FUNctional Exercises

Exercise is important to a healthy lifestyle. But many people don't like the hassle of getting a gym membership, scheduling a time to go, trying to figure out what exercises to do, etc.

But don't worry, that is not necessary.

Exercising can be done anywhere. It can include all types of sports and many types of work or service projects. I have two rules about exercises. They should be fun and they should be functional.

I think most of you know what fun is, so let's talk about functional. Functional exercises are those that help to build natural abilities to move and have fun and be productive in everyday life.

Let me give you an example. I worked as a foreman in the construction industry for years. It was very interesting to watch young men who would hire on has laborers. Some of them were guys who had just graduated from high school. The interesting ones to watch were the big buff looking young guys, who you could tell worked out in a gym, doing plenty of weight lifting. It was not uncommon for them to grab the handles of a wheelbarrow full of mud and start across the job site, but then half way across they would spill the mud all over the ground. Then some scrawny looking guy would help him clean up the mess and take over the wheelbarrow to get it to it's destination.

Why could the scrawny guy get it to it's destination when the 'strong man' could not? Functional exercise is the answer. You see the guy who had been working out in the gym all the time, had the muscle to lift weights. But the scrawny guy who had always helped out on his father's farm, had trained his muscles to do functional work, for long periods of time. With the wheelbarrow it wasn't just the task of lifting the heavy load, it was to lift, and push, and balance, and adjust to uneven terrain, as you go.

So instead of just working out in a gym, climb a hill, dig a ditch, pick fruit, pull weeds, paint a fence, till the ground. Be conscious of what parts of your body you are exercising and try to make sure that you get your whole body to move and push and pull in all different directions and in full range of motion.

For instance if you are digging a ditch, periodically change the shovel in your hands to work both sides of your body. With anything you do try to make sure that you work the left and right sides of your body at least somewhat equally.

Enjoy your gym work outs too, if that is what your into, but make sure you have days each week where you are doing actual functional things.

If there is nothing functional to do at your house, I bet you have a neighbor that wouldn't mind you doing something for them. That is when exercise gets really fun. Serving your fellow man gives you great feelings of accomplishment that go way beyond just a normal workout. Those feelings of helping your fellow man can actually go along way toward helping your body to be healthy in other important ways, way beyond the building and toning of muscle.

That's why I say, "Be functional and have fun!"