Focused Functional Fitness (FFF)  – A Paradigm Shift in Exercising


  • What is Focused Functional Fitness
  • How is it “Unique”?
  • Why is it “Unique”?
  • Who will benefit?
Lee Taylor - Personal Trainer Albany CA

Discover an innovative, outside-the-box, Mind-Body systematic approach to exercise that will forever change the way you approach fitness.  An inter-disciplinary system developed by Lee Taylor.  Deceptively simple in appearance, yet profoundly effective, efficient and safe while reducing the risk of injuries. 

Incorporating the principles of simplicity, using slow-controlled movements, this Functional Training is focused on integrating whole body movement and body awareness that mimic daily life activities and sports. Trains movement, not muscles!  Crucial elements for these exercises are: posture, balance  and proprioception.

Stability is not about how far the movement, but how well you can control the amount of movement.

Imagine, as the foundation of the system, just three primary exercises, less is more, that are both a:

  • Self Assessment Tool for immediate feedback; and a
  • Self Corrective Functional Exercise System where you develop the skill to spontaneously make adjustments to your movements while maintaining posture and balance. 

Through increased awareness and functional movement, this system once learned, is yours for a lifetime!  All this in just 20 minutes, 4 days a week.

  • The exercises are both a:

    • Self Assessment Tool
      • Learn to focus on each part of the movement pattern because you cannot change what you cannot feel. This process allows you to focus on uncovering the tiniest flaw in the motion. Through repeated practice of movement, the changes become automatic, second nature

    • Self Corrective Functional Exercise
      • Learn proper body alignment to stabilize your body prior to movement

      • As you perform the movement, through explicit instructions, you will be guided how to focus on the quality of the movement, feeling the movement, pinpoint the weak links due to muscle imbalances, over compensation and then re-adjusting to gain more control

      • This training has three (3) required exercises, using the principle, Keep it Short and Simple (KISS).  There are also optional exercises to work with specific areas of your body

      • Exercises will heighten: postural awareness; balance, spinal stabilization shoulder stabilization and core strengthening. Balance, controlled instability is critical to Functional Training. Training smarter involves neurological complexity of training both mind and muscles to accurately respond to daily movement challenges

    Mis-Aligned
    Mis-Aligned at Hips

    Look Within
    Investigate "Posture"

    Aligned
    Correctly Aligned

  • This system utilizes the knowledge Lee has acquired from over 40 years with various "masters" and teachers.  His lessons learned, coupled with his own physical limitations, allowed him to explore subleties and sensitivity of body awareness in everyday activities.  He shares how economy of movements, performed in this system retrain muscle groups through:

    • Life Experiences
      • Protecting your back (spine) and neck
      • The slower the movement, the greater muscle control required, building endurance. The exercises can be done daily, without the need for muscles to recover
      • Correctly aligning and proper sequencing of your body joints, from the feet up to the head, so you can integrate the lower body to the upper body through your core, for a total body workout with the least strain on its surrounding muscles, reducing injuries.
    • Chinese Internal Martial Arts
      • T’ai Chi - for balance, awareness of movement, (within your body), which becomes a meditation and sensory awareness, (the environment)
      • Pakua - for its spiraling movements, ability to lengthen and strenghthen the back

    • Gym Ball (aka Exercise Ball)
      • To develop balance and coordination with focus on "core", aka, postural muscles (lower abdominals, low back and hips).  Will also help build strength, flexibility and endurance

    Lee teaching Tai Chi Berkeley CA
    Monkey Reteat

    Lee stretching the Hips Stretch Hips

The exercises adapt to your physical condition rather than you adapt to the exercise.  Suitable for "beginners" to those who want an "extreme workout"!

Evidence-based results are better than 90% significant improvements in:
•  better balance (grounding) •  core strengthening •  knees •  hip movement
•  lower, middle and upper back •  postural awareness •  shoulders •  neck

Clients ages range from 13 to 91 and include: able-bodied persons; sports enthusiasts; master swimmers; martial artists; and performing artists, (violinist, ballet instructor, choir singer).  Additionally, those with: Traumatic Brain Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson"s Disease, personal injury, including those with Balance problems (with and without walkers).

Partnering with a CHIROPRACTOR since 2003, assisting to correct muscle imbalances for:
•  neck and back problems •  core strengthening •  frozen shoulder
•  knee and hip replacements •  bulging discs

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Balance: Is being able to sense and control where your body is in space by adjusting your center of gravity, moment-by-moment, regardless of the position, redistributing your weight to prevent you from falling.
Takes much brain effort!
Proprioception: Is your body’s awareness of where your limbs are at any given moment.
Sensory input is gathered from your eyes, ears and skin, especially in both your hands and feet.
Posture: You must be in an upright weight-bearing position, so you can learn to feel the effects of gravity where your joints are aligned properly with the least strain on its surrounding muscles and your body works as a TOTAL UNIT !
Form and quality of movement are of utmost importance.