Bend, Don't Break: How Flexibility and Functional Strength Will Shape Your Fitness Journey in the Next Decade

Fellow Wanderers, did you know that maintaining flexibility can help reduce the risk of injuries by up to 50%? This startling fact highlights the often-overlooked importance of flexibility in overall fitness. As we move into the next decade, flexibility and functional strength training are set to become pivotal elements in the fitness world, addressing both everyday functionality and long-term health.

The Rise of Functional Strength Training

Functional strength training is more than a fitness trend; it’s a transformative approach to exercise that focuses on enhancing daily activities. It goes beyond sculpted muscles and focuses on movements that mirror real-life activities. Just imagine carrying groceries, climbing stairs, or playing with your kids without a second thought. Think squats for picking up objects, lunges for navigating uneven terrain, and core work for maintaining good posture while gardening. 

This training modality improves balance, coordination, functional strength, and endurance, helping individuals perform everyday tasks with ease, reducing the risk of injury and improve your overall wellbeing. Studies such as this one, have shown that functional strength training offers a wealth of benefits, from improved balance and coordination (reducing your risk of falls) to increased bone density and metabolic health. 

Illustration of possible body motor elements required to vacuum a room (Liu et al., 2014)

Key Benefits of Functional Strength Training

Improved daily activities: Functional strength training mimics the movements of daily activities, from lifting groceries to climbing stairs, ensuring that individuals are better prepared for these tasks.

Enhanced balance and coordination: As we age, falls become a concern. Functional strength exercises are designed to improve balance and proprioception, crucial for preventing falls, especially in older adults.

Increased strength and power: By focusing on compound movements, this training builds overall muscle strength and power, contributing to better physical performance.

Long-term independence: For older adults, functional training is essential for maintaining independence, reducing the risk of falls, and improving overall quality of life.

Flexibility: The Silent Guardian of Health

Flexibility training, often overlooked, plays a crucial role in overall fitness and health. Its not just for dancers and gymnasts. Stretching and mobility exercises improve muscle elasticity and joint range of motion, contributing to better posture, reduced muscle soreness, and decreased risk of injury.

Key Benefits of Flexibility Training

Injury prevention: Tight muscles are more prone to tears and strains. Improved flexibility helps prevent injuries by allowing muscles and joints to move through their full range of motion without strain(Williams et al., 2018).

Enhanced performance in all activities: Athletes and fitness enthusiasts benefit from increased flexibility through better performance, wider range of motion and quicker recovery times.

Pain relief: Regular stretching can alleviate chronic pain, especially in the lower back and neck, common problem areas for many people.

Stress reduction: Flexibility training, often incorporated into mindfulness practices like yoga, helps reduce stress and promote mental well-being.

Enhanced posture and better ergonomics: Tight muscles can pull you out of alignment, leading to pain and postural imbalances. Improved flexibility helps maintain proper posture, reducing back pain and improving overall well-being.

Emerging Trends Shaping Functional and Flexibility Training

Technology Integration: A common song in our series of decade-long trends is how wearable technology and fitness apps are becoming increasingly sophisticated, providing real-time feedback and personalized training programs to optimize functional strength workouts. These two technologies will have an evident effect on many areas with functional training and flexibility included. 

Virtual and Augmented Reality: These technologies will offer immersive training experiences, making functional exercises more engaging and effective.

Holistic Approaches: The next decade will see a shift towards a more holistic approach to fitness. Instead of focusing solely on building muscle or burning calories, fitness routines will incorporate flexibility and functional strength training to create well-rounded individuals capable of moving with ease and confidence. For instance, combining functional strength training with other wellness practices like Yoga and Pilates to create comprehensive fitness programs that address all aspects of health.

Group Training Sessions: We should expect a rise in popularity of community-focused functional training classes, offering social support and motivation while improving functional fitness.

Dynamic Stretching: This method, which involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or both, will become more prevalent in warm-up routines. As a case study, most of our workout plans recommend people to aim for 10 - 15  minutes of dynamic stretches before their workout and static stretches after their workout.

Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST): A unique system of assisted stretching focusing on the fascia and joint capsule, improving flexibility, strength, and coordination. This is a type of stretching technique that focuses on the fascia, a connective tissue that surrounds muscles, bones, and joints in the body. The goal of FST is to improve flexibility, reduce pain, and enhance overall joint mobility by targeting the fascial system. During a Fascial Stretch Therapy session, a certified practitioner uses a combination of assisted stretching and traction to manipulate and stretch the fascia. This is typically done on a treatment table, and the client is guided through a series of movements to target specific muscle groups and joints. Note that while some people find relief and benefits from Fascial Stretch Therapy, individual responses may vary. So, if you'll consider FST, it's advisable to consult with a qualified practitioner to discuss your specific needs and any potential contraindications.

Active Isolated Stretching (AIS): This technique involves holding stretches for only 2 seconds to avoid triggering the muscle’s protective stretch reflex, allowing for deeper and more effective stretching. Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) is recommended by many coaches and physical therapists.  The basic principle is that if a muscle is stretched too far, too fast for too long, after about 3 seconds it will have a natural recoil action to prevent tearing. So the principle in AIS is to only hold the stretch for up to 2 seconds (you can do this by repeating the number by counting a hold with one-one, two-two etc.). The body is put in the best anatomical position both to maximize an isolated stretch and to warrant safety.

Integration with Functional Training: Alongside the established benefits of strength training, flexibility and functional strength are poised to become the cornerstones of fitness routines in the next decade. We will see a combination of flexibility exercises with functional strength training to create well-rounded, effective fitness programs.

Key Takeaways for Fitness Enthusiasts and Professionals

Wanders, the fitness industry is poised to make significant strides in integrating flexibility and functional strength training into mainstream fitness routines. The focus will be on personalized, technology-driven solutions that address individual needs and promote long-term health and independence.

1. Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest trends and research in flexibility and functional strength training to ensure you’re using the most effective techniques. Reading this Aussi Wanderer's article was a good start, keep learning.
2. Embrace Technology: As we have highlighted in a couple of previous articles, utilize wearable devices, apps, and virtual reality to enhance your training and track progress.
3. Focus on Holistic Health: One of the easiest way to practice the holistic approach is to incorporate flexibility and functional strength training into a broader wellness routine that includes nutrition, mental health, and recovery.
4. Prioritize Functional Movements: Ensure that your training mimics everyday activities(squats, lunges, rows, etc.) to improve overall functionality and quality of life.
5. Work with a qualified trainer: A certified professional can design a program that addresses your individual needs and goals, incorporating both strength and flexibility elements.

Lets always remember that FITNESS is a JOURNEY, not a DESTINATION. Thus, learning to invest in our long-term health and well-being is pretty important. 

Onward to find flexibility, conquer and thrive!

What are your favorite ways to improve flexibility and functional strength? Share your tips and questions in the comments below!