Sunday, May 3, 2009

This is functional?

In all the debate about functional training the key was that skills are specific. You must practice the precise moves that you are trying to improve.

In that I reckon that this workout is functional (apart from the thrusters). The guys are practising the skills they need - shooting, sprints in uniform, radio assembly. They are not expecting burpees to improve their target practice.

3 comments:

Dream said...

Hey Chris

This is Anthony from The Dream Lounge/hybrid machine videos.

Did you recieve my e-mail from my yahoo email account? (beachmuscles65@yahoo.com)

Ian C said...

Chris - I realise you probably don't mean it literally as it is only an exaggerated example - but while I don't think burpees would improve the skill of shooting at a target they will allow the soldier to pratice shooting at a target while fatigued.

Burpees are a conditioning tool that you can incorporate into a program of an athelete - or soldier - and then have them perform skilled movements while in extremes of fatigue.

Chris said...

Ian - thanks for your comment. I think you are right - practising your skill under close to realistic conditions is important. It is the same in combat or self defence. Unless you pressure test your skills you don't know what will work. Burpees or thrusters or sprints - will give you the exhaustion that is needed to test the skill in realistic conditions.