Best Functional Strength Training Exercises

Last Updated on August 21, 2025

Today I’m sharing the best functional strength training exercises you can use to up-level your body and life.

If you’ve ever bent down to pick something up and felt your back twinge…
Or tried to carry a laundry basket up the stairs and felt totally winded…
It’s time to add some functional strength training exercises into your routine.

These aren’t your average gym moves. They’re the ones that build real-life strength – the kind that helps you move better, feel stronger, and prevent injuries.

Let’s break down what that means and how you can start doing it today.

 

What Are Functional Strength Training Exercises?

 

Functional strength training exercises are movements that mimic how your body naturally moves throughout the day. Instead of isolating muscles one at a time, they train your body to move as one strong, coordinated unit – just like it’s designed to.

They help improve:

• Core strength
• Balance and stability
• Mobility and flexibility
• Joint integrity
• Injury resilience

Basically, they make you strong for life – not just for the gym…  but for life.

 

 

Why Are Functional Exercises So Beneficial?

 

Because life isn’t lived on a machine with perfect form and a padded seat.

We squat, lunge, twist, push, pull, lift, and carry things every single day. Functional strength exercises help you do those movements better, with less strain, more power, and way more confidence.

They’re ideal if:

• You’re looking to train smarter, not harder
• You’ve been dealing with fatigue, inflammation, or hormonal imbalances
• You want to lose weight and keep it off
• You want to build strength that actually supports your lifestyle

This type of training also boosts metabolism, supports nervous system regulation, and improves body composition – without punishing your joints.

7 Functional Strength Training Exercises

 

Here are eight foundational movements that check all the right boxes – strength, mobility, core engagement, and metabolic support.

Squat

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, while holding a dumbbell in each hand.  Keep your arms down by your sides.  Keep your back neutral.  Don’t arch your back and stick your butt out.  Lower your butt, back and down, as if sitting back into an invisible chair.  Lower as far as you can.  Your knees should not extend past your toes.  Keep your chest upright as you move backward.  Hold for a count, then push back up to the start position to complete one rep.

Lunge

Stand, holding a pair of dumbbells, in a split stance with one leg in front and the other behind you.  This is your start position.  Lower your body down until your front knee is at a 90-degree angle.  Do not let your knee extend past your toes.  Exhale and push back up to the start position to complete one rep.

Deadlift

Stand holding dumbbells (or barbell).  Your feet should be slightly narrower than shoulder width apart.  This is your start position.  Bend at the waist lowering your chest towards the floor, while keeping your back neutral.  Keep your legs straight but not locked.  Your butt will naturally go backward.  Don’t arch or round your back.  Lower down as far as you can while keeping the weights in close to your legs.  Exhale and lift your chest back up to the start position to complete one rep.

Push-Up

Get into a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders.  Bend your elbows and lower your chest down to the floor.  Don’t arch or sag your lower back or pitch your butt upwards.  Exhale as you push up back into the start plank position to complete one rep.  Tip:  For a modified version, you can push up while on your knees instead of your feet until you get stronger.

Row

Stand with your knees slightly bent, holding dumbbells.  Keeping your back flat, bend forward at your hips at a 45-degree angle.  Bring your weights down in front of you with your wrists facing each other.  This is your start position.  Exhale and pull the weights up towards your chest, lifting your elbows up and back as far as you can. Reverse the movement and return to start position to complete one rep.  Tip:  Keep your elbows close to your body and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.

Wood Chop

Stand with your feet apart.  While holding a weight with both hands, lift the weight up and across to one side.  Your feet should pivot to help you extend the weight back and to the side.  This is your start position.  Pivot your feet as you rotate the weight down and across your body toward the opposite corner.  Reverse the movement, lifting the weight back up and back across your body to the start position.  One full ‘chopping’ movement counts as one rep.  Do the same number of reps on the other side to complete your set.

Crunch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your hands behind your head with elbows out to the side.  This is your start position.  Squeeze your abs and lift your head off of the ground about 6 inches.  Exhale as you lower back down to the start position to complete one rep.

These are all compound movements that fire up multiple muscle groups at once. They’re simple, powerful, and endlessly effective.

How to Structure Your Functional Exercises into a Workout

 

You can turn these exercises into a super effective, full-body functional workout with this format:

• Do 2 sets of 15 reps of each move – if 2 sets feels too easy you can do 3 sets
• For unilateral exercises, do 15 reps per side
• Rest for 30 seconds between exercises
• Be sure to warm up before you start and cool down after you finish

This is a perfect full-body circuit you can do 2–3 times a week to boost strength, tone muscle, and support your metabolism.

Want Results Even Faster?

 

Functional workouts are amazing – but if your goal is to lose fat, balance hormones, or feel energized and strong, your workout is only one piece of the puzzle.

To really move the needle, you’ve got to eat in a way that works with your body, not against it.

👉 Take my Metabolic Type Quiz to find out what foods work best for your body type, so you can start seeing results faster – without restriction or guesswork.

And if you want a complete, done-for-you training plan that combines functional workouts with metabolism-boosting strategies…

👉 Take the Program Style Quiz to get matched with the perfect program for your body, fitness level, and goals.

 

You deserve a body that feels just as strong as it looks. Functional training can get you there – and I’ve got your back every step of the way.