Guess how many mirrors are in an average gym? One, two, a dozen, or a thousand? It's impossible to say, but what is true is that there are many. This tells you one thing, people like to look at themselves workout. It can also be said that they may only be working out to look better. But why ignore the many benefits that can be achieved when trying to improve your performance in addition to your looks?

It's easy to confuse the meaning of functional fitness. The true meaning of the term is the capability of people to improve their performance in their chosen activities and daily lives. Functional fitness allows improves endurance, strength, and the overall ability of people to move.

The fact of the matter is that if a person is training to improve their performance, improved looks will soon follow. Setting goals and breaking them will get you started. For example, test your limits of pull-ups and try to do more next time you try. This is the path of functional performance training.

Now, where does one start on their quest for a more performance-based training protocol? Here are a few things you can do:

1. Do sprints on hills and interval training instead of standard gym cardio machines

2. Instead of isolation exercises (arm curls, leg extensions), do compound exercises (pull-ups, squats)

3. Try new full-body training techniques, like kettlebell exercises

When you train to be stronger and improve your functionality, you will look better too. Having worthwhile goals to accomplish, beyond simply how you look, will make you feel better once you achieve them. Why look strong without being strong?

I set a goal for myself to lower my body fat by 2% in a month. I worked out and ate right, and even with some slip-ups along the way, I hit my mark. This was great, but it was almost like it wasn't enough or there was something missing. Months later, I read about the kettlebell US Secret Service Snatch test. The test was developed when the trainees for the secret service were given ten minutes to perform as many snatches as they could with a 53lb kettlebell with 200 being their ultimate goal.

A kettlebell snatch involves swinging a kettlebell from between your legs to above your head in one fluid motion. Just a reps will cause most people to start sweating, and accomplishing the test could require months of practice and hard work. Even so, I promise that if you can do it, you will not only feel accomplished, you'll being extremely functionally fit.

When it comes down to it, functional training is much more efficient than standard gym exercising. You not only look strong, you are strong.