Functional Strength Training | Brazen Fitness
Lifting a bag. Climbing stairs. Playing with your kids. These shouldn’t leave you sore or out of breath. But when the body lacks strength and control, even the basics feel hard. That’s where functional strength training steps in. It builds the kind of power you actually need. Strength that supports real-life movement.
At Brazen Fitness, we train your body to move better, not just look better. Push, pull, lift, twist - every movement has a purpose. This is training built for life.
Whether you're getting started or building on what you’ve got, this approach helps you move with confidence, and live with strength.
Key Benefits of Functional Strength Training
The right kind of training does more than build muscle. It changes how your body feels, moves, and performs — every day. Here’s how functional strength training helps:
Better Posture
Poor posture leads to tight shoulders, a stiff neck, and low energy. Functional exercises improve alignment by working the muscles that keep your body upright and balanced.
Strength for Everyday Tasks
You won’t just lift more in the gym, you’ll lift better outside of it. Carrying bags, picking up kids, or moving furniture becomes easier with movement-based training.
Increased Muscle Mass
This method builds lean muscle mass across your entire body. Instead of bulking in one area, functional training spreads the work across multiple muscle groups.
Clearer Focus and Fewer Aches
Movement that makes sense helps both the body and the mind. Simple routines can ease joint stress and create space for better mental focus.
Healthier Joints and Stronger Bones
Unlike some forms of traditional strength training, this style uses full-body motion to strengthen joints and protect against injury.
At Brazen Fitness, we guide you through every step, helping you move better, feel stronger, and live with more control.
What is Functional Strength Training?
Functional strength training focuses on movements you use in daily life. It’s not about sitting on a machine or isolating a single muscle. It’s about teaching your body to move as one strong, stable unit.
This type of training uses exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once rather than isolating to target specific muscle groups.
Think of squats, lunges, or loaded carries.
These aren’t just gym moves, they mirror how you sit, step, lift, or carry things in real life. Functional training is different from traditional strength training, which often targets one area at a time. A bicep curl might build your arm, but it doesn’t teach your body how to lift a box off the floor. That’s where functional strength makes a real difference. It builds control. It builds awareness. It helps your joints, muscles, and core move together with purpose.
Strength training becomes more than a workout. It becomes preparation for everything your day throws at you.
Functional vs. Traditional Strength Training
| Feature | Functional Training | Traditional Training |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Multiple joints, everyday movement patterns | Specific muscles, isolated movements |
| Exercises | Squats, lunges, push-ups, dynamic movements | Leg press, bicep curls, weight machines |
| Equipment | Free weights, resistance bands, bodyweight | Weight machines, heavy weights |
| Goals | Functional performance, muscle endurance, daily life strength | Muscle mass, muscle hypertrophy, aesthetic development |
There’s a clear difference between how your body trains for life and how it trains for looks.
Here’s how functional strength training stands apart from traditional strength training:
Focus
Functional training uses movements that involve many joints at once. These are patterns your body follows in daily life.
Traditional strength training targets one muscle at a time with isolated movements.
Exercises
Squats, push-ups, lunges, and other dynamic drills are common in functional training.
Traditional routines often include leg presses, curls, and other single-muscle exercises.
Equipment
You’ll find functional strength training equipment includes free weights, bands, and bodyweight tools.
In traditional training, most of the work happens on machines or with heavy weights.
Goals
The aim of functional strength training is better movement, more control, and strength that helps you in real life. The goal of traditional strength training is usually more muscle mass and visible changes in size or shape.
Both methods have value. You can gain muscle mass through machines. But functional strength training focuses on usable power, strength that works when you need it most.
Functional Training Techniques and Equipment
Functional strength training brings in a wide range of tools. Each one plays a role in building strength, control, and balance.
Bodyweight exercises like squats, planks, and push-ups help improve movement and stability. These drills teach your body how to move as a single, strong system.
Free weights allow you to press, pull, and carry in natural ways. They help with better form and full-body coordination.
Resistance bands provide steady tension. They support the joints and target both large areas and specific muscle groups. They’re easy to adjust and great for all levels.
Kettlebells are used for swings, lifts, and carries. These movements push your heart rate and build explosive power.
Balance tools bring focus into the training. They challenge your stability and improve your reaction during real-life motion.
With this approach, you're not just chasing muscle growth. You're building control, skill, and better physical performance through smart resistance exercises and purposeful functional movements.
Who Can Benefit from Functional Strength Training?
There’s a myth that this kind of training is only for athletes. That’s far from true.
Functional strength training is built for everyone.
Beginners often feel unsure where to start. Compound exercises like squats and step-ups offer a strong base. They build confidence, improve control, and help you move with ease in everyday life.
Busy professionals sit for long hours. Tension builds up. Movement becomes stiff. This style of training helps release that tension. It brings strength back into your daily routine, lifting, bending, standing tall.
Athletes need more than size. They need speed, balance, and control. Functional strength training works the body as one system. That’s where the difference between functional and traditional strength training stands out.
Older adults benefit from better movement, not just bigger muscles. Training this way supports balance and mobility. It helps reduce the risk of falling. It also supports bone health, which matters more with age.
Traditional strength exercises and isolation exercises focus on targeting specific muscle groups. But building strength for life needs more than that. At Brazen Fitness, we build workouts that serve the body, and the life that comes with it.
How Functional Training Works
Real-Life Movement Patterns
Your body was made to move, not just in a straight line, but in every direction. Functional training builds strength through real-life movement. You bend, twist, reach, and rotate all at once. Compound movements work multiple muscle groups at the same time. That’s the difference between functional training and routines that focus only on body weight or machines.
Planes of Motion
You move through three planes every day. The frontal plane handles side steps — like getting out of a car. The sagittal plane helps you move forward and backward, like walking or standing up. The transverse plane lets you rotate, like twisting to grab something off a shelf. Training in all three planes prepares your body for anything life throws at it.
Control, Balance, and Power
This style of resistance training targets more than large muscles. It builds up stabilizers — the smaller muscles that protect your joints. It also improves neuromuscular coordination. Your brain and body start working better together. You’ll see gains in muscle development, stronger joints, and better movement. It also supports bone density and total-body control.
Smarter Training, Real Results
You don’t need to choose between muscle growth and mobility. With functional strength training you get both. You move better. You feel stronger. Skip the stiffness of traditional strength training. Choose movement that supports your whole body.
Ready to train smarter? Contact Brazen Fitness today and we’ll help you get started.
Personalized Support from Expert Coaches
At Brazen Fitness, we offer personal training where no 2 plans are the same. Your journey starts with a personal trainer who listens, observes, and builds from where you are right now. We look at how your body moves. We check for tight spots, weak areas, and patterns that need change. This helps reduce risk and improve results. Every workout routine is built with purpose. We focus on control, movement, and progress—not just reps or weight. We train full muscle groups, not just parts through isolation exercises.
You’ll get support, feedback, and smart goals along the way. This isn’t a solo ride.
If you’ve tried traditional strength training and want more, it’s time to choose functional training. Let’s build strength that supports your life and boosts cardiovascular health too.
Getting Started with Brazen Fitness
It’s simple to begin. Start with a free consult and talk about your goals. We’ll build a plan that fits your life. And then your journey begins, with guidance, support, and care. No pressure. No judgment. Just a space where you can grow stronger every day.
Contact us today and Book your free session now and experience the power of functional training.
Brazen Fitness Gym Memberships
Month-to-Month Group Plans
All month-to-month subscription plans auto-charge each month and include one (1) free membership pause of up to 30 days per calendar year. There is no contract, so you cancel anytime with a 7-day cancellation notice. Classes do not roll over from month to month. 1st Month offer applies to new members only.
8X
Includes:
8 Group Classes per Month +
Free Access to our Macrostax Nutrition App
$159 1st Month
$199/month After
12X
Includes:
12 Group Classes per Month +
Free Access to our Macrostax Nutrition App
$191 1st Month
$239/month After
UNLIMITED
Includes:
Unlimited Group Classes +
Unlimited Open Gym access +
Free Access to our Macrostax Nutrition App +
Free Access to our At-Home Workouts
$207 1st Month
$259/Month After
12-Month Commitment Group Plans
8X
Includes:
8 Group Classes per Month +
Free Access to our Macrostax Nutrition App
$169/month
12X
Includes:
12 Group Classes per Month +
Free Access to our Macrostax Nutrition App
$199/month
UNLIMITED
Includes:
Unlimited Group Classes +
Unlimited Open Gym access +
Free Access to our Macrostax Nutrition App +
Free Access to our At-Home Workouts
$229/month
OnRamp Add-On
2 x 1-on-1 Personal Training Sessions focused on the Foundations of CrossFit
$129
(added to your 1st month)
Beginner Foundations
Interested in our Personal Training pricing? Please fill out our interest form!
Our Personal Training Programs
1:1 Personal Training
Your time, your schedule, your program.
Get dedicated attention for 60-mins to maximize results. This is a great option if you want your training sessions to work with your schedule, and if you prefer to train solo.
Semi-Private Training
Groups of up to 5. Same results, more of the fun.
Join up to 4 other people for 60-mins of training. The sessions are designed so that the majority of each person’s training is customized for their goals. This is a great option if you enjoy the group environment.
All of our Personal Training subscription plans include:
A free 1-on-1 Assessment Session
Access to our Open Gym hours
Access to our Macrostax Nutrition App
The Brazen Fitness Nutrition Guide to get you on the right path with your nutrition habits
Client Testimonials
Brenna B.
“My chronic pain was awful. I'd seen 3 different physical therapists over the last 5 years and still dealt with pain most days and was miserable most days.
Elise has helped me to improve my strength and mobility that has helped to address my pain. She's amazing! No other trainer has ever helped me to really address the root of my issues and improve them over time like she has.
I have no knee pain! When other pain comes, I know how to address it. And I'm amazed by how fit I've become! I can lift heavy weight now, and I never thought I'd be able to do that.”
Lory B.
“Elise was amazing! She was kind, encouraging, and really took the time to know me and help reach my goals. After 6 months of consistent workouts! I can see the difference in my strength, both physically and mentally.”
Joey T
“Since the initial assessments, I've felt like Elise has a strong understanding of where I'm at in terms of physical capabilities. In just 6 weeks I've noticed large improvements with my mobility and flexibility. As someone who was a little uncomfortable with a squat rack, I'm now able to squat 120 lbs, which seemed impossible to me last month.
More importantly, Im feeling better about my health. Going to the gym isn't daunting or something I find myself dreading on the days I train with Elise.”
Get Started with a Personal Trainer Near You Today
The best time to start was yesterday. The next best time is now. Progress doesn’t happen by waiting. It happens by taking action.
Whether your goal is strength, endurance, or better health, it starts with showing up.
Your journey begins when you decide to start.
Call Us Today - (571) 777-0489
Email - info@brazenfitness.com
Or Just Drop In - 607 S Ball St, Arlington, VA 22202
Frequently Asked Questions
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It’s the strength to handle daily tasks through real, full-body movement.
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Yes. It helps grow lean muscle while improving how your body moves.
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No. Body weight, bands, and light weights are often enough.
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Traditional training works single muscles. Functional training trains the body to move as one.
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This isn’t a shortcut. It’s a shift. To move better. Live better. And feel strong in ways that last.
At Brazen Fitness, you’re never alone. Join a team that lifts you up — every step, every rep.
Let’s get started, together.
Contact us Today and Book a Free Consultation.