Is your training aligned with a purpose, every movement carefully chosen to drive you towards your goals? Or are you just going through the motions, hoping for improvement?

'Functional' has become a buzzword, yet its true meaning often gets lost. Functionality is specific to your pursuits. Sports-specific training is functional. Strength training is functional. Energy system-based conditioning is functional. I prefer the term 'Adaptive Training' to truly capture this essence.

Adaptive Training reflects my philosophy of being adaptable. It's about building a foundation that enhances your capacity to perform and adapt to different demands. This isn't about doing squats on a Bosu ball; it's about strategic, effective training.

The principles of Adaptive Training encompass foundational movement literacy, strength, conditioning, and sports-specific movements. It may sound intricate, but it's simple: build a strong base, enhance performance, and develop an athletic physique without disrupting your specialized training.

When creating an Adaptive Training program, each session follows a similar structure. The focus isn't on mimicking sport-specific training, but on training the systems involved in enhancing your chosen pursuits.

For example, a general program includes:

Dynamic warm-up for mobility, balance, and primal movements
Power movements for force and speed development
Strength exercises: body-weight, then controlled external weights
Energy system conditioning
Mobility work addressing restrictions

This structure cultivates athleticism in the general population and can be tailored for sport-specific goals.

The journey starts by improving Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Can you navigate daily tasks with ease? This foundation impacts your quality of life, especially for the elderly.

Assessing a program's effectiveness, we look for improved ADL performance first.

Often, athletes follow a generalized circuit, focusing on fatigue-inducing exercises (cough… burpees… cough). This approach is inefficient and detrimental to sports performance. Lazy programming turns sessions into endurance cardio.

An Adaptive Training protocol develops movement attributes to a greater extent, especially in athletes.

This style fosters resilience, quick force production, relative strength, and endurance. Its purpose is maximal adaptability and functionality.

Whether you're into bodybuilding, Crossfit, marathons, or community sports, begin with Adaptive Training. Build an athletic foundation before delving into complex plans. This approach enhances performance across the board.

What's functional for you? Share your thoughts below. Let's become strong for life together.

Catch the podcast expanding on these ideas and walking you through how to make a workout here or grab the Build Your Own Workout Guide.

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