Longevity is a journey which begins with how you exercise in your 20s. However, continuing that exercise discipline through decades tends to be tougher. That’s why I usually insist that my clients work out together as a family. So every weekend, there is this family that exercises together. There is a grandmother who moves slowly but steadily. Her son finds the routine both challenging and restorative while her granddaughter adds playful bursts of speed.
They all flow through the same movements, each adapting them to their bodies, yet bound by the shared rhythm of breath and motion. This is what we call functional exercise.
What is functional fitness?
Functional exercises teach your body to work as a whole rather than developing specific parts. This enhances coordination, flexibility and multidirectional movement. It brings agility and confidence that surpasses many traditional training methods. What sets functional training apart is its inclusive nature: it compounds multiple activities, engaging every muscle group and joint while activating both hemispheres of the brain in synergy. It is about bending, lifting, twisting, pushing and pulling in a way that mirrors our everyday actions like picking up a child, reaching for something on a shelf, carrying groceries, or climbing a flight of stairs so that your muscles, joints, and nervous system remain fluid. This is where the body learns not only strength, but stability, mobility, balance, and coordination, all working together like a single organism rather than separate parts.
Unlike workouts that isolate one muscle at a time, functional fitness unites the body into one flowing energy system.
What do studies say?
A 2019 study found that functional training significantly improved strength and reduced fall risk in older adults, while a 2021 study revealed that multi-joint, functional movements enhance range of motion and overall flexibility, meaning the body not only moves better but feels better doing it.
Why is this routine multi-generational?
These movements can be adapted for every generation. A teenager can add speed or resistance, an adult can work at a steady, moderate intensity, and a senior can move gently with support. So three generations can practise together, each at their own pace, yet in the same shared flow. Start with:
1) Chair squats: This is a movement that trains your legs and hips to sit and stand with ease, protecting your knees while strengthening your foundation.
Story continues below this ad
2) Step-Ups: These teach the body to lift and balance, much like climbing stairs or stepping onto a bus, where the hips, core and legs engage in perfect synchrony.
3) Standing wood chop: Here the body twists gently but powerfully, mimicking the action of chopping a tree. This involves rotation when you reach, turn, or work with your hands, engaging your deep core muscles and keeping your spine healthy.
4) Wall push-ups: Here you mimic floor push-ups but do them standing, hands on the wall. Here the arms, shoulders and chest work without strain while the core holds steady.
5) Walk with weights: Feel the grip strength, the shoulders stabilising and core locking in place, just as it does when you carry shopping bags or lift a sleeping child.
Story continues below this ad
From eight to 80, staying fit is easy when you work out with the family.
(Dr Mehta is holistic health expert)