use in their houses. They do not realize that equipment is not necessary if one wants to achieve exercise that works. Functional strength  training, improved stamina and endurance can all be achieved using your own body weight without any external equipment.

The average person, barring physical handicap, should be able to perform basic body movements such as lunges, squats, push-ups and chin-ups, none of which require any equipment. It has to be said though that there are many people around the world who find themselves struggling to do 5 regular push-ups or touch their toes 10 times.  Essentially, the sedentary lifestyles of many people in the modern world have left them unequipped to handle strenuous physical activity, not to mention the slightest bit of exercise.

As a result, you should start with functional strength training in your workouts, as you learn to move your body in a full range of motion effectively and effortlessly. Weights are not necessary to incorporate into exercise if a person is unable to perform even one squat by lowering the body to the point where the knees are at a 90 degree angle. It is also true that many people who have trouble with simple functional strength training exercises involving bodyweight usually have had some form of injury or gone through long periods of inactivity for one reason or another.

Surprising as it may seem, athletes unable to balance themselves during a single body weight step-up are still able to perform squats with wights of 100 kilograms. This is due to the fact that balancing on a single leg is required to perform a step-up. People who are more active will vastly increase the chances that they will injure themselves if they cannot maintain proper balance and bodily control, which these stepups can help hone. That is why functional strength training is so important; it is one of the best methods of improving balance, among other things.

As such, functional strength exercises are an essential tool to help you enhance your balance and other vital body movements. Functional strength training circuit exercises highly efficient and effective in improving balance and weight loss comprise the sample exercise program that follows. The one thing you must remember when performing functional strength training exercises is that form is very important and that the exercises have no value if you don’t do them properly.

Depending on your endurance and strength levels, you can do between three to five sets of thirty to sixty seconds worth of each functional strength training exercise.

1. Burpee Chin-Ups

2. Step Push-Ups

3. Towel Charges

4. Get-Ups

5. Push-Up Holds

6. Wall Holds

The Exercises Explained

Burpee Chin-Ups – Start this functional strength training exercise standing upright, with your hands relaxed and by your sides. Squat until you feel your hands touch the floor, then thrust your legs out behind you, keeping your arms straight to support your body. Then pull your legs forwards until you are in a squatting position again, and jump up to grip the chin-up bar. Using the momentum from your jump, do a single close-grip underhand chin-up then release the bar and repeat everything. If a chin-up bar is not available, you can also perform this functional strength training exercise as a simple burpee exercise without the added chin-ups.

Step Push-Ups – Begin with your body in the plank position with your arms straight, just in front of a step. Making sure your hips stay flat, move your one hand onto the step, followed by the other hand. Then move one hand back down followed by the other. That completes a single repetition of this functional strength training exercise.

Towel Charges – For this functional strength training exercise you will need two towels that you don’t mind dirtying. Get into the plank position with your arms straight, and put each of your feet on top of a towel. Keeping your lower back as straight as possible, slowly slide one knee up to touch your chest, then slide it back behind you. Do the same with your other leg.

Get-Ups – Hold a single dumbbell above your head and lie down flat on the floor. Keeping the dumbbell above your head at all times, bend your knees and get them under your body so you can bring yourself up into a squatting position. From your squatting position push yourself up until you are standing straight, then sink back down into a squat and back to you beginning position. That completes a single repetition of this functional strength training exercise.
Push-Up Holds – Begin in the plank position with your arms straight, then lower your body in a regular push-up. Hold your body in this position for whatever amount of time you stipulate for yourself, then push yourself back up to your starting position. If you find that you are unable to hold the push-up for the set amount of time, push yourself back up and recover instead of letting yourself fall to the ground.

Wall Holds – The starting position for this functional strength training exercise is essentially the plank position with your arms straight, only your feet are placed flat against a wall. This means that your arms will be supporting most of your weight. Hold your body in this position for the set amount of time or as long as you can, before returning back to the regular plank position.