Functionality
by Greg Everett

On Robb Wolf's podcast with him this morning (out next Tuesday), we addressed an email about the functionality of kipping pull-ups, so since it's on my mind, I wanted to get down a few quick thoughts on the idea of functionality in general.

The word is overused and often applied poorly. Someone decided exercises could be classified as either functional or non-functional with no consideration of context, and this is the main source of the problem. Functionality is entirely dependent on the situation, and as a consequence, a given exercise can be functional or not. To be rude about it, saying that functional exercises must move large loads long distances is pretty short-sighted and silly. To make this idea make sense, we'd have to specify for what they're functional, which would be for eliciting a high-intensity conditioning response. If the goal is something else, these same exercises may not be functional at all.

To determine whether or not an exercise is functional, we just need to consider the goal for it. What are we trying to achieve, and does that exercise serve that purpose well? If it does, it's functional.

To use the pull-up as the obvious example, if our goal is to get someone really out of breath, a kipping pull-up is functional. If our goal is to develop upper body vertical pulling strength, it is not. I realize there are some who argue with that, but the only people for whom kipping pull-ups build strength are people who don't get have a strict pull-up. In these cases, the kip is serving as assistance, much as a band or similar would. But if you take a more advanced individual who is capable of multiple consecutive strict pull-ups, the kipping pull-up will not continue building strength to any considerable degree.

In short, the idea of functionality is an important one, but think it through before you tell someone that the kipping pull-up is more functional than the strict pull-up.

What's your thoughts on "functionality"?

• CrossFit Helena competition:  Saturday, June 4th, at Memorial Park.  Check out helenaspringfling.wordpress.com for details.
  

• NOTICE:  When doing band-assisted pull-ups, don't use your other (unsupported) foot to get your support foot off the bands!  Use a partner or wait for a coach to help you.  The bands are laminated latex and they are getting damaged so please don't contribute to their deterioration!  Thanks!