5 Best Functional Exercises for Beginners

Functional exercises do not help build the biggest muscles or lose the most fat. Instead, these workouts are about building a base level of functional strength and mobility that will let you do other exercises with ease.

That means that most of the time, you will not be lifting heavy weights or doing hard cardio. However, you will build muscle tone and will be able to start doing other exercises with good form.

Functional Exercises to Try Out if You Are A Beginner

Check out these five best functional exercises for beginners.

1) Medicine Ball Squat with Overhead Lift

Even though you use your arms to lift your kids and groceries, your legs and back also play an important role in the movement. This is one of the most effective functional exercises to make your legs, buttocks, lower back, arms, and shoulders stronger.

How to do medicine ball squat with overhead lift:

• Stand with your feet very far apart and both hands on a light medicine ball. Move your backside back and keep your knees over your ankles as you squat down.
• Keep your head up and your back straight (do not hunch). Lower the medicine ball to the floor.
• Once you are back where you started, lift the medicine ball over your head. Do the squat again and put the ball on the ground.

Do three sets of 10 reps each. As you get stronger, add more weight to the ball.

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2) 90/90 Transition

The 90/90 transition is among the most beneficial functional exercises that improve the mobility of your legs, ankles, and hips, while also warming up your oblique abdominals. It does not tire you out and is best used as part of a warm-up. The 90/90 Transition is great for people who have trouble turning their hips.

How to do 90/90 transition:

• Sit on the floor on your bottom with your legs bent in front of you, heels on the floor and toes in the air.
• Put your hands on the ground just behind your waist to help you stay up.
• Turn your hips and feet to the right so that the right sides of both feet touch the floor and your whole lower body twists to the right.
• Turn the other way and put the left sides of your feet on the ground.

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3) Prisoner Get Up

Prisoner Get Up is one of the simplest lower-body functional exercises that helps you get down on the floor and get back up without using your arms. This exercise works the quadriceps, glutes, and spinal erectors.

How to do the prisoner get up:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands behind your head. Kneel down on your left knee.
• Kneel on your right knee, too. Do this on both knees.
• Get off your left knee so that you are only on your right knee. Get back up and off your right knee.

During this whole exercise, keep your hands behind your head and torso straight.

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4) Lunge with Back Row

This is one of the potent functional exercises that improves your posture by making your back, shoulders, and arms stronger. It also tones and strengthens your legs and make your hips more flexible as well.

How to do lunge with back row:

• Holding an 8-pound weight in each hand, step your right foot forward and your left foot back. Keep both heels on the floor and your feet pointing straight ahead.
• Bring your right knee over your right ankle by bending it. Your starting position is when your chest is close to your thigh and your arms are perpendicular to the floor.
• Your back should be flat, so don't hunch. Straighten your right leg, pull your elbows back, and squeeze your shoulder blades together while keeping your torso slightly tilted forward.
• Go back to the beginning and repeat ten to fifteen times on each leg. As you get stronger, add more weight to the dumbbells.

You can also do this exercise with a resistance band that is looped under the front foot.

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5) Torso twist with Medicine Ball

Having strong oblique muscles is the best way to avoid hurting your lower back. This is one of the best functional exercises that makes all of your core muscles stronger and helps them work together better. It will also help you get in shape and tighten your waist.

How to do the torso twist with a medicine ball:

• Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. With both hands, hold a medicine ball on your chest.
• Lean your torso away from your thighs, making the angle at your hips steeper, and pull your belly button in towards your spine.
• Keeping the angle of your hips, turn your torso to the right and move your right elbow back toward the floor.
• Turn to the left and move back to the centre. Do this ten to fifteen times on each side.
• As you get stronger, you can make your arms straighter or use a heavier medicine ball to do the rotations. Keep your belly button pulled in at all times.

Takeaway

Include these five functional exercises in your workout routine to improve your mobility and functionality. Be consistent and safe.