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For the most part bodybuilding is an activity that is done for the specific reason to make the body look good with huge muscles. Often times body builders do not possess a lot of strength due to the fact that they don't train the muscles for strength they build muscle for pure aesthetic purposes. However most people now workout to help them live better lives or perform better in a sport. People working out for these types of reasons need to understand how to build functional muscles.
Functional muscles are muscles that you use either everyday to help you live your life or you would utilize in a sporting event to help you perform better. When you design a workout plan to build functional muscles it is best to focus on muscles that you will be utilizing everyday or during that sport.
Let's focus on how to build functional muscles for your everyday life. Think about what you do on a regular basis. You spend your day carrying your briefcase, moving the groceries from the car to the house, taking the baby in and out of the car, etc. You rarely find yourself pulling your child down like a lat pull down or bench pressing your groceries to put them away.
The simple fact that most of the exercises people do to enhance their muscles do nothing to help create functional muscles. Most resistance type exercises will only help you build non-functional muscles. They may look good, but they are not going to make you do anything better.
One of the things that will help you build functional muscles will be to do most of your exercises while you are standing. Instead of lying on your back to do a bench press stand you could do a standing cable press. You will be surprised at the new muscles that you're using. You will feel muscles in your backs and sides that you never thought you had, but these are the same muscles you utilize everyday.
Good functional exercises will also allow you to build up your core as well. Your core consists of the muscles in your midsection that help you stabilize. With that in mind work on exercises that help strengthen your core. Many people are now finding a great way to make your core more fit is to sit on a balance ball while you go through your weight training routine. Sitting on the balance ball will require your core muscles to work in helping balance you as your lift your weights.
If you are wanting to build functional muscles for a particular sport you will want to work on muscle groups that will help you build muscles to help play that sport better. For example if you are a catcher in baseball building muscles in your legs that will allow you to squat for hours and also jump with explosive power to throw out a base stealer. People who ski find it great to do functional muscle exercises that build up their inner and outer thighs. Building up these parts of the legs helps with their ability to control their skis better.
People are often surprised at how much better their life gets when they focus on building functional muscles. If you truly focus on things you do every day you will not only look better, but you will feel better as well.
Functional muscles are muscles that you use either everyday to help you live your life or you would utilize in a sporting event to help you perform better. When you design a workout plan to build functional muscles it is best to focus on muscles that you will be utilizing everyday or during that sport.
Let's focus on how to build functional muscles for your everyday life. Think about what you do on a regular basis. You spend your day carrying your briefcase, moving the groceries from the car to the house, taking the baby in and out of the car, etc. You rarely find yourself pulling your child down like a lat pull down or bench pressing your groceries to put them away.
The simple fact that most of the exercises people do to enhance their muscles do nothing to help create functional muscles. Most resistance type exercises will only help you build non-functional muscles. They may look good, but they are not going to make you do anything better.
One of the things that will help you build functional muscles will be to do most of your exercises while you are standing. Instead of lying on your back to do a bench press stand you could do a standing cable press. You will be surprised at the new muscles that you're using. You will feel muscles in your backs and sides that you never thought you had, but these are the same muscles you utilize everyday.
Good functional exercises will also allow you to build up your core as well. Your core consists of the muscles in your midsection that help you stabilize. With that in mind work on exercises that help strengthen your core. Many people are now finding a great way to make your core more fit is to sit on a balance ball while you go through your weight training routine. Sitting on the balance ball will require your core muscles to work in helping balance you as your lift your weights.
If you are wanting to build functional muscles for a particular sport you will want to work on muscle groups that will help you build muscles to help play that sport better. For example if you are a catcher in baseball building muscles in your legs that will allow you to squat for hours and also jump with explosive power to throw out a base stealer. People who ski find it great to do functional muscle exercises that build up their inner and outer thighs. Building up these parts of the legs helps with their ability to control their skis better.
People are often surprised at how much better their life gets when they focus on building functional muscles. If you truly focus on things you do every day you will not only look better, but you will feel better as well.