One of the first and most frequent questions we get asked at Functional Patterns is: “Is this only for athletes or MMA fighters?” And the answer is absolutely not. Functional Patterns is designed for any person, no matter what their athletic ability. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at how Functional Patterns can help individuals at multiple fitness levels.

Level One: Fitness Beginner

If you’ve led a mostly sedentary lifestyle, sit at a desk or in a car for most of your working day, and are out of shape or overweight – or both – then you fit into this category. Just like any other starting point, all that matters is that you’ve taken the step to improve your fitness level now.

One of the reasons that Functional Patterns is great for those at this level is because we focus on perfecting posture and relieving pain with myofascial manipulation before we ever get into more involved movements. It’s important to develop a solid foundation upon which you can build the right squat, or lunge. Where other fitness programs would start you off with these motions right away, with Functional Patterns, you’ll begin with a focus on correcting issues that could cause you pain or injury first.

Another great reason fitness beginners should start with Functional Patterns is that our system is based on the anatomical science of how the body truly works. Some fitness programs focus on performing hundreds of one movements in order to build an aesthetically pleasing feature; we’re focused on healing your body and progressing to a naturally healthy musculature.

Level Two: Rookie Athlete, or Regular Gym Goer

At this level, you’ve progressed beyond beginner on your own. You’re probably not terribly overweight or out of shape. You can hold your own in the gym, and you likely play pick up games for fun. Perhaps you’re just starting your pro athletic career, and are training to progress to the level of serious athlete.

If you are in this level, Functional Patterns can offer you the solution to many issues you’ve probably noticed throughout your training. If lunges still hurt your knees, or if you can’t seem to perfect your squat posture, it’s likely that you have some subconsciously learned behaviors simply from the way we live our lives these days, and the way that some fitness programs teach people to workout.

The first thing we’ll do at Functional Patterns is get rid of those bad habits, and help you perfect your posture once and for all. It’s very likely that you’ll see a nice decompression in your spine and torso, and you may find that many of your aches and pains vanish after a few sessions.

Level Three: Serious Athlete, or Fitness Fanatic

Finally, there are people who are die-hard fitness fanatics. At this level, you are either a professional athlete, a personal trainer, or someone who spends most of their spare time working out for a better body. The Functional Patterns system has been used to train many professional athletes, MMA fighters, and people who are serious about their fitness. Through our system, people at this level have learned how to go beyond the typical two-dimensional workout and maximize their ability to perform on all planes. They’ve increased their speed, their agility, and their power, so that they can more easily respond to the dynamics of their sport or their lives.

No matter what level you may be on now, Functional Patterns can help you reach your fitness goals, and likely progress far beyond what you hoped was possible.