Seems the latest buzz coming out of the fitness industry are both core and functional training protocols.

 There is a subtle difference between the 2 in that functional training routines tend to work in a dynamic way with full ROM movements that activate multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

 Core training on the other hand tends to be less dynamic. much more isolating and almost static in nature (for the torso) using the musculature of the torso as an anchor for the limbs to produce power in movements.

  Don't confuse either of these with sports specific type strength training. This is when athletes are given exercises in the gym that mimic there sports movements. Teaching the body to do a specific movement underload and slower (which it would be if it is under load) can be counterproductive. Remember the aim in the gym is to simply increase overall, both static and dynamic strength, leave the actual sports movements being used in your sport alone and on the field. Strength training is general, Sports specific is not, its specific and uses different motor skills. More on this in a later article.

Functional

 Here is an example of a functional and not so functional exercise.

Lets look at 2 pulling movements, say a lat pulldown on the lat machine and a tug of war type movement, pulling a cable with resistance. Now the lat pulldown will use muscles from the arms and torso to pull the bar down towards the chest, however the legs are anchored to prevent you from lifting out of the seat. The load is being lifted by the entire arms and torso in unison. Seems like a pretty functional movement, however because the legs are braced, standing postural integrity is not compromised, in other words the stabilising muscles of the lower body are not activated.
Now lets look at a much more functional exercise, the tug of war type movement, a standing cable row.   With the cable pulley wheel about chest height  and away from you grab the D handle with one hand and pull it down while slightly rotating, like a rowing motion towards your side.   Now because the legs are not braced your going to need to summon a considerable amount of lower body muscle to stabilise your position and keep you from taking off.   This sort of movement could be used in football to drag another player over the side line or a UFC fighter pulling his opponent to the ground, all functional.

 The problem is your only as strong as your weakest link and in the latter's case the lower body is the weak link. However the pulldown eliminates this, which basically means you can lift a much heavier load. This is why bodybuilders are big and the functional training brigade are...well.... not!

 Its the same with doing a bench press. Because the back is braced against the bench you can push a hell a of a lot of weight away from your body in this position.Pushing something (standing cable press)or someone away from you, again something a footballer or fighter would experience in competition, because there is nothing to brace the back here less power can be produced in the pushing movement plane, simply because you can not get the necessary leverage, so its the weak links that needs to be strengthened not the prime mover. Something only the later exercise can do. 

Core

 Again we will look at 2 exercises.

First ab wheel roll outs.   Your in the kneeling position. With the spine kept straight through out the movement slowly roll the wheel forward by leaning on the wheel and moving the arms forwards and out in front. Notice the core muscles supporting the entire midsection are flexed hard in a static contraction to support the spine and give the arms and legs a supporting structure.   Performing any of the Olympic style lifts calls upon a great deal of core strength because the weight has to be lifted above the head and held there. This requires great core strength in a static contraction to allow the weight to be supported, therefore ab wheel roll outs would be a great supplement core strengthening exercise.
Next exercise we will look at is the ab crunch machine.   Sitting in the machine the upperbody is drawn towards the floor by flexing the abdominal muscles (usually grabbing a shoulder strap or bar to pull down) Total isolation of the abdominals, great for bodybuilding and that 6 pack, however only superficial core activation.   No stabilisers are recruited here, such as the Transverse Abdominals because the exercise is dynamic and seated (or in the case of bodyweight crunches,lying).   Adding an arm movement to the crunch such as a medicine ball throw when performing the crunch turns it into a superior, functional training exercise. It will not however challenge the core as a total like the ab wheel will.

Conclusion

•   Lifting heavy weights in basic compound movements, will build a strong core for without a strong supporting structure the limbs simply wont be able to hoist heavy iron,and without doing that you will never get big and strong!
•   Most functionaltraining protocols will do diddly squat for your overall strength and size in the gym, but it will improve athletic performance due to increasing the functional strength in dynamic movements. Remember this is done through increasing strength in the weak links, not the prime movers and as such does little in the way of size and outright strength.
•  Proper Core training will improve you ability to lift heavy weights, therefore increasing size and strength
•  Doing crunches makes you look good!
•  If you are more interested in bodybuilding, body shaping or lifting weights for aesthetic reasons, don't bother with functional training exercises as they will be less productive in building mass and shape that pure bodybuilding style training will produce.
•  If you are a athlete wanting to improve performance, functional training protocols should become a increasing part of your strength training routine. However never forget to use the basic compound movements to add total overall strength.
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• Like this article? sent feedback to colin@fitterfasterstronger.com.au  Got a training question? Putting together a FAQ soon. Email any you have and we'll put it in the FAQ article.