Functional exercise means training movements your body already uses in daily life. Standing up from a chair, picking something off the floor, putting a bag on a high shelf. When you train these patterns, you get stronger at the things that actually matter, and you reduce the chance of getting hurt doing them.
If you’re new to exercise and not sure where to start, this list is a good place. These eight movements cover most of what your body needs, and every one of them can be scaled to wherever you are right now.
Squats
Squats are essential for leg strength, lower-body joint health, and staying functional as you age. It’s almost a mistake to call them an exercise, because they’re just a normal part of life. You’re already doing them every time you stand up from a chair or get up from the toilet. The weighted version just makes you better at it.
To perform a squat, sit your hips slightly back and then straight down, keeping your heels on the floor and your knees in line with your toes. Work on going a little deeper over time while keeping those same points of performance.
If you have limited mobility in your hips or knees, lunges are a solid alternative. They work the same muscles and demand similar hip, knee, and ankle flexion, just one leg at a time. Every effective training program includes squats in some form, and yours should too.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts sound intimidating, but they’re really just the act of bending over to pick something up off the ground. Done correctly, they’re not only safe but genuinely beneficial for hip mobility and low-back strength.
To perform one, send your hips back while keeping a strong, straight spine. Only bend your knees once you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings. From the bottom, straighten your knees then stand tall by driving your hips forward.
If you can’t touch your toes yet, start with a shortened range of motion. Pick objects up from a table or elevated surface and work your way lower as your mobility improves. Over time, you’ll be able to lift heavier things from the floor without thinking twice about it.
Overhead Presses
Any time you put something on a high shelf, you’re pressing overhead. Training this movement keeps your shoulders healthy and maintains the full range of motion you need to do that without pain.
You can use dumbbells, a barbell, or honestly anything you’re strong enough to lift. Stand tall with the object at your shoulders, tighten your midsection, and press straight up until your arms are beside your ears and your elbows are fully locked out.
If pressing overhead causes pain, start with a landmine press or an incline bench press. These let you build strength and gradually work your way back to a full overhead position without forcing a range of motion your shoulder isn’t ready for.
Farmer’s Carries
Farmer’s Carries are the simplest exercise on this list, maybe on the planet, but don’t let their simplicity fool you. They build strength through your entire body: grip, shoulders, legs, and midsection, all at once.
The name says it all. Farmers are strong for a reason. Pick up an object in each hand, carry it by your sides for as long as you can, rest, and repeat. That’s it.
There are several useful variations depending on what you want to work: suitcase carries (one arm), front-rack carries, overhead carries, or even mixed carries where you hold differently on each side. All of them are worth doing.
Jumping
Jumping builds muscular and tendon strength, bone density, explosive power, and burns calories at a high rate. There’s even evidence it has neurological benefits, meaning it helps keep your mind sharp. There’s really no substitute for it.
You don’t need to be an athlete to benefit from jumping. As long as you can get a centimeter off the ground, you’re getting something out of it.
For beginners, tape or draw a line on the floor and jump over it. As you get more comfortable, find a small box or a nearby ledge to jump onto. Don’t overcomplicate it. Jump often, and jump as high as you’re able.
Rowing
Rowing is the only exercise on this list that requires specific equipment, but it’s worth seeking out. It recruits nearly 90% of the muscles in your body and involves every major joint in some capacity. It also burns more calories than cycling at similar exertion levels, and it’s low-impact, which makes it a good option for people with joint pain from running.
Another thing worth mentioning: rowing is versatile. You can do short, fast intervals or long, steady efforts depending on what you need that day.
Some people see the technique as a drawback. Our view is the opposite. Continually refining your stroke keeps your mind engaged and your movement sharp. To row: bend your knees and reach the handle forward, drive hard through your feet, lean back slightly, then pull your elbows straight back. To recover, extend your arms first, then lean your torso forward, then return your seat to the starting position.
Push-ups
Push-ups show up on almost every “best exercises” list for good reason. They build shoulder strength and mobility, demand real core stability when done correctly, and require zero equipment.
Start with your hands and feet on the floor, arms straight, body in a rigid line. Keep your elbows close to your ribs as you lower your hips and shoulders together. Touch your chest to the floor, then press back up to straight arms while keeping a rigid midsection.
If a full push-up isn’t there yet, place your hands on an elevated surface like the edge of a sturdy table or the arm of a couch. The higher your hands are relative to your feet, the easier the movement becomes. Work your way down over time.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups develop pulling strength in the shoulders that’s hard to replicate with other movements. They also help maintain or rebuild that overhead range of motion mentioned earlier, and they’re genuinely useful in real life if you ever need to pull yourself up to something.
Ideally, use a bar or rings. Hang with straight arms, keep your midsection tight, lean back slightly, and pull your elbows down toward your hips. Try to “break the bar” by squeezing your elbows in slightly throughout the pull. Get your chin above your hands, then control yourself back to a dead hang.
Can’t do a pull-up yet? Find a surface at about hip height, sit in front of it, and use your legs to assist as you pull yourself up. Over time, move to higher and higher surfaces until you’re pulling from a full hang on your own.
Where to Go From Here
This list certainly isn’t exhaustive – there were a few more that I had a difficult time not mentioning – but these eight functional exercises will develop a broad and effective fitness. If you can squat, deadlift, press overhead, carry, jump, row, push, and pull, you’re building a body that works well in real life, not just in the gym.
If you’re in the Nashville area and want a coach to walk you through any of these in person, CrossFit Donelson works with new members at every fitness level. Come in, ask questions, and get started at a pace that makes sense for you.
