Functional Fitness

Ever since I bought a house about 18 months ago, I've been discovering the joys (and frustrations) of taking care of it. Back when I rented, I didn't have to deal with things like yard work, but now that I'm a homeowner, the responsibility is all mine. That's not a bad thing, and generally speaking, I enjoy spending time outside. I'm realizing, though, that activities like yard work require a different kind of fitness.

I am by no means a buff, toned fitness junkie. But I do think of myself as someone who's reasonably active, and I strive to get some form of exercise in every day. Still, I find that after I've spend just 30 minutes or so out in the yard raking leaves or picking up sticks, I'm sore the next day in places I forgot had muscles. I love walking for exercise, but I'm slowly realizing that I could stand to be more well-rounded in my fitness plan.

I've been thinking lately about functional fitness, which was all the rage a few years ago in gyms across the country. The basic idea is to train your body for everyday activities instead of preparing for a bodybuilding contest. To me, it's a concept that makes a lot of sense (and even more so on those mornings when I wake up sore from raking leaves). Rather than perform exercises that are designed simply to build muscle (not a bad goal in and of itself), why not do some that will build strength where I need it - and use it? For example, instead of a seated row, I could do one standing, which would strengthen my triceps by imitating a back and forth sawing motion - handy for trimming fallen limbs or sawing firewood.

I've always had a hard time getting motivated to do strength training, but I wonder if this functional fitness approach could finally do the trick. It's kind of a carrot and stick thing: I benefit by being able to get more done around the house, plus I avoid being sore every time I pull out the rake or saw. Maybe this could actually work.