Functional Training and Beyond

Adam Sinicki is a health and fitness writer with an interest in human performance. Adam is best known for his YouTube channel "The Bioneer", where he discusses functional training, brain training, productivity, flow states, and more. Adam has been working as a writer for over ten years, specializing in health, fitness, technology, and self-development. During this time, he has researched countless topics relating to health and fitness. He also holds a personal training diploma, and BSc in psychology from Surrey University, alongside experience in several martial arts, rock climbing, and bodybuilding. Adam's other career highlights include creating the hit mobile app Multiscreen Multitasking, working as a technology journalist and presenter for Android Authority, an assistant editor at Writers' News magazine, and penning two business and programming books published by Apress Media. He juggles these multiple commitments using the very same productivity tips that he shares on his channel! When Adam isn't training or writing, he enjoys synthwave musc, action movies, gaming, comics, eating sandwiches, and spending time with his wife and daughter in Oxfordshire, UK.

Chapter 1: What is Functional Training and Why Does it Matter? Chapter Goal: To explain the concept of functional training, and to explain why the big 3 lifts are not sufficient for complete strength. * Who needs functional training (martial artists, athletes, and in my opinion: everyone else) * How our modern lifestyles are ruining our bodies * Skills vs attributes * Recent trends and developments in fitness (movement culture, old time strongmen, MMA, parkour) * Why training the body and mind together is logical Chapter 2: The Science of Hypertrophy and Building Strength Chapter Goal: This chapter outlines the basic science of building muscle to help lay the foundation for what is to follow. Readers will learn the basics of building muscle and power. * Metabolic stress, muscle damage, and mechanical tension * Progressive overload (and alternatives) * Time under tension and other factors influencing growth * Bodybuilding vs powerlifting (also "powerbuilding") * Building explosive power (an explanation of muscle fiber types and rate of force development) * A list of effective strength-building exercises Chapter 3: Kettlebells and Alternative Methods for Building Strength Chapter Goal: This chapter will introduce lesser-known methods for developing truly transferrable strength, from old-time strongmen (and modern strongmen), to kettlebell training. Kettlebells help build strength thanks to their offset nature, and constantly changing angles of resistance. Similarly, old time lifts like the bent-press develop stronger obliques. This has huge carry-over for sports and everyday activities. * Old-time strongman lifts for training the missing muscles * Introducing the kettlebell (and clubbell/Indian clubs - with exercises) * Medicine balls, sandbags, battle ropes, and more * The missing link: grip strength (and pinky strength!) * How overcoming isometrics develop super-human strength (with explanation of muscle fiber recruitment) * Quasi isometrics * Hybrid exercises Chapter 4: Just Move: An Introduction to Movement Training Chapter Goal: This chapter will serve as an overview of the emerging movement culture, providing introductions to animal walks, training outdoors, and more. It will show you how to naturally increase range of motion, to eradicate stiffness, and regain child-like exuberance. * Get outdoors (why training outside is beneficial, an explanation of movements like MovNat) * Barefoot running and developing foot strength * Move like an animal (an introduction to animal walks) * Proprioception and balance * Why animals don't warm up (pandiculation and "incidental training") * Developing mobility Chapter 5: Handbalancing and Advanced Calisthenics Chapter Goal: This chapter is a natural progression from the last, explaining hand-balancing and gymnastics, along with movements such as gymnastic strength training. Straight arm strength is one example of a crucial aspect of strength that is overlooked by mainstream health and fitness. This can unlock amazing skills like planche and handstands, which will be explained here. * How to build muscle with bodyweight * An introduction to hand-balancing * Straight arm strength explained * Hollow body and core strength * Gymnastics rings, dip bars, parallettes, and other tools * Advanced calisthenics moves explained * Training for parkour * Training for martial arts Chapter 6: Maximizing Endurance Chapter Goal: This chapter will introduce concepts like HIIT, work capacity, steady state cardio, and more. Readers will learn how to increase fitness with long runs or short intense circuits. They'll also learn how this translates to better performance in the gym, and how to go even further with advanced techniques like breath training. * How to increase fitness with steady state cardio * Introducing HIIT (it's trendier and has many advantages, but doesn't entirely replace LISS as we will see here) * Metabolic conditioning and resistance cardio * Work capacity and stre