Functional training is a popular fitness phrase that can mean different things to different people. Coach Mike Boyle describes functional training as training for a purpose, but in reality, functional training simply refers to an exercise program that is designed to help you move and perform better as opposed to simply looking better. The traditional approach to physical therapy is for a therapist to work on the joint or body part that is not working or in pain. Gary Gray is a physical therapist who needed a way to help his patients without having to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on equipment; since he couldn't afford expensive muscle-isolation machines, Gary focused on helping his clients by treating the entire body as opposed to just a particular body-part or joint as a result, the concept of functional training was born (this was the 1980s, btw). Gary Gray has evolved his approach of working with the entire body and created the Gray Institute to teach physical therapists, personal trainers and strength coaches how to help their patients and athletes move more effectively. This episode, originally recorded in 2017, discusses how your body is designed to function and identifies ways that you could be exercising more effectively. SPONSORS BUTCHERBOX: Sign up today at butcherbox.com/aafitness and use code AAFITNESS to get one 10-14 lb Turkey FREE in your first box. GNARLY NUTRITION: Visit goGnarly.com and enter promo code AAFITNESS to get 15% off your entire purchase today To learn more about Gary Gray or the Gray Institute, see: https://grayinstitute.com/ Learn how to design your own workouts; order a copy of Smarter Workouts: the Science of Exercise Made Simple https://amzn.to/3dBVfg4 Learn how exercise can slow the aging process and allow you to add YEARS to your life with Ageless Intensity: High Intensity Workouts to Slow the Aging Process https://amzn.to/3eYieSC Functional Core Training e-book This e-book explains how the muscles of your core work as a single unit and identifies the most effective exercises for making them stronger. https://amzn.to/3VL3EOp Dynamic Anatomy This e-book explains the difference between muscle and fascia, describes how different muscles function together to produce movement and identifies the most effective exercises for popular muscles like the hamstrings, shoulders and, of course, the glutes.  https://amzn.to/3XUZK7s Exercise for the Fountain of Youth This e-book explains the role that exercise plays in reversing many of the effects of the aging process and provides a simple, easy-to-follow workout program that can help you to use exercise to extend your lifespan. The prequel to Ageless Intensity. https://amzn.to/3gVRcg9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices