Function First, Performance Second
I need to preface this article.
Preface
If you are training to be THE BEST – to compete professionally and triumph on the world stage – then this article might not be for you.
To be THE BEST in athletic achievements means having the will to sacrifice the important stuff.
But if you’re like me, you’re an EVERYDAY ATHLETE. You need performances in your life, but it doesn’t define or influence your actual living. Your success in your performances has no effect on your wellbeing.
And if your performance doesn’t affect your wellbeing, then maybe we should consider how we prioritize our goals and aspirations. Maybe we shouldn’t focus solely on those performance opportunities, but on our everyday lives.
So, if you want to be THE BEST, stay that path. Maybe pick this article up once you’re done hunting an Olympic gold.
If you’re an EVERDAY ATHLETE, then let me convince you why Verkoshansky’s idea of function first, performance second should be a new mantra for you.
Now, the Article
Hello EVERYDAY ATHLETES.
Remember a second ago when I mentioned we should rethink our goals? Is it weird to think your goals might not be performance-based – improving lifts or running times – or even aesthetic-based – reducing body fat or toning arms? I can understand that because I used to think that way too.
In the past, my lifestyle (training and eating) was essentially used to improve my performances, either in the gym or on the field. My goals trended towards adding muscle mass, increasing my strength in the squat, deadlift, and bench, or improving my race pace.
And then I realized something. Working solely towards those goals put significant stress on my body. A stress that led to constant achiness and stiffness. Every time I picked up running in the summer, I felt a little clumsier and clunkier. When I find moments of play, like learning to handstand, rolling around with the pups, or even casual games of tennis and golf, I noticed that stress in my joints and tissues.
That’s when I started to see the light of Verkoshansky’s “function first, performance second” for the everyday athlete. Maybe it takes some aging to get there, but I think the realization that performance isn’t everything is freeing, even if it is a little scary.
I began to thinking, maybe, for most of us, performance doesn’t need to be the most important thing we choose to plan our lifestyle around. When we prioritize performance, we need to accept the consequences of that choice – because there are consequences to a routine of high-stress training and disciplined eating.
As an EVERYDAY ATHLETE, however, I had to make an important distinction. What am I truly training for? My life didn’t revolve around the success of my performances, like professional athletes’ lives do, and my successes in performance, while satisfying to me, may not play a significant role in my life.
You know what makes a significant difference? Being functional. Living day-to-day without noticing a pinch in your neck or feeling your scapula sitting uncomfortably on your ribs.
Function keeps our regular lives enjoyable. Function completes everyday activities pain-free. Function is the 95% we use in our lives and rely on day after day. And function is what will keep you returning to your training routine.
Performance? That’s maybe your 5%. Performance is a treat to ourselves in special moments to show off – to ourselves and others. Performance is where we, as EVERYDAY ATHLETES, boost our egos, which is great to motivate yourself. But, performance like won’t relieve the tension you hold that has you cracking your neck every 5 minutes.
A functional body creates a world that’s pain-free and easily navigable. You move through your existence with ease. And THAT is an important consideration when you’re planning your athletic lifestyle. Instead of always thinking about “what am I capable of doing”, maybe we focus on “what should I be able to do”.
Because your body is supposed to be able to exist and move pain-free. Don’t replace that freedom to prioritize performance goals that don’t offer similar benefits. Don’t give up your relationship with friends and family to maintain an athletic regimen that might cut your body fat by 5%.
Unless you decide to accept and tolerate those consequences, nothing in your performance plan will be sustainable. For us, the EVERYDAY ATHLETE, to remain committed in our pursuits, we should be living easily through functionality, and then tolerating some of those moment of performance.
So, let’s think about maximizing our functionality. Then, when function prepares our body to perform our daily physical needs, function can be a foundation for performance. We can use our functionality to pursue our performance goals. We can excel in our 95% while supporting our 5%.
The How-To’s
How are you supposed to start implementing a functional approach to your lifestyle?
Time – You need to make time to focus on it.
That means giving up time performing and prioritizing specific movements in your workouts. Don’t just slam weights 24/7 in the gym; instead, make time to recapture ROM in your movements. That can be difficult to do sometimes (I know I feel like I’m slowing my progress); BUT, remember what we get out of these opportunities. We’re putting aside a little time so we feel and move the right way during our 95%.
Goals – Prioritize functionality within your plan.
How do we plan for function? MAKE A GOAL! That’s how we track progress for performance, so why not with functionality?
Think about what issues you’re experiencing – any aches, pains, pinches, daily annoyances, or movement restrictions – and target them. Learn to rotate your hips, alter your scapula positions, and free up the ROM of you hamstrings to expand your movement prowess. Each of these issues was likely a result of your performance-focused training, so take some time to recorrect them.
Take Home
I understand that many of us don’t want to give up precious time to feel stronger or faster; but, if we can start challenging ourselves to some variability then I think we’d enjoy our existence just a little more than if we just ground-and-pound an extra set of heavy weights.
Let’s work on movement IQ so you don’t feel clumsy; let’s feel a full range of motion expand as we alter joint angles, body positions, and muscle lengths; let’s train to improve our resiliency in life instead of only when you’re under a bar.
Remember, we aren’t exercising or eating just for that one PR in a squat. Prioritize your everyday life. TRAIN FOR LIFE! Train function so the challenges in life become easy, then reach for your performance demands.