Functional Fitness is a way of evaluating—and improving—how your body performs doing five essential movements: squat, lunge, push, pull, and rotate. All of these movements require muscle groups to work together, and could reveal which of your muscle groups need strengthening.

How can you determine your functional fitness level? Ask your trainer to administer a Functional Fitness Test at your gym. By knowing which of your muscle groups are stronger or weaker than others, you can find ways to focus on them during your workout. A total-body Functional Fitness training technique is particularly beneficial for people recovering from injuries, older athletes, or people whose muscle groups are out of balance.