Cathe -- Fuctional Fitness Tips?

[LovingLife]

Hi Cathe -- I've been hearing so much about Functional Fitness these past few weeks with the new Tracie Long Production videos being released and was wondering if you are teaching this at your studio. From my Google searches, I've learned that it is basically multi-dimensional exercise that involves balance training and the core, so I know that since you are incorporating so much of the stability ball into your workouts, that you are seeing the value of that too.

I'm thinking of starting a rotation that includes stability ball work of some sort daily, drawing from Super Sets and Push/Pull and the ball work from the Pyramids and Kick Punch & Crunch. What would you recommend as complimentary cardio that would continue with this functional fitness focus? Your step cardio includes so many turns and twists -- would that go along? I'd like to include kickboxing too -- would that fit in with this plan? Are there any ways of modifying what I have in your workouts to make them fit this focus? Perhaps the Body Blast series is already set up as Functional Fitness and I just don't know it? Any tips or recommendations or information you can give would be wonderful!

 

[Jane P]

I'm not Cathe, but I took a look at the Tracie Long workouts. I'd say they're a fusion of Pilates, ballwork, and sports conditioning. If you do Cathe's ball work, some Pilates and conditioning workouts such as the IMAXs or MIC, you've pretty much got it covered.

 

[lorrayne]

Hi,

What is the URL to Tracie's videos? I did a quick earch and ended up at eBay....

Thank you,
Lorrayne

 

[SNM Videos]

Hi Renee! It's me Cathe, I just quickly hopped on Step N Motion's computer right now and didn't sign in. Yes, you are right, adding the stability ball to your workouts (or any balance training tool) definitely shifts the focus more in the direction of functional training. As for cardio, cross training will be good for functional training. Also, if you have a BOSU and do some easier step workouts on it(such as the beginner tape we just filmed), you will incorporate more functional training. Workouts with speed, power, and agility drills are also good cross trainers for functional training(ie: Imaxes, Kickbox, MIC, the cardio blasts on our new High Step will also icorporate these principles). Have fun with your new training approach