Functional Fitness for Women

Functional fitness is the ability to carry out daily living activities. Often women tend to avoid activities that involve carrying heavy objects (grocery shopping etc) and walking up stairs. Avoiding these activities however, results in inactive muscles becoming weaker, thus causing a further decline in functional fitness.

Stronger muscles, through weight training, place less stress on the body and help prevent atrophy from disuse. Sustained strength training programs result in an increase in the ease with which everyday activities can be performed.

This is particularly important for older women. Studies show a 20 to 40 per cent loss in muscle, and along with it strength, as one ages. When women say they cannot do as much as they could when they were younger, it’s not necessarily because of age. Rather, it’s a function of doing fewer activities so as not to overload their muscles. Lack of use lets muscle waste away.

In their strength training programs women need to focus on exercises that emphasize daily living movements. This can be achieved through a combination of functional training exercises and conventional weight training.