The Best Equipment for Functional Fitness Routines

One of the best parts of functional fitness is that you don’t need a lot of equipment! Many of the exercises, such as squats and pushups, you can do without anything extra. Sometimes, however, you want to vary your routine a little bit. If you’re looking to incorporate some new equipment, the following pieces will be a great place to start. 
Medicine Balls
Medicine balls come in a great variety of weights and sizes, so there are plenty of options to choose from depending on your specific goals. For example, you can use medicine balls for reaction drills. You can also use them in activities such as lunges or curls to take those seemingly simple exercises to the next level. 
Platforms or Risers
Steps are inexpensive, which is one of their many benefits. Through the height difference, they provide your exercises with increased intensity. Stepping up and onto something will work different muscles than just walking or jumping up and down. Vary up your routines so you aren’t just stepping on and off the same way. Try to mix things up by stepping up from the back and then moving sideways to step off. 
Kettlebells
Kettlebells are making a comeback. Kettlebells are great for functional fitness. After all, they allow you to work your entire body as a unit, instead of just separating it into parts to focus on building muscles in specific areas. This boosts your functional strength and flexibility, as well as increases your cardiovascular fitness and calorie expenditure. You can use kettlebells in so many different routines to see some great results! 
Flooring
Flooring probably isn’t the first thing you think of when you consider functional fitness equipment, but it’s actually very important! Your flooring will decide the safety and hygiene of your workout space. Many functional fitness activities, such as push-ups and planks, require you to get on the floor. Look for flooring that is easy to clean. You should also try and find flooring that offers an antislip surface. Ideally, the surface should be made of durable, temperature-proof material. This way the surface won’t expand or warp as the space’s temperature fluctuates. 
One of the joys of functional fitness is that it doesn’t require a lot of equipment! However, you can still benefit by implementing equipment into your workout. This will help provide your mind and body with more variety as you strive to meet your fitness goals.

This article was originally published on SharonGould.org. 
Location: Northbrook, IL 60062, USA

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