23 Jul Functional trainers help make every day tasks easier

As the years go by, it can become harder and harder to keep good muscle tone. Beginning at age 40, people lose an average of eight percent of their muscle mass per decade.
Just performing regular cardio exercise isn’t enough to keep good muscle tone.
However, if people of virtually all ages perform regular strength training exercises they can improve muscle tone and even strengthen bones.
A Functional Trainer is an excellent way to get good strength training workouts.
What I like most about functional trainers is that they train your muscles to improve quality of life. Functional training exercises work your muscles in movements that make it easier and safer to perform everyday activities, such as carrying groceries, doing yard work or playing a game of catch with your kids.
Functional Trainers have increasingly gained popularity as they are often less expensive than Home Gyms and take up less space. Functional Trainers have weight stacks on their base, too, but the main difference is in the cable systems that come with different shaped handles. They provide more options for working out and because the cable does not have to follow a fixed plane more sports specific routines can be implemented.
For instance, a golfer can hold the cable handle and simulate his or her swing. A baseball or softball player can grip the cable handle and mimic a throwing motion. There are hundreds of different movement possibilities for a Functional Trainer.
Or other movements can simply strengthen muscles for household tasks such as raking leaves or carrying laundry.
You can even incorporate an exercise ball into your workout, sitting on it and pulling the cable handle toward you at a variety of angles.
Torque and Inspire Fitness are two of the top brands for functional trainers.

The Torque Fitness F1 Functional Trainer

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com