Build Functional Strength Before You Need It

You don't think about your core when you're walking across uneven ground.
You just adjust and keep moving.
The same thing happens when you're carrying something that's heavier on one side, reaching for something, changing direction or getting bumped while playing soccer with the kids.
Your body responds without you having to think about every muscle involved.
That's functional strength.

Functional strength is strength that helps us with the movements we use in everyday life. It helps us move, adapt, balance and respond to what's happening around us. And that's what makes it so important and so much fun. Because being strong isn't just about what you can do in a workout. It's about having a body that can keep up with the life you want to live.

Try It for Yourself

An exercise ball gives your body a different kind of input. As you move, your muscles have to make small adjustments to help you stay balanced and in control. The large muscles help create the movement, while your core and smaller stabilizing muscles help you maintain control. You're never really working just one muscle group when you use an exercise ball.

Here are three simple movements to add to your day.

Upper Body: UXB Wall Push-Up

The large muscles of your chest and arms help you perform the push-up, while your core engages as you move in and out. With the UXB between you and the wall, the small stabilizing muscles around your shoulders also have to work to help keep the ball still. You're building upper-body strength while your body works on stability and control.

Lower Body: UXB Wall Squat

A squat is a movement we use all the time : sitting down, standing up, picking something up and getting in and out of a chair. With the UXB behind you against the wall, the ball provides feedback as you roll up and down. It helps you focus on keeping your weight through your heels and becoming aware of how evenly you're distributing your weight between both feet. Both sides of your body need to contribute. You're building lower-body strength while developing balance, control and awareness of how your body is moving.

Balance: Seated UXB Foot Lifts

Sit tall on the UXB and slowly lift one foot, then the other. It looks simple. But as soon as one foot leaves the floor, your base of support changes. Your body has to make small adjustments to keep you upright and balanced. The UXB adds another layer because your core needs to fire to help stabilize your body and keep the ball still. You're practicing balance while teaching your body to respond when your base of support changes.

And Your Core?

Here's the part I love about using an exercise ball.

All three movements engage your core.

Your core isn't just something you work at the end of a workout. It's helping you stabilize your body while your arms and legs move.

That's much closer to how we actually use our bodies.

We don't move through life one muscle at a time.

We walk, reach, bend, carry, balance, react and change direction.

Our bodies have to adapt.

Functional strength helps us prepare for those moments, not by trying to predict exactly what life will throw at us, but by giving our bodies opportunities to practice responding.

Build It Before You Need It

You don't need a complicated workout to get started. Add a few movements to your day. Give your body opportunities to move in different ways. Let your muscles learn to work together.

Because the goal isn't simply to become stronger.

It's to keep doing the things that make life fun.

Playing with your kids. Walking a trail. Travelling. Getting down on the floor and back up again. Trying something new.

Functional strength isn't about preparing for your next workout. It's about preparing your body for life.

And that's something worth building before you need it.