Strength vs. Function: Why We Need Both in Modern Training
In the world of strength and conditioning, it's easy to find coaches planted firmly in one of two camps: the purists who emphasize force production, stable surfaces, and motor unit recruitment, and the functionalists who prioritize instability, variability, and real-world movement patterns.
But what if the best approach isn’t choosing between them?
What if the future of effective coaching lives somewhere in the middle?
The Science of Strength: Stability, Output, and Neural Drive
Traditional strength-focused training is built on a foundation of mechanical tension, progressive overload, and motor unit recruitment. These methods have been proven time and again to increase maximal strength, hypertrophy, and neuromuscular efficiency.
When executed properly, this style of training:
Maximizes motor unit recruitment (MUR)
Builds tissue resilience
Enhances rate of force development
Protects the central nervous system through structured fatigue management
Exercises like squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and other compound lifts performed on stable surfaces allow for consistent loading and measurable progress. For athletes and strength enthusiasts, these methods are essential.
But while this model excels in controlled environments, life—and movement outside the gym—is rarely stable.
The Reality of Movement: Chaos, Planes, and Proprioception
Step outside the weight room, and everything changes.
Daily life, sport, and even simple activities like carrying groceries or catching a fall introduce instability, unexpected force vectors, and shifting planes of motion. In these situations, strength alone isn’t enough—you need coordination, reactive control, and dynamic joint integrity.
That’s where the functional approach comes in.
Functional training—when done intentionally—teaches the body to stabilize, balance, and adjust in real time. Think:
Single-leg balance with rotation
Carries with asymmetrical loads
Lateral movements with reactive stimulus
Integrating core engagement across all movement
It’s not about standing on BOSU balls for novelty—it’s about training the nervous system and musculoskeletal system to work together in unpredictable environments.
Bridging the Gap: Integrated Strength and Functional Resilience
Pure strength training gives you output.
Functional training gives you adaptability.
You need both.
At NSFTA, our approach integrates these models into one unified system.
We teach trainers to:
Start with stable, high-tension movements to build strength
Layer in unilateral and rotational work to develop balance and proprioception
Integrate movement patterns that challenge multiple planes and replicate real-life demands
Understand when to prioritize force production vs. movement variability based on the client’s goals, training age, and environment
This is where the Integrated Six Pillars™ framework comes into play—using push, pull, hinge, squat, rotate, and carry as the foundational lens, while layering on the six core components of health and six guiding principles of programming.
Real-World Training Requires a Hybrid Mindset
This isn’t about arguing for one camp over the other. It’s about recognizing that both approaches are incomplete on their own.
You can’t build a resilient, functional body by avoiding load and intensity.
And you can’t prepare someone for the unpredictability of life by training only under ideal, symmetrical conditions.
Coaching isn’t about choosing a side.
It’s about building the bridge.
Erik Schreiber, M.S.
Founder, NSFTA
Owner, CustomFit360
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