Functional training--the buzzword du jour in the club industry--is generating a great deal of interest, and excitement, in the nation’s health and fitness facilities. The concept, which, in simplest terms, can be defined as “training for everyday life,” has been in existence for ages, and has played a key role in physical therapy clinics and sports conditioning centers for decades. It wasn’t until approximately two years ago, however, that it started to catch on, and flourish, in clubs.
“As soon as our FT equipment arrived, people began falling in love with it,” enthuses Art Argenio, the owner of the newly opened 12,000-square-foot Fitness Connection in Stuart, Florida (see “Getting Functional in Clubs,” next page). “Looking at functional training from an operator’s perspective, the programming possibilities seem nearly endless.”

Not surprisingly, the demand for club-based FT is being driven, in no small part, by the aging baby boomer population. “Boomers are always pressed for time, and they’re also looking for variety,” points out Julie King, the public relations director for Life Fitness, based in Franklin Park, Illinois, which recently introduced the Dual Adjustable Pulley System, another FT option. “Most of all, they want what they’re doing inside the gym to somehow pay off, be reflected, in the activities they’re participating in outside the club.” Those activities can range from the sophisticated and strenuous (e.g., playing golf, water skiing) to the simple, but essential (e.g., climbing a flight of stairs, lifting a carton onto a countertop). “As people grow older,” King points out, “they’re increasingly concerned about retaining the functionality that’s critical to quality of life.”

“FT focuses on the kinetic chain--the complex interaction of muscles, movement, balance, etc., that’s involved in normal physical action--rather than on a specific body segment,” explains Sean Carr, the marketing manager for Cybex. “It’s based on exercising with a purpose, with real-life applications as the ultimate goal.”

Roy Simonson, the co-founder of Ground Zero Design, had the epiphany that led him to create a FT machine during a “challenging and somewhat humbling workout” he took part in while learning how to snowboard. “I realized, then,” he recalls, “that there had to be a more effective way to train for life’s various activities and experiences.”

Today, thanks, in large part, to the efforts of such companies as Cybex, Ground Zero, and Life Fitness, as well as VersaClimber, Vortex, and Fitness Products International (FPI), FT is, in fact, reshaping the way that clubs view their business, and that fitness instructors and club members think about strength training. Among the equipment that’s driving the new trend is that manufactured by:

Cybex International, Inc.
The Cybex FT 360 Functional Trainer features arms that adjust in two planes of motion--i.e., 180 degrees in rotation, and 45 degrees in reach--and is designed to accommodate any type of movement that can be accomplished in “real life.” This advanced training device offers a starting resistance of five pounds, and incorporates a unique cabling mechanism that permits both unilateral and bilateral exercises. Its low-momentum weight stack allows the machine to be used for a wide range of club programs--e.g., personal training, rehabilitation, sport-specific, etc. The dimensions of the FT 360 Functional Trainer range from 87" H x 54" L x 54" W (stored) to 90" H x 54" L x 113" W (maximum). Retail price: $3,995.

Fitness Products
International/Icarian
Fitness Equipment
Introduced this past May, the Icarian Functional Training Unit, from Fitness Products International, is among the most recent entries in the FT product category. Facilitating dozens of upper- and lower-body exercises, the unit is able to work every major muscle group in the body, and features twin weight stacks--strategically oriented for maximum efficiency--that are set in motion via two adjustable high/low pulleys. This durable and innovative strength training machine allows the user to define the path of motion, and boasts a compact design (90" H x 97" L x 58" W) that minimizes floor space requirements. Retail price: $2,925.

Ground Zero Design
Recently acquired by ICON, Ground Zero Design is the manufacturer of the Free Motion circuit, which made its debut in October of 1999. The circuit presently consists of a series of 15 machines that, collectively, provide a highly effective, total-body workout; several additional pieces will be unveiled in 2002, according to Roy Simonson, the CEO of Ground Zero. Each of the Free Motion units relies on an innovative, cable-based system that’s designed to accommodate a wide range of individuals, including the deconditioned, seniors, rehab patients, and elite athletes, as well as the “average” health club member. Named a top-10 fitness trend by Outside magazine, the Free Motion line is currently being used in over 1,000 facilities. The company has also devised a special group-exercise program for use with the equipment. Retail price: $2,550-$4,850 per unit.

Life Fitness
Life Fitness’ Dual Adjustable Pulley System incorporates two 190-pound weight stacks, and affords an endless number of functional training possibilities. Similar in appearance to a cable crossover machine, but requiring only one-half the space, this versatile piece features two pulleys that adjust vertically in four-inch increments, from 8"-84". The Dual Adjustable Pulley System is equipped with a patent-pending mechanism that enables users to change the resistance ratio from 1:2 to 1:4 with the simple flip of a lever. The machine’s low-inertia weight stacks are designed to accommodate a wide variety of high-speed movements--a vital component in many sport-specific training programs. Retail price: $3,399.

VersaClimber
(Heart Rate, Inc.)
Employing what some experts refer to as the “big three” of FT--variable speed, variable force, and variable range of motion--the new VersaPulley from VersaClimber features the company’s patented MV2 resistance technology, which is based on the principles of rotary inertia. This newly released training tool produces a plyometric effect during both the concentric and eccentric phases of muscular contraction--without making use of weight stacks, plates, hydraulics, rubber bands, electrical devices, etc. The VersaPulley generates a resistance range of 4 lbs.-400 lbs., and allows users to vary their speed and range of motion without having to adjust the machine. Retail price: $3,900.

Vortex Fitness Equipment
The Vortex Advanced Functional Strength Training line includes, among other units, the Total Body System I-Freedom and the Total Body System II-Pro Trainer. Both of these machines feature the company’s trademark Vortex Curve technology, which enables users to perform an infinite number of exercises in “three-dimensional space,” from either a standing, seated, or prone position. The units’ easily accessible, Grab-and-Go handles help to maximize workout efficiency by allowing individuals to move instantaneously from one exercise to another. The System II-Pro Trainer offers bilateral movement capabilities, and is one of the only ADA-compliant, fully wheelchair accessible strength systems currently on the market. The System I-Freedom is a smaller, unilateral version of the Pro-Trainer. Retail price: $4,998 (Freedom), $9,998 (Pro Trainer).

Stephen Wallenfels is a contributing editor for CBI and can be contacted at tccc@owt.com.