Myosynthesis Forums

With regards to the trend towards "training like an athlete" and so-called "functional" training.

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A lot of this has emerged from the trend towards "functional" strength training.

The problem is "functional" is meaningless without context - it's an entirely goal-dependent phrase, which you'd never realize to hear the gurus talk on the matter.

"Functional" for a sprinter = strength/power training and sprinting
"Functional" for an MMA fighter = strength/power training and fighting

And so on down the list. As you'd imagine, "functional" for a bodybuilder/physique competitor has its own set of rules - which is why I find it immensely funny to see the specific needs of Sport A used to justify training Sport B with the same methodology.

This doesn't mean you can't learn anything from other training methodologies, but people seem to be equating "taking useful bits" with "copy the whole program". It doesn't work that way.

I'm rabidly against physique-minded people doing plyos and even most forms of track work. It's entirely nonfunctional for physique purposes - at best, you're looking at "alternative" methods of interval training with little to no benefits (even in a general sense). Acceleration/speed work doesn't train anaerobic metabolism in the way someone would want for fat loss (not optimally anyway), and plyometrics aren't going to do much besides inflame the muscle, on top of the rather substantial injury risk for people not properly broken in. There's also something to be said for adding in extra central stress across your week.

The cost:benefit ratio just doesn't justify it considering that other methods can meet the same goals, do it better, and without the potential problems. If you've got a sport you're training for, the equation changes. Most don't, however.

The truth is, functional training for a physique competitor just comes down to fulfilling specific training goals:

- Lift heavy weights to build strength
- Lift lighter weights to develop targeted muscle groups
- Do some kind of conditioning when you need to lose bodyfat

The fancy "functional" stuff can help with 1 and 3, but it can't ever replace the basics.

That said, I don't see any issues with training to increase your potential for a brief block or two during the year. I just have issues w/ people adopting it, as if "training like an athlete" can suddenly improve your physique in magical ways.

But the fitness writers in O2 say the top placers have an athletic look and train athletically. That must be what's best.

Silly Matt with your science.

Yea, but I just wanted to lengthen my muscles. Not actually make them bigger.

KWIM?

Nice post Matt.
When I'm coaching I get approached by a lot of mom's who want me to teach a gymnastics based "conditioning" class for adults... and they always add, "because you always look so fit"... ummm, yeah... but what I do isn't gymnastics based. I could do the class, and guarantee they would become more flexible and would be stronger, however, they wouldn't achieve what they were hoping for.

As with anything, it depends on your goals.

If you want to look good nekkid, you could do a lot worse than 'athletic' training. By 'athletic' I mean running, jumping, riding a bike, carrying a sandbag, lifting, sprinting, square dancing, whatever. Varied general activity is a good thing. This is where the ideas behind Crossfit are appealing (ignoring for the time being specific flaws in the training)

If you want to win a national level bodybuilding contest, then you need to specifiy.

This is an old thread but I had to jump in here.

A few things:
I do believe that sprint work works very well for fat loss. And not because Ben Johnson was jacked. That was weight training and chemistry and genetics.
If you took two overweight men, and put one on a traditional fatloss "program" with high reps and long duration cardio. And you put the other on a 3 day a week weight training program (deads, squats, rows, millitary press, bench, 3x5ish, pick 2 or three each day, adjust sets and reps, and rotate) and had him run sprints 2 other days a week. Your goal would be to work up to 100yd gassers. 4-6 of them to be exact.
I think the second option would work better.

And really, does the routine, program, split really matter in matters of fat loss? As long as you aren't on a pure powerlifting program full of 5 min. rest periods. It really doesn't matter. It's diet. It's creating a deficit and trying to keep as much lbm as possible. You should be trying to build or maintain strength levels.
Matt, the program you have for loss in the articles section, would that be an example of one you use for your clients?

Functional training? I have a "buddy", that is fairly successful in regards to training clients. He uses the term functional training.....a lot.
His definition is something along the lines of 1 main heavy compound lift. Usually ramped to a heavy set of 5 or 3 or 1, depending on the month. One month is 3x5. Next month is 3x3. Next month is 3 heavy singles. He says strength and or fitness shouldnt be looked at as a short term thing. But planned out and directed over the course of an entire year. The real function comes into play with the asst. work. He believes if you train like a bodybuilder, in terms of straight sets across and more than 3-4 sets, the hypertrophy induced will be useless for performance. The muscle, while you compete in your event will blow up and you'll gas in a matter of minutes. To combat this, you ramp asst. work, usually to around 8 reps. Never above 10. Never slow grinding reps.

I don't know the science behind it. I don't know if he does. I don't know if there is any. But that's the basic gist.

(06-29-2010 01:51 AM)Norton Wrote: [ -> ]And really, does the routine, program, split really matter in matters of fat loss? As long as you aren't on a pure powerlifting program full of 5 min. rest periods. It really doesn't matter. It's diet. It's creating a deficit and trying to keep as much lbm as possible. You should be trying to build or maintain strength levels.

Pretty much this, yeah.

Quote:Matt, the program you have for loss in the articles section, would that be an example of one you use for your clients?

I very rarely use programs "as written" with anyone, but that would be a sample of a good starting point.

Quote:His definition is something along the lines of 1 main heavy compound lift. Usually ramped to a heavy set of 5 or 3 or 1, depending on the month. One month is 3x5. Next month is 3x3. Next month is 3 heavy singles. He says strength and or fitness shouldnt be looked at as a short term thing. But planned out and directed over the course of an entire year.

This sounds like a good way to look at it. Simple and to the point.