Even though most women are spending the majority of our time at home, it’s still important to be physically active.

Functional fitness can be a good way to combat restlessness and keep your body moving during a shelter-in-place.

What is functional fitness? It refers to exercise that helps you with everyday activities, like:

getting up off the floor
carrying heavy object

putting something up on a shelf

By strengthening the muscles in the same way you would need to use them for certain tasks, it reduces your risk of injury and increases your quality of life.

You can go throughout your day without worrying about straining or pulling something.

Squat

Squatting is a similar movement to sitting in a chair, so it’s a must-include in any functional fitness routine.

Make sure you’re moving slow and controlled throughout the movement, and if you need more of a challenge, hold a light dumbbell in each hand.

Directions:

Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms down at your sides.

Bend your knees and start to squat down, pushing back into your hips, almost as if you’re about to sit in a chair. Raise your arms up in front of you as you go.

When your thighs are parallel to the ground, pause and push through your heels, extending your legs and returning to the starting position.

Complete 2 sets of 15 reps.

Functional fitness can help improve daily life by strengthening muscles to prepare them for everyday tasks and activities. Mostly using your body weight, this form of strength training is simple and safe for almost anyone.

If you have any injuries, you should consult a doctor before implementing this type of exercise.

Unlike other popular forms of strength training, such as CrossFit and bodybuilding, functional fitness is much more laidback, requiring less equipment and way less intensity.

The focus is on performance, not muscle size. The risk of injury is significantly lower, which makes it suitable for people of all ages and experience levels.