Tactical vs Functional Fitness
January 16, 2010 – 8:40 amWe deal with 5-45lbs club swinging because that’s about the maximum range for our purposes: “tactical fitness” - the ability to adapt to one’s environment with ease and imagination.
Tactical fitness differs from functional fitness. The latter - functional training - makes its intention the ability to move with effectively through all ranges of motion. The former, tactical training, refers to the ability to transition between skills with efficiency and innovation.
- The purpose of “functional fitness” is to effectively restore and strengthen three-dimensional (tri-planar) movement.
- The purpose of “tactical fitness” is to efficiently transition between and improvise solutions to physical challenges when confronted.
Complementary but distinct objectives.
So, we start with basic movements through all maximum range of motions. Then we progress to “compound” movements combining two skills. And finally we progress to “complex” movements of 3 or more skills. Then we start over with the basic movements: increasing strength.
This “neurological sophistication” was the basis of most of my training in Russia, and carries throughout CST. It allows the operator to encounter a field of new obstacles and navigate them with ease and imagination.
Tactical doesn’t refer to merely “tactically-specific” skills, though they remain relevant. Tactical refers to the ability to adapt and improvise. Other fitness genres either don’t address this, or don’t think it’s trainable.
As a result, our club swinging focuses on this, and the adaptability of our club selection centers on strength endurance in the 15-25lbs range, with uses on either end 5-10lbs for mobility and 35-45lbs for strength.
Though there other approaches which focus on 1-2lbs light club “twirling” or “spinning” as it’s called, and approaches which focus on 80+lbs strongman feats of strength, we concentrate in our own range with the above stated purposes.
Scott Sonnon
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6 Responses to “Tactical vs Functional Fitness”
Very interesting concept, Coach. Could you say then that tactical fitness is “the next step” (advanced) after attaining a good level of functional fitness? Or is tactical fitness more of a complete training path that takes you from total beginner to well-developed athlete? In other words, is tactical fitness a progression or an alternative?
By FunctionalNut on Jan 17, 2010
Yes, but not in a superiority of modality. Rather it’s a sequence of sophistication.
“Fitness” should have as its primary goal: Flow (efficiency of all systems in the organism.) Therefore, tactical fitness (transition between and improvisation of solutions to challenges) would progress from functional fitness (restored and strengthened 3 dimensional skills).
For example, the TACFIT Systems include several progressions of skills from bigger, stronger, longer, faster, tougher, better.
So, for example, it is both a progression and an alternative. You can use it as an additional tool in the toolbox, or you can use it as a new toolbox.
By Scott Sonnon on Jan 17, 2010
I love the way the principles of sophistication you talk about in physical culture applies to your evolving philosophy as well.
By Eli on Jan 20, 2010
Thanks, the idea of “sophistication progression” makes sense. If I understand you correctly, the TacFit system is about training skill-specific drills & their progressions, after or instead of attaining a good level of the classical components of athletic performance (strength, power, speed, coordination, agility, endurance, accuracy, stamina, balance, flexibility). Am I getting this right?
By FunctionalNut on Jan 20, 2010
That’s correct.
By Scott Sonnon on Jan 21, 2010
Awesome, thank you.
By FunctionalNut on Feb 19, 2010