Getting stronger with Functional Fitness

Last week, I talked about that moment about ten years ago when I realized I wanted to be stronger. I wanted to feel resilient and capable even as the birthdays added up.

The barrage of marketing campaigns tells us that "you get old, you deteriorate, so you must need to buy our (fill in the blank here with their product)."

Our culture believes in quick fixes, pills, and simple miracle solutions. Rarely do these solutions work. I know that being physically healthy and strong takes daily deposits of intentional movement. I have consistently committed to doing that since I was 15 and doing Jane Fonda's aerobic videos.

In my younger years, it was about calorie burning and my weight. As time passed, I learned it was also about my mental health and balancing my nervous system. I added yoga, and I have always lifted weights. So why was I not feeling strong with this consistent daily investment? 

I was so intimidated to walk into CrossFit MFP that first day. Me, CrossFIT? At my age? I think that was the hardest part, showing up.

That October day in 2018, I began the intentional journey of Functional Fitness under the guidance of a very experienced coach, Marco Dapkey. Marco is an athlete in every sense of the word, a true competitor, and a team player. He also navigated cancer as a 17-year-old and made his way through the shattered dreams of playing college football as he rehabilitated himself after his cancer treatments with CrossFit and other mind and body practices.

He understands the interconnection of body and mind and the slow, intentional progression of becoming strong with carefully designed progressive workouts. With CrossFit, there are many options to scale a movement to the level you are at right now and then build from there to see results. 

Fast forward to now. In October, I’ll celebrate what I just realized is five years under the guidance of Marco and the methodology of Functional Fitness. CrossFit is like no other form of physical fitness. And it's not a cult, just a group of people who get together to make working out fun and worth our time. That's what I was looking for, an efficient way to use my time to get strong. 

Marco summarizes Functional Fitness like this. 

"Ideally, Functional Fitness strives to bridge the gap between gym workouts and real-world movements. In other words, your real-life activities are enhanced and supported by what you do in the gym. Emphasizing functional movement patterns that mimic "natural" movements helps you develop coordination and balance that are useful in various situations (E.g., Sports to household chores)." 

So now I lift heavy suitcases into the overhead bin on a plane, shovel the snow on my driveway, and walk miles and miles in the cities I love to explore when I travel. 

If you're looking for a process to get physically strong, where you actually see progress for your time and effort investment, I encourage you to learn more about Functional Fitness. Here's a fantastic overview Marco presented last week.

No matter your age or abilities, even if you have a (fill in the blank here with a bum shoulder, creaky knees, or whatever), please know we all have something that does not work optimally, even Marco! And there is always a path for you to get stronger.