Functional Fitness

at 50
and Older
Presented by
Maureen Hagan
BScPT, BA PE
ACE, Can-Fit-Pro Certified

Your speaker today

Maureen Hagan
Physiotherapist
IDEA International
Program Director of
the Year1998
Vice PresidentOperations, GoodLife
Fitness Clubs, Canada
Director of EducationCan-Fit-Pro

Session Objectives
Learn how to build a functionally strong body for
the golden years of living:
1. Evaluate the unique benefits associated with functional
fitness exercise,
2. Review training principals specific to developing
functional neuro-muscular fitness that will enhance
physical performance, quality of independent living and
help minimize risk for falling.
3. Discuss specific exercises and learn how to develop and
implement a one-on-one or small group functional fitness
program incorporating a variety of equipment options.

Benefits Associated with

Functional Exercise:
General benefits are many and include
(but not limited to):
Increases bone density and strength,
Enhances mobility,
Increases stamina,
Enhances quality of sleep,
Reduces joint stiffness and pain,
Increases lean muscle mass,
Enhances metabolism; body
composition,
Decreases risk for aging related injuries
and diseases
Increases opportunities to meet and
socialize with people and function
independently.

Specific benefits associated with

functional exercise include (but
limited to):
Improves posture and muscular balance,
Improves body control and
coordination,
Improves ability to move more
effectively and efficiently,
Help prevent risk of overuse injury and
falls,
Improves Activities of Daily Living
(ADLs),
Reduces fear of falling commonly
associated with declining visual,
vestibular and somatosensory systems,
Increases confidence and quality of life.

Functional Fitnessa Balancing Act

Strength and Stability
Strength (Resistance) training increases:
1. Lean (skeletal) muscle mass and physical capacity;
metabolism, body composition, aerobic capacity, bone
density etc.
2. Muscular strength and endurance,
3. Mobility; coordination, proprioception, skill execution .

Functional Fitnessa Balancing Act

Strength and Stability
Stability training increases:
1. Balance: static and dynamic.
2. Strength of core/postural muscles,
3. Spinal alignment and integrity,
*Strength training alone has only a moderate effect of
improving balance. The ability to maintain balance
involves a complex set of process that require successful
integration of multiple components including the
sensory system (visual, vestibular and somatosensory)
which are not typically influenced by strength training.

Why
Train Strength & Balance in Tandem?
Static Balance: ability to control posture/position over its base of
support while standing stationary.
Dynamic Balance: ability to react to changes in balance and to
anticipate changes as the body moves including maintaining balance
while walking and stepping.
Visual system: provides information about a persons position and
movement through the environment.
Vestibular system: located in the inner ears provides information
about head movement and body position in space.
Somatosensory system: monitors the bodys position and contact with
other objects (including the floor) using muscle receptors that detect
limb and body movement and skin receptors that relay information
about touch and vibration.
*Based on the input from these three systems, the brain sends signals
to muscles that make the necessary corrections to maintain
balance; if impaired, the bodys ability to maintain balance
diminishes and the risk and fear of falling increases.

Functional Fitness is training the

body to perform as a whole,
integrated
unit

Develop adequate strength, stabilization and flexibility in

key postural muscle groups,
Stabilize the core (spine, pelvis and shoulder girdle),
Maintain posture and awareness of alignment in a variety
of static positions, as well as during dynamic movement,
Achieve optimal static and dynamic balance,
Enhance a persons ability to perform ADLs, as well as
maintain or improve health, create/maintain independence,
avoid falling/injuries and motivate clients to perform at
their best

Functional Fitness Formula

Independence in
performing ADLs,

Strength-endurance
balance,
stability, power

ROM (mobility &

flexibility

Foundation- postural
alignment, gait,
mind-body

Functional Fitness Formula for

ALL Ages:

Level 1: Isolate & Educate: Focus on muscle isolation training participants to

selectively contract individual muscle groups; increasing awareness and confidence
and basic levels of muscle function, adequate strength and flexibility.
Level 2: Add External Resistance: with lever length, weights, resistance tubing or
bands introducing minimal amounts of stabilization and core alignment introduced.
Level 3: Add Functional Training Positions: Progress from lying (prone and
supine) to sitting or standing positions so that base of support is reduced and the
stabilizer challenge is increased as stabilizers.
Level 4: Combine Increased Function with Resistance: from gravity, external
weights, or bands and tubes is maximized and overload is increased on the core
stabilizer muscles in functional positions.
Level 5: Multiple Muscle Groups in Increased Resistance and Core Challenge:
integrated total body movement with external resistance and dynamic positions.
Level 6: Add Balance, Increased Functional Challenge, Speed and Rotational
Movements:

Functional Fitness Program

Progression
Progression One:
Low resistance exercises using gravity, light resistance ie tubing,
Externally stabilized, performed from a seated or supine position,
Performed with a slow and controlled cadence,
May or may not involved joint movement.
Progression Two:
Low to moderate resistance using machines or dumbbells,
May or may not involve external stabilization,
Involves either single or multi-joint movement,
Performed at a moderate assimilated to life/functional need,
Involves a great deal of balance.
Progression Three:
Multiple joint movement,
Involves internal stability factors,
Higher level movement exercises,
Performed a variable speeds,
Mostly free weight exercises.

Research indicates that our

individual cells have a life
expectancy of about 120 years.
After about the age of 30 every
person has the ability to alter
their life expectancy by as much
as 50 years by participating in
regular physical activity.

OVERVIEW OF PRIORITIES
GOALS

STRENGTHEN BUILD
ENDURANCE

IMPROVE
FLEXIBILITY

UPPER

Scapular muscles
Serratus Anterior
Trapezius- middle
and lower fibers

Trapezius- middle
and lower fibers

TORSO/
CORE

Transverse
Abdominus
Internal/External
Obliques
Thoracic Extensors

same

LOWER

Hip Extensors
(gluteals,
hamstrings)
Quadriceps- *vastus
medialis

Hip Extensors
Hip Rotators
Quadriceps (vastus
medialis)

Trapezius- upper
fibers
Levator Scapulae
Pectorals
Shoulder- internal
rotators
Rectus Abdominusupper fibers
Lumbar Extensors
Quadratus
Lumborum
Hamstrings-at hip
Rectus Femoris-at
hip
Iliopsoas
Rectus Femoris
Quadriceps at kneevastus lateralis
ITB

Sample Program
Functional 50 Fitness

Weight bearing/Closed Kinetic Chain activities:

LOWER BODY:
March forwards and backwards (with reciprocal arms); changing direction while walking, step
ups, step downs, heel raises/toe raises
Squats (from sitting to standing)- with tubing/bands looped under feet (pull up as you stand)
lunges wall squats and lunges (with stability ball) integrate upper body ie-squat while
lifting ball overhead, lift from squat and rotate side-side, walking lunges
Single Leg Standing exercises for integrated balance and integrated upper body conditioning
ie- standing con/ecc bicep curls, OH presses, mod rotator cuff, dia wood chop
Hip Hinge ie- seated row, standing deadlift/row
Side stepping progress to traveling moves and sequences ie low impact fitness
UPPER BODY:
Alt arm & leg lifts ie- standing, seated, on hands & knees, prone or side lying.
Bridge Plank Side stand Down Dog
Modified push-ups (Sloppy Push-Ups) for scapular stabilization and spinal extension Up
Dog
CORE:
Alt arm & leg lift on hands and knees, prone, supine (Deadbug)
Abdominal cycle
Abdominal rollover
V-sit
*Sample 6 week progressive group program available recommended resources & references

Functional Fitness Exercises

Functional Fitness Exercises

Equipment Options

Chair Bench
Body Resistance- at the wall, on the floor (supine, side-lying, prone)
Stability Ball*, small inflated balls
Resistance Tubing/Bands- variety of colors (intensity levels),
Dumbbells,
Med/Plyo balls
BOSU Trainer
Towels, scarves
Wobble boards, foam rollers, Fit Disc
ProGliders (new) or paperplates

Have you considered the magic of water fitness?

Functional Fitness
Makes Good Sense
Health care costs in the USA rank #1 according to
the World Health Organization.
According to the American Medical Association (July
2000) it costs the US about $5,000 per person per
year to manage health and only 5% of all monies
spent by the US health care system is spent on
prevention.
The healthier we are as people, or as a nation, the
more financial resources we will generate to use for
another purpose. That makes good sense!

AGE is no barrier
Educate:
Importance and relationship to everyday life activities (ADLs),
Benefits that relate to maintaining independent living,
Proper exercise attire and footwear,
Ways to reduce safety hazards in the home or other environments that may results in
falls or other injuries,
Alternative functional fitness experiences: Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Water Fitness etc.
Motivate:
Group or partner training
Short term programs/term memberships
Music
Props: chair/counter/cane/wall for support, scarves, paper plates, balloon, string, beach
ball etc
Communicate:
Ways to conduct training at home or away; independently
Options for accommodating all levels of ability
Sensitive to marketing and advertising methods (testimonial, newspaper,
advertisements, internet)

Recommended Resources
Hagan, Maureen, FIT-iology- the Study of Fitness In
Action, Volumes I & II, Volumes Publishing
Rose, Debra J., Fall Proof- A Comprehensive Balance
and Mobility Training Program , Human Kinetics 2003
Van Norman, Kay A., Exercise Programming for Older
Adults, Human Kinetics Publisher, 1998
The Canadian Association of Fitness Professionals Older
Adult Fitness Specialist Certification Manual, Canada
2003
ACE Exercise for Older Adults Guide for Fitness
Professionals
The Journal on Active AgingInternational Council on
Active Aging (ICAA)

Recommended References &

Resources
Bortz, Walter II, MD, Prevention: A Solution to Combat
Rising Health Care Costs, ACSMs Health & Fitness
Journal, Nov/Dec 2003. Vol 7, No 6
Hagan, Maureen, WOW- Women On Weights- Teach a
Progressive Strength Class IDEA Fitness Edge, June 2003
Hagan, Maureen, FIT-iologythe study of fitness in
action, Volumes I & II
Lang, Annette, Functional Movement Screening, Reebok
University
Lynch, Daniel, MS Preparing for a New Order ACSMs
Health & Fitness Journal, Sept/Oct 2003, Vol 7, No 5

Your Speaker

IDEA International Program Director of

the Year1998
IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year
FINALIST 2006
Vice President- Operations, GoodLife
Fitness Clubs, Canada
Director of Education-Can-Fit-Pro
(Canadian Fitness Professionals)
Licensed Physiotherapist
adidas sponsored athlete
Author of FIT-iology-the study of fitness
in action,
Volumes I & II
Professional Speaker with Canadian
Association of Professional Speakers

Mo can be reached at www.mohagan.com

Email: mo@goodlifefitness.com