#345 – What’s Up With “Functional Training?”

Today, we’re excited to welcome back to the show Ryan Otterson. Ryan grew up in St. George, Utah, and graduated from Snow Canyon High School, which by the way is where my kids graduated from.  Ryan is currently an Exercise Physiologist at Intermountain’s LiVe Well Center and was recently made the Clinical Supervisor over the team there.  He graduated with a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science from Utah Valley University and more recently earned a Master’s degree in Sports Performance and Conditioning from Southern Utah University. He gives a definitive definition of what “functional training” is, and why it might not be all that it’s cracked up to be.

Kyle and Lil also chat about bowling at the Huntsman World Senior Games.

Transcript

Kyle Case  0:03  
Hello and welcome to the hustler World Senior Games active life. My name is Kyle case I'll be your host on this amazing journey as we attempt to help you get the most out of your life. Joining me in our studio today is my co pilot lobera A Mr Kay, how are you, I'm doing good. So for the past several weeks, I've been talking about some of our 35, different sports kind of highlighting each one was, I wanted to do that again today. But today I wanted to talk a little bit about bowling. Oh really. You're a bowler. Well,

Lil Barron  0:42  
I have a ball and I throw it down a lane. So I know that you bowl and one of our locally, and it's fun. It is fun bowlings a fun sport. Three games that's yeah I didn't know that.

Kyle Case  0:59  
I did know that, but I don't play three games. But to me, I don't know why it is but there's just something incredibly satisfying about rolling a big heavy ball down a smooth runway and just knocking things Oh, I know right. It's fun, right, but also say there's something very frustrating about missing everything completely. Which I'll get all 10 of them and then I'll get none of them for the next four times but anyway let's have fun together. Perfect. Let's each other right to the bottom of a couple of things about bowling according to our good friends at Wikipedia. This is interesting. The earliest known forms of bowling date back to ancient Egypt. Did you know that

Lil Barron  1:51  
no

Kyle Case  1:51  
yes yeah I didn't either. That's what Wikipedia says, I know they would never Australia but they've actually found wall drawings depicting bowling, that were found in a royal Egyptian tomb that data to 5200 BC 5200 BC so seven 7000 years old is the sport. In addition to the drawings on the wall. They also found a miniature pins and balls in an Egyptian child's grave that also dated to about 5200 BC so they were playing, way back then. It's, which is fascinating to me like that's a that's a, that's an old sport. Anyway, a perfect game in bowling, as you know is one where you knock down every single pan in a 10 frame game, and the score is three. Hundreds are now totally put just ever had one, but three hundreds of perfect score. According to bolt, calm, which is the official site of the United States bowling counters. Andrew Newar of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania has the most perfect game spanning his entire career. Guess how many he's had he's knocked down, how many games he's had, I have no idea. Just to guess 50 to 200 Oh my god. Oh my goodness 152 Perfect games. Wow, it's amazing that is amazing, and it's more amazing that I picked 50 252 That's that's incredible that isn't for the women, the most perfect games is Shannon, Pulaski of Dayton, Ohio, and she has rolled 66, which was an incredible feat. Yeah. So it's amazing that the games added bowling to its list of sports in 1988 So a second year that we had the game started in 1987 80, we hadn't bowling. We've been going really strong ever since it's a, it's really kind of a special thing for all the perfect game in bowling. It doesn't happen all the time. It actually has happened multiple times. In fact, one of our local news Rick Lesko, he lives right here in St George Utah has done it twice on the same teams, right, but he's done it twice and there are other examples of both perfect means so for the past several years, we have watched bowling grow here at the Games. In fact, it's one of the sports that reaches its participation count, the fastest, and you know we open registration on March 1 of every year. And within just a few weeks we tend to fill a bowling so we're limited by the number of lanes that we have available, the number of hours in the day, the way the math works. This year unfortunately we had to cut our numbers in about half, due to some significant uncertainty, right, let's say that one of our building houses the building itself is for sale, and not knowing if we're going to be able to use those lanes, we have had to proceed with only one house one of the two that we normally have. So we'll be using Dixie bolt right downtown in St George for all of our bowling this year and we're going to keep our eyes on how things develop in the future with another location, or if there is a new would come in on line which is round the rumors as well. So there you go a little bit about bowling. Yeah. Did you know it's almost 7000 years old, I didn't. That's, that's, to me that's really cool, and it's cool. Are you gonna go over games this year I know, I was not one of the lucky ones to get in, you know anybody that could oppose some screen. I was given never do. My first Periscope today who were a great handicap they would love me there to see I feel like we could vote together. Today we're excited to welcome back to the show, Ryan. Ryan grew up right here in St George Utah and graduated from snow Canyon High School, which incidentally just inside of the support but that's where my kids graduated from high school so I have so much connection to the Warriors over there snow Canyon mine did not Nixie right. That's okay. Ryan is currently an exercise physiologist at Intermountain Medical Center and has recently made the clinical supervisor of the team over there. He graduated with a bachelor's in exercise science from Utah Valley University, and more recently earned a master's degree in sports performance and conditioning from Southern Utah University, Ryan is married has two little girls and the new baby on the way. Nice. So when's the due date. 

Ryan Otterson  6:44  
We're thinking February 11 At the moment, 

Kyle Case  6:47  
you got a few months to get ready congratulations that's exciting if. So we got to ask, do you bowl, Ryan is that yes, no, I'm terrible. I thought you were talking and I thought, Man, I need to find like a coach or something. You know I don't ask me. I think I broke 100 Maybe once or twice, maybe I'm so bad. I love to do the bumper bolt. Let me in the lane I know that they don't let you but yeah like like I couldn't roll it down the middle, once in a while, but just as often I could pull it right into the side, have you seen them how they roll a ball and it curves, yes. Yeah, that'd be awesome. No clue how to do that. Well, so bullying aside I think we've all confirmed that that's not our expertise. Maybe it's a fun game to play in a fun sport to do but not our expertise today Ryan we're gonna talk a little bit about this buzzword this phrase that you hear out there, functional training. Yeah. So, let's jump into that, what, what do we mean when we say functional training. 

Ryan Otterson  8:00  
Well that's, that's the thing I don't, I don't think anyone really does know what they mean when they say functional training. Most people when they hear the term, I mean even yourselves if you hear the term, what, what kind of things come to mind, what kind of exercises anything in particular.

Kyle Case  8:15  
So it's funny you asked because I do have an impression of in my mind of what I think is functional training and it's usually like kind of specific somewhat controlled movements. Yeah, I kind of, uh, I kind of follow Wrestling, and there was a wrestler who has made the Olympic team who's going to represent the United States. His name's Kyle Dave. He is so into this concept of functional training and I've watched his workouts and the different things that he does, and it looks fascinating. I, I definitely don't feel coordinated to do some of the things that I have watched him do, but I don't know is that is that what is that what you consider functional training is a specialized thing that, you know, some athletes are doing.

Ryan Otterson  9:05  
I liked that you brought up the example of Kyle bacon, not to take anything away from an amazing athlete to them I wrestled in high school so I know just how much it takes to get to that level, at least you know, miles beyond anything I could have ever done. I disagree with the way she's training. As far as functional training goes I think what what pops into people's minds is the use of highly specific tools, very different from the standard type exercises, maybe, you know the body building type exercises you would see a typical gym, and the movements are usually very complex you can vary combined movements you know we're trying to sometimes mimic somehow the sporting movement in order to get better at a very particular thing. And the idea is that you're increasing the functionality of exercise it's applying more to either your daily life, or in the case of sports performance to the actual movement of the sport that you're doing, so that's that's I think the concept of functional training, 

Kyle Case  10:10  
which makes sense for as a concept, right. But you're saying that maybe that's not always the best way to go, at least right.

Ryan Otterson  10:18  
So the thing about sports training. You've heard the term specificity of training. That's, that's so important when you're talking about getting better at a sport so let's take Boeing, for instance, since we already mentioned it, you know there's a certain pose you can a certain technique you use when you're bowling. And the functional training crowd might say okay, let's, let's stop doing, you know squats and in deadlifts and all these exercises that get you stronger. Let's do an exercise where I'm just making up one but maybe you have some sort of elastic cord attached to your hand and you step onto a Bosu as you try and mimic the bowling swing, you know, with the idea of your, you're increasing your stability increasing the force of your swinging arm in the motion of a bowling swing but the problem with that is you're, it's not actually specific, so the only thing that's specific to what you're doing is the thing that you're doing, and you can't get better at a bowling swing by trying to mimic the bowling swing with a dumbbell or elastic cord. They've done studies on this I wish I should have brought the research with me but you know, weighted sprinting, is an example of trying to be more functional, with a sprint, but if the load is over 10% of your body weight, the mechanics change so greatly, that it's not even resembling anything you do in a sprint. Same with a weighted baseball swing. Yeah, the idea would be a swinging heavy bat and you'd get a stronger swing Well, same thing happens that, that bat gets any more than two pounds, and now your mechanics are different, the forces acting are different, the speed of the movement is different. Everything is different. And so, what my potential and functional training is that it's not actually very functional, you're doing something, but you're not improving the qualities of strength training that you're trying to improve so they'll combine all the things you're combining your balance with your flexibility, along with your proprioception all these different things in one movement, and you end up being a jack of all trades, master of none so you're not improving any one of those things, you know, if you want to improve your strength which I think most weight training is built around, then you should do the basic movements to improve your muscle and joint integrity, and then you practice your sport. And lo and behold, that's the formula for most strength and conditioning programs that are successful, for instance at a professional level or collegiate level, you do basic movements in the gym get stronger with a good range of motion. And the next thing you know, your performance in your sport has improved.

Kyle Case  13:02  
That's interesting. It's a little counterintuitive Isn't it because the, the logic or the idea behind this functional training concept seems sound and when you say it seems like it makes sense, but you know you, you really, I think you nailed it, at least for me in that you're trying to enhance these movements by adding weight or difficulty or whatever it is, but then it just fundamentally changes what you're doing so you're no longer a thing that you're doing. Does that make any sense. Well it does make a lot of sense. Now that you say that. So, so when you say the basic movements, let's just, let's just review those for us when we talk about

Ryan Otterson  13:44  
The basic movements that I've always used and I think a lot of really good trainers reviews, would be broken down into about five or six fundamental movement patterns so the squat being one, a hip hinge type movement which you'd find in something like deadlift or a kettlebell swing, something like that. Then you move into the upper body so you'd have an upper body pushing exercise to exercise and an upper body pulling exercise, and those can be broken down into movement frames as well so it could be a vertical type push with shoulder press and bench press been examples of both of those respectively. And then same thing for the pulling movements of the body, you'd have vertical type pulling movement, and a horizontal type pulling movement. And then you can argue for, you know, some sort of rotational movement being the next one. So, any, any type of a diamond there's many planes that you kind of rotate and diagonally, horizontally, that type of thing but most people would agree that there's some sort of horizontal rotation component to most sporting activities.

Kyle Case  14:55  
So sometimes I see athletes in like in Gatorade commercials and things like that where you have a medicine ball, and you're really forth is that what you're talking about. Yeah, something like that. Interesting. So those are your basic functional movements and it sounds like what your, your recommendation is is that that is going to cover all of your range of motion that's going to increase your strength holistically. And then when you want to get better at your specific sport, whether that's a racquetball or, you know, softball, whatever it is that you practice, the sport itself. It's mind blowing. Right. it's so like concept harder. No, no, that makes a lot of sense. 

Ryan Otterson  15:42  
Yeah, I would say functional then becomes, whatever it is that's lacking in your performance, what exercise do you use to improve that aspect, email, it takes a trained eye coach a good coach to find out what it is and your technique that truly is lacking, whether that is simply range of motion or overall strength, or even strength of a specific muscle group, you know, then the functional training would be, what is it that improves that quality,

Kyle Case  16:13  
It's so it's so interesting even over the last, I would say maybe 2025 years it seems like, how much we have learned about the importance of strength training and resistance training within the world of sports, certainly, but within life in general as well but, but I remember as a young man, hearing, he like Tiger Woods was lifting weights as a goal. Yeah, and that was so revolutionary at the time, like no one was doing that that wasn't something that you did you, you went out and you golf that's how you got. and all of a sudden here's this young guy with these new ideas come along and he was doing strength training and different things like that and, and now I think it's fair to say that every professional golf, strength training, and you see that across the board, you know, basketball, basketball players never used to lift weights, 30 years ago they just didn't and now that the physique and the musculature on, you know NBA players and college and high school players and whatnot. And it really feels like we've kind of turned this corner of understanding how much better we can be with more strength right. Yeah, exactly. And again, it feels like these, these, just these basic movements that we're doing those are the things that's, that's your argument that, that those are the things that we need to do, you know right we increase the overall strength and then again, I'm not saying stop practicing your sport Oh, of course you got to practice your sport, but it is interesting. I want to talk a little bit now, we talked about the sport aspect of things about just resistance training and functional training within our lives like there as well. Right. 

Ryan Otterson  17:59  
Well, I think you can parallel the sporting concept to even just the day to day aspects so functional what is, what are motor movements people do day to day, you know, I mean, you sit down and stand up quite often you climb stairs you reach up to grab stuff and put stuff back, you know, in very simple things but each one of those movements have some bare basis in those, you know, six basic movements I mentioned, whether it's reaching out with a vertical or setting up from your chair using a squat pattern, picking something up from the ground using a hinge pattern I mean, the patterns are there and that's why those movements exist and why they've been used for so long. The basic seat, we can't get away from the foundation of how you move.

Kyle Case  18:50  
And I think that makes a ton of sense. I will say though, and this is something that I just I went into fairly regularly, people, and I don't know why but usually women. I don't know why that is. I know I don't, I don't have a negative way, but it's just that's where I usually get the questions, they're really hesitant to do resistance training. I mean, am I wrong, I'm not trying to be, 

Lil Barron  19:16  
Because we don't want to build and look like bodybuilders 

Ryan Otterson  19:19  
right I see I hear that all the time. Yeah, it's kind of annoying I tell some of the the women, when they, when they mentioned that I said well I'll give you 100 bucks if you end up looking much further than I do from one week of training, I mean, I just think people don't understand how much work it really takes to become that muscular and then the people you see in the movies and sports I mean, realistically, probably a large percentage of them do you use steroids and that's a different conversation. But I think we have a skewed very skewed opinion or idea of what what is actually achievable, and what are the actual changes that would happen to a natural person just doing basic strength training,

Kyle Case  20:06  
And what the outcome will be. Exactly. I have a son who is into bodybuilding, and he looks phenomenal and he's just like, what would you think of. That's what he looks like. And I can attest from having witnessed firsthand that that does not happen in a week. No, he has been out for this for years and years and years and years, and he still feels like he's got a long ways to go but. But yeah, that idea of all I know I don't want to do resistance training, cuz I don't want to look like that Well, you probably that doesn't, right, takes a lot of work, but But all that aside, if you can get past that concept and that idea. There are some real significant benefits to resistance training. Yes. So let's talk a little bit about some of the just the day to day, you know, obviously, balance and, yeah, sit down, but what are some what are some research that benefits from resistance training that we know can be 

Ryan Otterson  21:10  
yeah I mean, without going too far into the physiological details, you know, of all the cellular changes and hormonal changes that can occur as a response to the training practice for practical changes so all those movements we mentioned that you do day to day are now easier to do and balance. I think if we're talking about older adults, I think balance is the one that would be most greatly improved by this simple use of strength training, especially for the lower body. So I think a large part of why people fall and get injured is because they just aren't strong enough to catch their balance or to keep the balance in the first place. And then, you know, along with that, a very simple physiological benefit. Besides increased muscle strength has been the increased bone strength that occurs from strength training. And so now you've got a two fold protection against injury. As you get older, well three if you start counting the connective tissue as well, it's now more resistant to strains and poles, but your bonuses increased a few did befall less likely chance of any significant damage, but in the first place. Now that your muscles are stronger and much less likely chance of falling altogether.

Kyle Case  22:28  
And we could do a whole show on falling and fall prevention. Right. And so the really scary statistics that are out there because it's a serious issue that it is able to do something for me too. But the great advice for sure. You know, if there is that intimidation level or that misunderstanding. I don't want to end up looking like something that is not even realistic, right, just get into the skin into the gym get a trainer do it the right way, you don't want to get hurt. We don't want there to be injuries or anything like that. But, get in there and figure it out because the benefits definitely are there some resistance training, so. Well excellent Ryan that's a, it's crazy but that's all the time that we have to visit with you, it's amazing how fast the time went by, quick, but the great information. And again, really just focusing in on that. The, the functional idea of those basic movements that really allow us to function in life and the kind of life that we want to live so love it. We'll have to have you back sometime, yes. Yeah. Love it next time. Thank you. Kay lil Yeah, resistance training, 

Lil Barron  23:43  
yeah, yeah, I'm gonna pay him 100 bucks to make me look like. 

Kyle Case  23:47  
Yeah, for sure. I feel the same way. So just a couple of quick reminders to wrap us up here, I mentioned that registration is open, it is open SR games dotnet is where that can take place. Remember that you can save $20 By registering before August 1 which is just right around the corner, and then also remember that registration does close on September 1 which is also just right around September 1 Or is that August 31 September 1 Okay, yeah so so last day, September 1 is the last day of rotation so put that on your calendars, you can get all of that information schedules rules dates all the ability to register as sr games.net We have a bunch of other great content there as well. It's also worth mentioning that you can now register to be a volunteer at the games we need a ton of volunteers and we're so grateful for those that come out. Help us, but it takes about 3000 volunteers to put the games together, and we have opportunities in sports so sports are your thing, there's tons of ways to help out there as sports isn't your thing, there's a lot of other ways that you can still help us out. And, you know, have a great experience and make the games great for the athletes want to remind you to tune in live next and every Thursday at 5:30pm Mountain Time and 1450 or FM 93.1 For the husband World Senior Games active life. We take this live show and we turn it into a podcast and you can find those podcasts, anywhere that you find your favorite podcasts. You can also find this and previous shows writing again from our website sr games.net Check that out. Today's inspirational thoughts from the great poet, Walt Whitman, and she says, Keep your face always toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind. Until next Thursday, stay active.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai