What is Functional Exercise
Paul Chek
At the C.H.E.K Institute, an exercise can only be considered functional if it
fulfills the following criteria:
- Comparable reflex profile (Righting and Equilibrium reflexes)
When moving across any object, stable (earth) or unstable (surf board), the
body uses reflexes to maintain your upright posture. People with brain and
spinal cord injuries often have to perform certain exercises to restore these
reflex actions. Athletes needing particular reflex responses can use specific
exercises to target the reflex profile they need to improve.
- Maintenance of your center of gravity over your own base of support
Whether standing at the sink brushing your teeth (Static postural component),
or performing a walking lunge, squat or power clean (Dynamic postural
component), failure to maintain your center of gravity over your base of
support results in falling and possibly injury.
- Generalized motor program compatibility
The most functional exercises use movements that have a high carryover to work
and sport. The best functional exercises have a relative timing profile
similar to many other activities. For example, the squat exercise has a very
similar relative timing profile to jumping, yet the leg press, knee extension
and hamstring curl machine are very different, which is why they do very
little if anything to improve vertical jump performance!
- Open/closed chain compatibility
If you push against an object and you can not move it, such as performing a
chin-up, the chain (muscles/joints) is closed. When performing a lat pull down
you are overcoming the resistance and thus, the chain is open. Because the
recruitment of muscles and movements of joints is task specific, your exercise
selection must be equally specific to achieve an functional outcome.
- Improves relevant biomotor abilities
Each exercise is composed of "biomotor", or "life-movement," abilities.
According to Bompa (8), biomotor abilities are strength, power, endurance,
flexibility, coordination, balance, agility and speed. An exercise is most
functional when the biomotor profile most closely approximates the ability
lacking in the athlete’s body or when it most closely resembles the task being
trained for.
- Isolation to integration
Bodybuilding has plagued athletic training and rehabilitation with the urge to
"isolate" muscles and make them BIGGER! It should never be forgotten when
trying to improve functional performance, the brain only knows movements, not
muscles. To achieve optimal results with any isolation exercise, adequate time
must be spent training the muscle to contribute to a functional movement
pattern.
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