http://media.soundmedicine.org/segments/072113_4.mp3
A new trend called functional fitness is promoting natural movements that can aid in an overall healthy lifestyle. According to Richard Cotton, M.A., national director of certification at the American College of Sports Medicine, “Functional fitness is exercise that we would likely do in daily life, like pushing, pulling and using the whole body.” Functional fitness exercises use gym apparatuses like suspension trainers that use your body weight, pushing boxes, lifting and rolling tires, and pushing heavy ropes. Traditional gym machines focus on muscle isolation and strengthen only one muscle at a time. Functional fitness allows muscles to work together and create an overall body workout. But Cotton warns that functional fitness is easy to over-do and can be very intense. He recommends starting at home with functional fitness activities such as push-ups and squats.