On this page, we will go over a 3-Month Beginner's approach to a proper functional training workout that goes over 4 phases:
Phase 1: Mobility Warm-Up
Phase 2: Compound Lifting
Phase 3: Circuit Training
Phase 4: Mobility Cool Down
PHASE 1: MOBILITY WARM-UP
Properly warming up before your workout session is crucial to your performance and staying away from any possible injuries. Our goal here is to improve joint lubrication, further elasticity in muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Your goal is not to exhaust yourself, but to warm-up and get loose. Be mindful about the weight selection.
Directions: Choose 3-4 exercises per workout
Foam Rolling | Conduct each exercise for 20-30 seconds. IT Band Roll, Quadricep Roll, Hamstring Roll, Adductor Roll, Gluteus Maximus (Glute) Roll. |
Banded Squat Hold | 2-3 sets of a 5 second slow descend and a 5 second slow ascend. Conduct for 5 repetitions. Use a light resistance band. |
BW Bridge | 2-3 sets of holding the bridge in the top position for 10 seconds and back down in 2 seconds. Conduct for 10 repetitions. Really squeeze your glutes (butt) in the top position. |
Side Plank Clam Shell w/Band | 2-3 sets with a light resistance band above your knee's. Perform a 5 second hold in the up (open) position, and 1 second down (closed) position. Conduct 5 repetitions. |
Quadruped Lateral Hip Banded Joint Stretch | 5 sets of a 20-30 second static hold on each leg, one at a time. Use a medium strength resistance band. |
Marching Resisted Band | 2-3 sets of a 25 meter high knee march with a light resistance band. You can also march in the same spot you are at, conduct 2-3 sets of 30 repetitions, alternating each rep. |
Hip Flexor Isometric March | 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions on each leg utilizing a light resistance band while laying on your back. |
Adductor Squeeze with Medicine Ball | 3-5 sets of 30 second holds, rest for 10 seconds. Conduct 10 repetitions. Make sure you squeeze the ball that's no heavier than 10 pounds. |
Rocking Pigeon Stretch on Box | Utilize a 24 inch box or a bench. Perform 2-3 sets, slowly rocking front and back for 30 seconds on each leg. |
Laying Down Shoulder Press | 3-5 sets of slow and controlled 10 repetitions. Lay on your back with your knees up and feet flat on the floor. Glide the back of your hands touching the floor the entire time, with a small arch in your lower back. |
PHASE 2: COMPOUND LIFTING
(I highly recommend you track your workouts in a notebook or on an excel spreadsheet on your phone so you know how much weight you need to perform to elicit progressive overload)
If you can perform MORE than 5 repetitions in a given set, increase the exercise by 5 pounds. If you can NOT perform 3 repetitions, drop the weight down until you can perform 3+ repetitions. If you can only perform in between 3 to 5 repetitions, stick to that SAME weight until you can progress MORE than 5 repetitions. This is called progressive overload, where you are stimulating your muscles enough, that your strength increases. In order to build progressive strength, you must get stronger by progressing the weight. It is that simple.
Directions: Perform 3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions of 1 compound exercise each day- do not perform exercises back to back on separate days.
Day 1 (Monday): Barbell Deadlift | 3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions. Take the next day off before you do your Day 2. |
DAY 2 (Wednesday): Barbell Bench Press | 3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions. Take the next day off before you do your Day 3. |
Day 3 (Friday) Barbell Low Bar Squat | 3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions. Take the next day off before you do your Day 3. |
PHASE 3: CIRCUIT TRAINING
Circuit training involves rotating through a series of exercises, one after the other until all exercises are complete, and rest for the prescribed amount of time, and then repeat the prescribed amount of rounds. Circuit training combines cardio and strength training, to elicit muscular endurance, strength and muscle growth, cardiorespiratory lung capacity, and is highly versatile. In this Beginner's Program, we will stick to 3 rounds of circuits, with light weight, with 3 minutes of rest in between each circuit. Outlined in the chart below are the weights I want you to utilize, but you can aways go heavier or lighter as long as you hit the prescribed repetitions without any rest. As with the exercises, these are utilized more so for Beginners, but even the seasoned athlete can utilize them. In a more advanced program, you would see more bilateral exercises to really engage the core. In each category, in order, choose an exercise you desire for the day, and that will be your circuit training. In this Beginners Program, in order for you to reap the benefits, you must go as fast as possible, and then take the 3 minute break in between each circuit to recoup.
Directions: Choose 1 exercise in each column for todays workout. Conduct 3 total rounds, with 3 minutes of rest in between each round. Go as fast as you can go without any rest in between each exercise.
FULL BODY | LOWER BODY | CONDITIONING | UPPER BODY | CORE (BW) |
M/B Slam (20ibs) (20r) | Dumbbell Step Up (15/15ibs) (50 count) | Prowler Push (45-90Ibs) | Chin-up or Pull-up (BW) (10r) | Plank (30sec) |
Power Clean (75-95ibs) (15r) | Side Lunges (10-15ibs) (30 count) | Sled Drag (45-135ibs) | Dumbbell Floor Press (25/25ibs) (15r) | Reverse Plank (30sec) |
Jumping Lunges (BW) (50 count) | Single Leg Romanian Deadlift Each leg (10-20ibs) (15r) | Mountain Climber (BW) (50 count) | Hand over Hand Rope Sled Pull (45-90Ibs) (30 count) | Back Extension (15r) |
Sandbag or M/B Over The Shoulder Toss (20-40ibs) (30 count) | Glute Bridges with Stability Ball or Bosu Ball (BW) (20r) | Bear Crawl (BW) (60 count) | Push Press (45-65ibs) | Roman Chair Leg Raises (10r) |
Dumbbell Snatch Each Arm (15-20ibs) (20r) | Jump Squat (BW) (30r) | Burpee (BW) (15r) | Dip (BW-15ibs) (10r) | |
Power Snatch (65-85ibs) (15r) | Dumbbell Step Down Each Leg (BW-15/15ibs) (15r) | Ice Skaters (BW) (30 count) | Pushup (BW) (20r) | |
Box Jump (BW) (15r) | Battle Ropes Double Arm (20r) | Dumbbell Row (15/15-25/25ibs) (20r) | ||
Battle Rope Alternating Arms (30 count) | ||||
r= repetitions count= 1 rep left, 2nd rep right, and back and forth
BW= bodyweight only ibs= pounds
PHASE 4: MOBILITY COOL DOWN
Incorporating a cooldown mobility drill into your post-workout routine is a simple yet effective way to support your body's recovery process, improve flexibility, and reduce the risk of injury, while also promoting relaxation and joint health.
Directions: Choose no less than 5 of the mobillity and stretching exercises from the chart below. Stretch no less than 30 seconds on each exercise.
Cat Cow | Prayer Stretch | Quadricep Foam Roll | Upper Back Foam Roll |
Pigeon Pose on Box | Single Leg Scorpion | Gluteus Maximus Foam Roll | Calf Foam Roll |
Downward Dog Pose | IT Band Foam Roll | Hip Foam Roll | Butterfly Stretch Bounce Knees |
Lunging Quad Stretch | Hamstring Foam Roll | Lower Back Foam Roll | Lunging Groin Stretch |
CONCLUSION
This concludes the Beginner's Functional Fitness workout program. As you can see, we properly warmed up to loosen our muscles, tendons, and ligaments. We conducted our raw strength compound lifts for overall relative strength training. We completed a circuit to complete our aerobic and anaerobic threshold to burn off fat, build strength, endurance, and build our lungs up. To wrap it all up, we ended the workout session with a mobility and stretching drill to relax our muscles, improve flexibility, and promote relaxation and joint health. Follow through with this workout and I guarantee you will be more agile, coordinated, athletic, and conquering your daily life tasks and much more.
I will be creating programs for sale by January 2025, and can work with you one on one with developing a program detailed to your goals.
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