What is “Functional Training”?

“Functional Training” refers to a type of fitness regimen that priorities exercises and movements mirroring real-life activities and tasks. The objective of this training is to enhance an individual’s capability to perform daily actions more efficiently and safely by concentrating on movements pertinent to their everyday routines, occupational duties, or sports engagements.

Key aspects of functional training include:

1. Natural Movements: Functional training underscores movements engaging multiple muscle groups and joints in a coordinated manner. These actions often encompass pushing, pulling, lifting, twisting, bending, and walking—similar to the actions encountered in daily life.
2. Real-Life Simulation: Exercises within functional training are structured to imitate the movements and actions individuals regularly perform or are relevant to specific sports. This strategy aims to boost functionality and adeptness in those pursuits.
3. Core Involvement: Numerous functional exercises require the activation of core muscles to stabilize the body during dynamic motions. This fosters improved core strength, stability, and equilibrium.
4. Even Muscle Development: Functional training concentrates on fostering uniform muscle development by targeting both primary and auxiliary muscles used in specific movements. This approach mitigates the risk of muscle imbalances and associated injuries.
5. Dynamic and Multi-Planar Actions: Functional exercises often encompass dynamic movements transpiring in multiple planes of motion (such as forward-backward, side-to-side, and rotational). This contributes to enhanced overall body coordination and agility.
6. Applicability: The ultimate objective of functional training is to amplify an individual’s adeptness in executing daily tasks like lifting, carrying, extending, and walking, with enhanced ease and efficacy.
7. Adaptability: Functional training exercises can be tailored and adjusted to suit diverse fitness levels, rendering it suitable for people of varying ages and capabilities.

Functional training can be executed using a range of equipment such as resistance bands, free weights, medicine balls, stability balls, and even bodyweight exercises. It is frequently integrated into workout routines for general fitness, rehabilitation, sports-specific training, and bolstering overall functional capacity.

In essence, functional training centrew on training the body to execute movements directly pertinent to real-life scenarios. This approach renders it a pragmatic and efficacious method for heightening both fitness and everyday functional prowess.

What type of NDIS participant is eligible for Functional Training?

Both self-managed or plan-managed NDIS participants are eligible under your NDIS plan. If you have a chronic injury/disease and are worried physical activity could “flare up” your symptoms, Andrew will tailor a program to avoid the likelihood of this from occurring.

Is Clinical Pilates covered under your NDIS plan?

Yes, you can use your NDIS funding at Advanced Health. Andrew is a registered NDIS healthcare provider. Clinical Pilates is covered by NDIS funding under your NDIS package. Self-managed or plan-managed NDIS participants are eligible for many types of treatment including Clinical Pilates which help with pain management. Please call us for further information on using your NDIS funding.