“Functional fitness” is a buzzword thrown around by savvy trainers and experts alike, but the concept is often tossed aside when it comes to fitting it into your workout. After all, it’s tough to make time for exercises that don’t appear to have a physique benefit. “Functional fitness is for all the movements you do in life, from chasing your kids to hiking a mountain. But often people disregard it because they think they won’t be effective,” notes Chicago-based trainer and fitness expert Liu Gross. That’s a mistake, because functional fitness not only helps you move more easily and reduce injury risk; it can also sculpt muscles and blast calories.
Working with physical therapist David Reavy, Gross has created a functional routine designed to kick your butt in the gym while also helping to keep you mobile. “These exercises are unconventional, but so is life,” explains Gross. “You’re constantly doing awkward movements, whether that’s lifting something overhead or bending down to tie your shoe.” His workout plan here targets three spots where most of us are the weakest or tightest: upper back, core, and glutes.
HOW TO DO IT
Do these exercises as a circuit in the order given. For the first set, focus more on the movement pattern than the weight used. Once you’ve got the exercises down, you can feel free to increase the weight, says Gross.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Reverse Lunge with Arm Drive
WORKS: Biceps, core, quads, hamstrings
Begin in a lunge position holding light dumbbells, left leg forward and right leg back, arms bent about 90 degrees, with right arm forward and left arm back (A).
Drive your right knee up to about hip height while bringing left arm forward and right arm back. Keep your arms flexed and abs engaged (B). Return to start and repeat. Do 5 reps, building up to 15 reps per side.
Stand with your feet together holding a medicine ball or weight in front of you with both hands. Cross left foot behind right leg in a curtsy lunge, bringing weight outside right leg (A).
Driving off right foot, take a small lateral hop to left, arcing ball over your head (B).
Land with left foot forward and right leg behind in a curtsy lunge, with weight outside left leg (C). Repeat 5 times, building up to 15 reps per side; try to increase distance with each rep.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Jumping Kettlebell Swing
WORKS: Core, glutes, hamstrings
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in both hands. Hinge forward at the hip, lowering kettlebell between your legs (A).
Use your hips to thrust the kettlebell up and forward, taking a small jump backward (B) and landing on balls of feet. (Stay as upright as possible, swinging the kettlebell no higher than your chest.)
As the kettlebell comes down, take a small jump forward, landing on heels; hinge forward from hips to bring weight between legs. Repeat 5 times, building up to 20 reps.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Single-Leg Bear Crawl
WORKS: Shoulders, triceps, chest, core, quads
Begin on all fours, palms under shoulders and knees under hips. Lift right foot, bringing knee toward chest and keeping it there.
Move forward using the pattern of right hand, left hand, left foot. Then reverse the movement to return back to start. That’s 1 rep.
Repeat with left leg up, crawling left hand, right hand, right foot forward and back, building up to 10 reps per leg.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Renegade Row Knee Tuck
WORKS: Back, biceps, core
Begin in a pushup position with feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells on floor (A).
Raise right elbow toward ceiling, keeping arm close to body, while bringing left knee toward chest (B).
Return to start position; repeat on opposite side. That’s 1 rep. Do 5 reps total, building up to 10 reps.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Single-Leg Row and Curl
WORKS: Back, shoulders, biceps; improves balance
Stand tall holding dumbbells at sides. Hinging forward from hips, lift right leg behind you, parallel to floor, while lowering weights under shoulders, arms extended (A).
Draw weights toward body, keeping elbows close to sides, while balancing on left leg (B).
Stand up and curl weights toward shoulders, staying balanced on left leg (C). Hinge forward again and repeat row/curl combo, maintaining balance throughout. Do 5 reps, building up to 15 reps; switch sides.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Woodchopper Step Out
WORKS: Shoulders, back, core
Stand holding cable handle with both hands in an athletic stance, feet wide and knees slightly bent; step over so you are just to the left of the anchor point (A). (If using a resistance band, anchor it about shoulder height.)
Take a small step in with right foot, then pull handle diagonally across body while stepping left foot out to left side (B). Do 5 reps; switch sides and repeat, building up to 20 reps.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Alternating Lunge and Tap
WORKS: Core, glutes, hamstrings
Stand with feet hip-distance apart, arms at side. Lunge forward with right foot, tapping floor with left hand.
Push back off floor to return to start position; repeat on opposite side. Do 10 reps, building up to 25 reps per side.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Long Lever Bicycle
WORKS: Core
Lie faceup on floor with arms and legs extended. Raise right leg above hip while reaching left hand toward toes; at the same time, lift left leg a few inches off floor.
Reverse position, lifting left leg above hip and right leg toward floor and bringing right hand toward left leg. That’s 1 rep. Do 10 reps, building up to 25 reps.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Warrior One Pushup Press
WORKS: Shoulders, chest, core, quads
Begin in full pushup position, holding dumbbells on floor under shoulders. Do one pushup (not shown).
Step left leg forward, bringing left foot between hands (A).
From this position, straighten torso so shoulders are above hips; bring weights to shoulder height, palms facing, then extend arms overhead (B).
Reverse the movement, lowering weights to floor and returning to pushup position. Repeat, this time bringing right leg forward. Do 5 reps per side, building up to 10 reps.
