Top 50 Benefits of Exercise and Functional Fitness


There are many health benefits associated with exercise and functional fitness.

The thing is, exercise can almost make you super human, especially in this day and age of obesity, malnutrition, and laziness.

If you could have any super power in the world, what would it be?

Would you be really quick, be super strong, or have lightning speed? Or maybe one that you wouldn’t think of right off the bat; would you have perfect health for the rest of your life? Maybe I can convince you to choose the latter with a list of benefits exercise can give you.

The thing is, you can achieve many of these things without being a super hero. All you must do is put in a little effort and you will turn out to be strong, fast, quick and super healthy.

One way you can do this is through a functional fitness training or exercise program.

Functional fitness training is one of the best ways to exercise and achieve various health benefits as a beginner or moderate level exerciser.

What is functional fitness and why is it important?

The focus of functional fitness is to train your muscles in a fashion that mimics everyday activities, allowing you to live a healthy and active lifestyle on a day to day basis. Functional fitness exercises allow you to work out in any location with minimal equipment and in a way that helps you reach your health and fitness goals in a challenging, safe and effective way.

What are the health benefits of exercise and functional fitness?

There are literally hundreds or even thousands of benefits of a functional fitness or exercise routine. I have narrowed them down to my:

Top 50 Benefits of Exercise and Functional Fitness

#1 Improves athletic performance

#2 Enhances alertness

#3 Improves hand-eye coordination

#4 Lessens food cravings

#5 Improves V02 max

#6 Helps prevent obesity

#7 Reduces blood pressure

#8 Stimulates creativity

#9 Improves sleep quality

#10 Reduces LDL (low density lipoprotein) “bad” cholesterol levels

#11 Increases HDL (high-density lipoprotein) “good” cholesterol levels

#12 Reduces risk of heart disease

#13 Lowers resting heart rate

#14 Improves endurance

#15 Reduces stroke risk

#16 Increases metabolic rate

#17 Stimulates digestion

#18 Strengthens and develops muscles

#19 Increases flexibility and agility

#20 Reduces risk of Alzheimer’s

#21 Improves joint function

#22 Reduces risk of osteoporosis

#23 Increases sense of well-being and happiness

#24 Reduces stress

#25 Improves reaction time

#26 Reduces anxiety

#27 Boosts energy

#28 Improves memory

#29 Reduces risk of cancer

#30 Improves self-esteem and body image

#31 Increases body control and balance

#32 Reduces depression

#33 Improves coordination

#34 Boosts immune system

#35 Improves relaxation

#36 Enhances hearing

#37 Burns calories and fat

#38 Improves physical appearance

#39 Improves bone density

#40 Helps control addictions

#41 Reduces risk of type 2 diabetes

#42 Improves sports performance

#43 Increases lung capacity

#44 Reduces sickness

#45 Improves capacity to get things done

#46 Lengthens life expectancy

#47 Improves the ability to learn

#48 Easier to quit smoking

#49 Improves quality of life

#50 Reduces inflammation

The list goes on and on, but I think you get the picture.

My favorite thing about functional fitness training is the variety of equipment you can use to achieve these results. When you decide to make fitness a lifestyle, you tend to get bored doing the same type of workout day after day. Instead, add some spice to your workouts by incorporating functional fitness equipment into your exercises. You can use these various types of equipment in your HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts, your HIFT (high intensity functional training) workouts, or any traditional workouts you see fit.

Is functional fitness training good for weight loss?

Any type of exercise is good for weight loss. A HIIT or HIFT workout will be your best bet to achieve optimal weight loss over the long term. Short bursts of intense exercise followed by short bouts of rest are going to give you the highest chance to burn calories over time. Use functional fitness equipment to make the routine more challenging and demanding for your muscles are cardio fitness.

Here is a list of my top 20 must-have pieces of functional fitness equipment:

#1 Suspension Trainer

#2 Stability Ball

#3 Bosu Ball

#4 Slam Ball

#5 Medicine Ball

#6 Kettlebells

#7 Dumbbells & Free-weights

#8 Jump Rope

#9 Boxing Equipment

#10 Foam Roller

#11 Plyo Boxes

#12 Weight Vest

#13 Sandbags

#14 Bike

#15 Gliders

#16 Battle Ropes

#17 Stair Master

#18 Exercise Bands

#19 Rowing Machine

#20 Total Gym

What’s best about all these pieces of equipment are they are generally portable, light weight, inexpensive, and extremely effective. All you need is just one of the above pieces of equipment for wherever you are to get a great workout. You don’t need a gym; you don’t even really need a designated workout area. You can grab a set of gliders and get a challenging workout right in front of the television.

Check out my Top 20 of the Best Pieces of Functional Fitness Equipment article for an in depth review of each piece of functional fitness equipment.

In my article: 3 Quick Workouts You Can Do Early In The Morning, I give you 3 complete workout examples of how to add some functional fitness equipment into your workout.

Summary: Top 50 Benefits of Exercise and Functional Fitness  

Whether you care about becoming a super hero or not, there is a way to get some earthly super powers if you just put your mind to a solid exercise or functional fitness program. Set a goal and make a schedule to make sure you are getting a good functional fitness workout into your weekly routine. As you can see from above, the benefits are endless, and the type of equipment you have at your disposal is much more diverse than it was even 20 years ago. Make the healthy change today and start your functional fitness journey on the right path.

What super power do you wish you had? Let me know below!

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