Functional and Specific-Functional Training

FUNCTIONAL AND “SPECIFIC-FUNCTIONAL?”

By Dr. Ken E. Leistner

The popularity of utilizing the perhaps erroneously named “functional training” exercises among football coaches at all levels has increased enormously. Two issues to be addressed immediately are the fact that every exercise one does in the weight room or are on the football field during practice is “functional” in that it contributes to a better athlete. The other issue is the fact that every repetition of every exercise is important and if it weren’t, if it did not serve the purpose of making players improved at what they must do, it should not be a part of one’s training program. Doing a tire flip is now considered to be functional training. I would make a strong case that performing a perfectly executed set of five repetitions in the standing barbell overhead press is functional also. No matter how much I believe the language is erroneously and confusingly applied, it remains that the sub-set of exercises that utilize non-standard and non-traditional barbells and dumbbells and instead use “daily” or “manual work related” implements is referred to as “functional.”

These many movements, popularized in strongman type of competitions have a place in the preparation of a football player. The use of unbalanced implements that call upon the body to work in planes of motion that are usually not “covered” with barbells and dumbbells serve as an adjunct to the squats, pulls, and presses that give work to the major muscular structures of the physique. Doing functional training offers variety, excitement, and a chance for many athletes to compete well against themselves and their teammates when in some cases, their specific skeletal leverages may cause some limitation in the weight room. In many instances, strength coaches prefer to have the players complete their “usual” barbell based strength workout and utilize the functional movements as “finishers” to the entire session. Thus, the Farmers Walk, Dragon Slayer push, or Tire Flip might serve as the final movement in a specific day’s training routine. Using a functional movement within the body of the workout or at the end are both acceptable strategies but for lack of a better term, to “take it to the next level,” especially in the off-season or winter workout period, the functional work can be and perhaps should be more football specific.

A quick word regarding “sport specific” training is necessary. Motor learning studies over the course of decades has taught the professional that a movement is specific or not. A movement cannot be “almost specific” thus the hip extension an athlete achieves while doing any weight room exercise, be it a squat, clean, pull, or deadlift may be “similar to” that performed while initiating a blocking or tackling movement on the football field but it is not “specific” to that movement, it is not “exactly like” that movement, nor is it that movement and the legitimate science is very clear on this point. This is not to say that any of the above mentioned exercises and the actual body segment movements achieved are not valuable and will not contribute to on the field play, it is just a simple statement devoid of emotion or myth that reflects what the literature tells us. However, it as a football coach, I can have my players train in the weight room and then “finish” or incorporate a functional movement with barbell work, I personally would prefer to utilize an exercise that in some way is more closely akin to what they might do on the field. For example, I would prefer a rapid sprint with a weighted sled such as the Dragon Slayer or a tire flip as opposed to a plodding sled drag as is often performed by competitive powerlifters. However, for the strength coach or football coach, especially at the high school level, who wants to maximize strength training with a conditioning and “mental toughness” builder in the weight room that truly keeps the young players’ focus on “football” allow me to suggest the incorporation of the Shockwave into the routine and give a specific program recommendation.

A very effective combination is to have your players warm-up, and then squat. We refer to the barbell squat as a barbell deep knee bend, the old fashioned term from the 1950’s and early ‘60’s that accurately describes a “fullest possible pain free range of motion” in this important movement. While most players of course cannot and will not “put their hamstrings on their calves” it’s that concept that we teach and coach. Upon the completion of a set of squats we then “super set” or go immediately, without rest to the Shockwave for five “heavy” repetitions. Three sets of squats, usually for reps in the 10-15 range for high school football players in the early off-season workouts, combined with the Shockwave, going from one to the other without any “break time” gives great stimulation to the hips and thighs and keeps a “football based” mentality in the workout. It also gives the players what I believe is a more “football specific” type of functional movement. One can use the Shockwave as a “finisher” by having the players take “X” number of reps on it immediately following their final exercise.

Movie: Shockwave

MOVIE:

As part of a sprint type of finisher to workouts, following for example, Press, Squat, Deadlift, Shrug, and Curl, all exercises typically done by most high school programs, if limited to the typical high school facility, the players can then sprint the stairs to the second flight of the building, come down carefully, walk into the weight room (assuming its appropriately located) and do five reps on the Shockwave, sprint the stairs again, return to the Shockwave for five reps, and repeat for five or six “sets” or “cycles.” Again, as one would use Farmers Walk implements or tire flips, the Shockwave provides a “functional” boost to the standard workout with the benefit of having it much more football related.