The Importance of a Well-Organised Training Week in Functional Fitness
Functional fitness is one of the most demanding athletic pursuits because it requires athletes to develop strength, endurance, power, and skill simultaneously. Unlike specialised sports where training can focus on one domain, functional fitness demands concurrency — often within the same week, sometimes even in the same session. This complexity makes programming both a challenge and a necessity.
A well-structured training week can be the difference between steady progress and frustrating burnout. Without careful planning, the interference effect can sabotage results. Research summarised in Concurrent Aerobic and Strength Training (Schumann & Rønnestad, 2019) highlights how adaptations from strength and endurance work can compete against each other, slowing overall improvement if not managed wisely. For example, placing a heavy lower-body lifting session too close to a high-volume endurance workout may blunt gains and compromise recovery.
So, what does this mean for functional fitness athletes and coaches? It means that a well-organised training week isn’t optional — it’s essential. The goal is not just to train everything, but to train everything at the right time.
Key Elements of a Smart Training Week
Session Order Matters
High-skill and high-intensity work should be placed when the athlete is freshest. Olympic lifting, gymnastics, or sprint intervals demand precision and explosiveness, which diminish under fatigue. Placing these sessions early ensures quality execution and better adaptation.Recovery Windows Are Non-Negotiable
To minimise the interference effect, recovery windows between contrasting modalities are crucial. Endurance and heavy lifting can coexist — but not back-to-back without adequate rest. Strategic spacing allows the body to recover and adapt instead of constantly fighting against itself.Load Management Ensures Longevity
Adaptation comes from progressive overload, but progress halts when accumulated stress outweighs recovery capacity. Managing total weekly volume and intensity ensures that training drives adaptation rather than chronic fatigue or injury.
A chaotic week of “doing everything” without structure often leads to stalled progress, plateaus, or even overtraining. Athletes may feel like they’re working hard yet spinning their wheels. In contrast, a purposefully organised week enables steady, sustainable growth across multiple domains — allowing athletes to fully express their potential in both training and competition.
The Bottom Line
In functional fitness, it’s not just about what you train. It’s about when you train it. By sequencing sessions with intention, honouring recovery, and managing load, athletes can balance strength, endurance, power, and skill without sacrificing progress in any area.
Smart programming is the foundation of long-term performance. The best athletes don’t just train hard — they train smart, week after week.
Let’s chat about your training programme.