Jan 2019

–continued from page 27
(Top and bottom): Function
and Fitness clients; (above
right) Functional Fitness
client with Tom Strafaci;
(below right) Brandon
Flowers and Rick Caputo
Finally armed with our workout regimen, Coach Jess leads us in a
warm-up before beginning a 45-minute routine specifically crafted
to target common movements and muscle groups that assist us
in our daily lives. It’s sweaty, exhausting, challenging and,
yes, I’ll admit it, fun.
The motto “Train Movements, Not Muscles” is displayed
on the wall, a subtle reminder that this place — like a growing
number of fitness facilities — embraces a functional fitness training
concept that doesn’t promise you six-pack abs or deeply chiseled
biceps. Your reward is being able to easily master a flight of steps, effortlessly
squat down to pick up a dropped iPhone and comfortably place
your carry-on luggage in the overhead bin.
Indeed, functional fitness has hit the mainstream. Self magazine calls it
one of the “Ten Biggest Fitness Trends of 2018,” but many coaches, devotees
and others in the fitness industry say this workout method has been around for
years — there’s just a new light shining on it.
Maybe the heightened attention comes from aging Baby Boomers who want to
stay in shape but don’t strive to be super hard-core athletes. According to the Mayo
Clinic, “This type of training, properly applied, can make everyday activities easier,
reduce your risk of injury and improve your quality of life…. [It can help] older adults
improve balance, agility and muscle strength, and reduce the risk of falls.”
According to Christine Clark, owner of Function and Fitness, there are six main functional
movements that are usually incorporated into her facility’s workouts: squats, lunges, rotations,
hip hinging, pushing and pressing. “What we do is teach basic patterns of movements because
every day we push, every day we pull, every day we lunge, hinge and squat. Our hope is that you take
the stuff you learn here and apply it outside — at work, at home, the store, wherever — so you can
stay healthy and safe.” Clark explains that the idea is to prevent the type of injuries most people suffer,
usually from doing something as mundane as putting groceries in the car. “People typically throw out their
backs because they haven’t strengthened those rotational movements,” she adds.
Today, all of Clark’s exercise classes are led by coaches who supervise the carefully programmed weekly
small and large group sessions that build upon the prior week.
Clark started her fitness career as an instructor at a big-box gym and then met clients in rental spaces until she
opened up this workout facility in 2014. At fitness conferences, she sees new expensive equipment for sale and crazy
workout techniques. “But you won’t see any of them the next year because they didn’t catch on. You know what works?
Good old-fashioned dumbbells, kettlebells and resistance training.”
Indeed, the power of functional training is vital as we age, contends Tom Strafaci, owner of Functional Fitness, which
has locations in Monrovia and Arcadia. Most of Strafaci’s clients are older — and many come to the facility “fearful of
movement,” he says. “Often simple things, like climbing stairways, getting into a car or using the toilet can be difficult for
older people,” he says. Strafaci and his coaching staff train one-on-one for a more personalized exercise session. They know their
clients’ backstories; many have diabetes or knee replacements or a history of heart attacks and strokes.
“Sometimes a good workout that day doesn’t mean sweating like crazy,” he says of his individualized approach. “Maybe it’s a
series of eye drills to help with balance because that function is way off that day. We meet clients where they are at that moment.
Our goal is to train clients so they can maintain their independence.”
With more than 34 years in the world of fitness (including a previous career as a physical therapist), Strafaci has seen many fads
come and go, but he’s excited about one of the industry’s newest trends. “It’s not a piece of equipment,” he explains. “It’s better-
28 | ARROYO | 01.19