I have met many trainers and coaches in my field, but none with the knowledge and skills that Ozzy Kirdar possesses. – Cem Eren
Origins
Functional training has its origins in rehabilitation. Physical and Occupational therapists often use this approach to retrain patients with movement disorders. Interventions are designed to incorporate task and context specific practice in areas meaningful to each patient, with an overall goal of functional independence. For example, exercises that mimic what patients did at home or work may be included in treatment in order to help them return to their lives or jobs after an injury or surgery. Thus if a patient’s job required repeatedly heavy lifting, rehabilitation would be targeted towards heavy lifting, if the patient were a parent of young children, it would be targeted towards moderate lifting and endurance, and if the patient were a marathon runner, training would be targeted towards re-building endurance. However, treatments are designed after careful consideration of the patient’s condition, what he or she would like to achieve, and ensuring goals of treatment are realistic and achievable.
Functional training attempts to adapt or develop exercises which allow individuals to perform the activities of daily life more easily and without injuries.
In the context of body building, functional training involves mainly weight bearing activities targeted at core muscles of the abdomen and lower back. Most fitness facilities have a variety of weight training machines which target and isolate specific muscles. As a result the movements do not necessarily bear any relationship to the movements people make in their regular activities or sports.
In rehabilitation, training does not necessarily have to involve weight bearing activities, but can target any task or a combination of tasks that a patient is having difficulty with. Balance (ability) training, for example, is often incorporated into a patient’s treatment plan if it has been impaired after injury or disease.
Components of a functional exercise program
To be effective, a functional exercise program should include a number of different elements which can be adapted to an individual’s needs or goals:
Based on functional tasks directed toward everyday life activities.- Individualized – a training program should be tailored to each individual. Any program must be specific to the goals of an individual, focusing on meaningful tasks. It must also be specific to the individual state of health, including presence or history of injury. An assessment should be performed to help guide exercise selection and training load.
- Integrated – It should include a variety of exercises that work on flexibility, core, balance, strength and power, focusing on multiple movement planes.
- Progressive – Progressive training steadily increases the difficulty of the task.
- Periodized – mainly by training with distributed practice and varying the tasks.
- Repeated frequently.
- Use of real life object manipulation.
- Performed in context-specific environments.
- Feedback should be incorporated following performance (self-feedback of success is used as well as trainer/therapist feedback).
From my first consultations with Ozzy Kirdar I found that he possessed the experience and skills required to help me in my recovery but there was something more that went beyond a resume. I came to understand that Ozzy truly cares about all his clients and does more than just go through the motions. He gives 100% plus every session and makes certain that I understand and am doing my part outside the gym. After working with Ozzy for five months I can say without reservation that I could not be happier with any other trainer. I have made incredible progress in all areas and have no doubt that I would not have come this far without his support and guidance. As I often tell him I am very fortunate to be working with him because on most days he wants me to achieve my goals even more than I want to achieve them myself.
