How can you tailor exercise programs with functional training assessment?

1 What is functional training assessment?

Functional training assessment is a process of evaluating your current level of fitness, mobility, stability, and movement quality. It involves testing your core strength, joint range of motion, balance, coordination, and functional skills. The purpose of functional training assessment is to identify your strengths and weaknesses, as well as any imbalances or compensations that may affect your movement efficiency and safety.

2 Why is functional training assessment important?

Functional training assessment is important because it helps you tailor your exercise program to your specific needs and goals. By knowing your baseline fitness and movement patterns, you can choose the most appropriate exercises, intensity, frequency, and duration for your training. You can also monitor your progress and adjust your program as you improve or encounter challenges. Functional training assessment can also help you prevent or recover from injuries, as it can reveal any underlying issues that may cause pain or dysfunction.

3 How to perform functional training assessment?

When it comes to functional training assessment, there are a variety of methods and tools available depending on your objectives and resources. For instance, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a standardized system of seven tests that measure mobility, stability, and movement quality. It can help to identify any asymmetries or limitations that may increase your risk of injury or impair performance. Similarly, the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is a clinical tool that assesses movement patterns in relation to pain or dysfunction. This can help diagnose the root cause of a problem and prescribe corrective exercises. Additionally, the Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) is a comprehensive evaluation of physical abilities and limitations in relation to work or daily activities. This can help determine readiness to return to work or normal function after an injury or illness. Finally, Functional Performance Tests (FPTs) are specific tests that measure functional skills such as strength, power, endurance, speed, agility, or balance. They can help evaluate current level of performance and set realistic goals.

4 How to use functional training assessment results?

Once you have completed your functional training assessment, you can use the results to design your exercise program. To start, address any mobility or stability issues through corrective exercises, stretches, or self-massage techniques to improve joint range of motion, muscle flexibility, and posture. Then choose exercises that mimic or enhance your functional movements such as squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, rotating, or carrying. Vary the intensity, volume, and rest periods according to your goals and fitness level. Utilize the principle of progressive overload to gradually increase the demand on your body and avoid plateaus or overtraining. Lastly, monitor your response and feedback to the exercises and adjust your program as needed to optimize your results and prevent injuries.

5 How often should you do functional training assessment?

The frequency of functional training assessment depends on your goals, progress, and circumstances. To establish a baseline fitness and movement quality, it's recommended to do a functional training assessment before starting an exercise program or after a long period of inactivity, injury, or illness. Additionally, it's beneficial to do an assessment every 4 to 6 weeks or whenever you change your exercise program to monitor progress and effectiveness. It's also important to assess whenever you experience pain, discomfort, or reduced performance in order to identify and address any potential problems promptly.

Functional training assessment is a valuable tool that can help you tailor your exercise program to individual needs and goals. By assessing fitness, mobility, stability, and movement quality, you can choose the most appropriate exercises, intensity, frequency, and duration for your training. This is important for preventing or recovering from injuries as it can reveal any underlying issues that may cause pain or dysfunction. Through functional training assessment, you can enhance your functional fitness and improve your overall quality of life.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?