Benefits and Tips To Make The Most of Your Workout
Did you know that training or working out on a turf surface in a functional training area is ideal for developing endurance, speed, agility, strength, power, and coordination through a multitude of exercises? It’s perfect for sled drags, tire flips, broad jumps, medicine ball slams, prowlers, box jumps, and much more. So now that we’ve said all of that, what does it really mean and what are the real benefits?
If you’ve been in more updated, nicer gyms lately, you’ve likely seen an indoor turf field which may have excited you or you may have avoided it altogether. We get it, seeing all that open space with the equipment you probably haven’t used before is intimidating, and it feels much safer to head toward the familiar equipment you’ve come to trust and understand. But, doing the same old workouts may be getting old. There are definite benefits of adding variety to your workouts and gym-goers and athletes love utilizing equipment and the functional training area space to help them achieve their fitness goals. We’re going to help you switch things up by giving you the rundown on indoor functional turf areas and why you should be utilizing them.
What is it? Indoor turf is a padded area in the gym usually with synthetic grass that is filled with various equipment to help you build muscles and do cardio. The extra padding helps prevent injuries and is easier on your joints. It’s also resistant so there’s less chance of slipping and hurting yourself.
Before we jump into how to use indoor turf areas, we’re going to go over how to gain the confidence to use them. We get it, you see others taking their workout to the next level in the area and you really don’t know where to start. The key is to work out like no one is watching because, well they’re not! Everyone is focusing on their workouts. You might discover that you love the functional training area and the new workouts you can do.
Benefits of the Functional Turf Area
The 4 biggest benefits of working out on the turf area are Durability, Performance Enhancement, Safety, & Cleanliness.
- Durability: Artificial turf is specifically designed for heavy-duty use, providing extreme durability. The strong, synthetic fibers allow the surface to endure heavy workout equipment. The shorter blades and padding create an ideal surface for repeated, high-intensity activity.
- Performance Enhancement: Artificial turf provides athletes with the ideal surface type that can accommodate the weight and sudden movements of many types of exercise.The slightly padded surface assists athletes in maintaining their positioning during precision movements like pivots and planting their feet for lifts, as well as stretching. It also allows them to maintain their rhythm and balance while focusing more on technique and strength.
- Safety: The stable surface of the turf area will also decrease the risk of slips and falls. The cushioning absorbs the shock of heavy weights and lessens the pressure on athletes’ joints. It prevents wear and tear on the knees and ankles and therefore, reduces soreness and the risk of injury, including shin splints.
- Cleanliness: Artificial grass is very easy to maintain. The turf fibers are easy to clean and disinfect, which lessens the chance of mold growth and staph infections. Gym-goers can train without having to worry about becoming ill.
Functional Training
Functional training focuses on ‘purpose‘ through movement patterns. The purpose of your training depends on your age, fitness level, current health, and goals – so a workout could be sport specific to enhance the performance of an athlete or it could be focusing on bettering the movements that people make in daily life such as lifting a child, standing up out of bed or reaching for a highly placed object. Essentially, functional training improves the performance of everyday movements and the quality of your life.
A Variety of Equipment To Maximize Your ExperienceThe functional turf area has an assortment of equipment to help you both work out and recover. Here you’ll find kettlebells, medicine balls, mats, foam rollers, stability balls, Bosu balance trainers, sandbags, TRX Suspension Trainers, battle ropes, and dumbbells. Whether you want to focus on mobility, strength, power, or endurance, these tools will help you get in a great workout in a small space, so you don’t have to traverse across the gym for each new movement. Warm up, set up circuits or exercise pairings, and cool down all in one area.
Now that you’re familiar with the space and equipment in the functional turf area, let’s jump into some effective exercises you can do on the turf.
- Kettlebell Thrust: Hold your kettlebell with both hands between your legs, squat down and then swing the kettlebell up and straighten your legs in synchronicity. Be sure to control the kettlebell as it comes down, both for further strengthening and safety’s sake.
- Conditioning: This is a great workout to build endurance and get your heart rate pumping. There are a lot of options for conditioning drills, but make sure to choose something to get your heart pumping. Try high-speed sprints in between some other exercises on this list, or even add burpees into your suicides.
- Battle Ropes: Make sure your ropes are securely fastened to a pole before backing up so that they are slightly still on the ground when you are bending into a deep squat. You can use them for an entire workout if you keep moving them in different ways.
- Cone Workouts: These help increase agility and your ability to change direction quickly. Set up cones a few yards apart and run back and forth quickly changing direction.
- Strength Conditioning with a Weighted Sled: Ready for an explosive workout? Sled pushes will help build your lower and upper body strength quickly and effectively. You can push the sled across the turf or strap the harness on and pull it behind you to strengthen and tone your legs.
- Box Jumps: This exercise is exactly what it sounds like. Make use of the boxes sitting on the turf by squatting down and jumping right onto them. Start with the lowest box and work your way up to the higher level over time.
Now you have the full rundown on indoor turf workouts, exercises to try, and the confidence to execute them! Claim your FREE PASS To FITNESS PROJECT so you can utilize our indoor turf fields and put our advice to good use!
