Functional Training and Beyond: Building the Ultimate Superfunctional Body and Mind

by Adam Sinicki

Train Like a Superhero
"I recommend this book to all personal trainers, training geeks, and people who just want to learn about different training methods and philosophies.” ―JC Santana, author of Functional Training

#1 Best Seller in Physical Education and Coaching

Body and Brain Training Designed to Unlock Your Amazing Hidden Potential

Change your life. Many of us have forgotten how to move correctly. We live with muscular imbalances, constant pain, and low energy. Adam Sinicki is on a mission to change this. He is best known for his YouTube channel “The Bioneer”, where he provides expertise on functional training, brain training, productivity, flow states, and more.

Be better than just functional. Currently, functional training is exercise as rehabilitation. It aims to restore normal, healthy strength and mobility using compound and multi-faceted movements. In Functional Training and Beyond, Adam reveals how to become “better than just functional.” We can improve our physical performance and our mental state. We can train to move better, think more clearly, feel energetic, and live more efficiently.

Advanced way to train. Until now working out has had one of two goals─get bigger or get leaner. But why are those the only goals? What if there was a third, practical, healthy and exciting way to train our body and our mind? Learn how we can train our brains just like our bodies, and how to incorporate this into a comprehensive, well-rounded program.



New ways to train body and mindTraining for greater mobility, less pain, improved mood, and increased energyThe fun of training with kettlebells, calisthenics, clubbells, street workouts, animal moves, handstands, rope climbs, isometrics, and more

Fans of Overcoming Gravity, You Are Your Own Gym, The World’s Fittest Book, New Functional Training for Sports, or Calisthenics for Beginners―discover a new and better way to train both your body and mind in Functional Training and Beyond!

Genres: Fitness, Health, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Self Help, Science, Sports

372 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 19, 2021

Reviews

[Mr Keith Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know The Bioneer YouTube channel you'll know the author and the quality output he produces.

This book sets out his thinking on functional training and, unlike others of the ilk, delves into the cerebral side of the exercise, pun intended.

One of the most genuinely likable and humble guys in the business, as well as most of the most knowledgeable and innovative. This 'outing' is a great read, whatever level you're viewing it from.

[Taddow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of the author's You Tube channel, "The Bioneer," for some time and was excited to see what a book discussing some of the concepts he explores would look like. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was what I expected it to be- a grab bag of interesting theories on body and mind development backed by scientific studies. The author does a great job of explaining how the brain learns and the body builds muscle and uses energy in an easy to understand format. Of course this is not a comprehensive explanation of bodily functions, but rather directed at those aspects most relevant to people looking to become "Superfunctional" in mind and body. This is part self-improvement guide, part nutrition guide, part sleep guide, and part a whole lot more (such as exploring meditation and learning just to name a few topics). The author also provides a fitness and nutrition plan (complete with exercises and food recipes) that goes from beginner level to advanced.

While I have not yet tried the Superfunctional training plan outlined in the book (perhaps I will in the future), I have used some of the author's suggestions from his You Tube channel in my fitness program, such as loaded carries and trying to do exercises (such as pull-up and push-ups) on uneven surfaces (I got that from his show on Green "Arrow" training). I would recommend Adam's You Tube channel and book to anyone that looking for a fitness book that is great but different than the norm, as well as anyone who likes comic superheroes and martial arts icons, such as Bruce Lee.

[Gentian Gashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam aka The Bioneer is legitimately a fitness YouTube gem. The wholesome and holistic fitness message he promotes here is truly amazing. This book is a summation of his philosophy on fitness, which basically revolves around training for exploring the capabilities of human bodies and minds, and it is nothing short of fascinating.

[Marcus Skog · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe this to be one of the most important books on training currently available. The is also something that I believe everyone interested in training or not should have a look at. I've been following Adam "The Bioneer" Sinicki's Youtube channel for a while and truly enjoy his approach and content. I've always been interested in alternative forms of training, being an avid practitioner of parkour and calisthenics.

Adam's approach is just the one that the average Joe and Joesphine or neither could benefit immensely from in our everyday working lives. Basically, how to incorporate more training and in particular simply movement into our days. And as the title suggests of being super functional, this also involves brain training strategies, something that has been completely overlooked by the fitness industry as a whole.

Some chapters can get kind of nerdy, going into muscle chemistry and whatnot. As an average hobbyist myself I find some chapters to be a bit of overkill. But this might also be good as I can see how the extreme broadness of the information can cater to individuals' different interests. There are some chapters that are absolute gold, and it's much a worthile read. For everyone!

[Xavier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very motivating. I like the idea of incorporating brain training and meditation into physical training. If the goal is to be the best version of yourself, this framework seems to be a good starting place for someone who is completely at a loss for how to change their routine to meet their goals.

There were a number of spelling mistakes but other than that it was an easy read with lots of interesting concepts, backed with links to studies and an ounce of healthy skepticism, that I continued to want to absorb.

I'm going to give it a try. I find that my workout routine now does not take into account brain training , adequate sleep, or meditation. If I incorporate those, maybe I can get over this plateau I've found myself in during this quarantine.

[Samuel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Adequately written, but this book is mostly a list of what functional exercises exist and not instructional. There is no discussion of program design, comparison between exercises, or when/why to include an exercise in your routine. Images were very limited. What few there were were more like bad clip art.

Really wanted to like the book and expected to based on the reviews.

[Nikita Koshelev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great info, but provided programs are not impressive

[Abdel Madjid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book if you want more than just muscle. Not about getting big, more about real strength, balance, flexibility. If you already train, this helps take things to the next level, but in a way that makes sense. Simple, direct, and useful

[Anton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good and very complete overview of all areas of fitness and wellbeing. Spelling errors and editing oversights aside, a very easy and enjoyable read.

[Marin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. Explains a lot of things in simple manner. It has a lot of information and this books gives good overview of mental training too which often is ignored. I think some pictures are cringy and unnecessary or they don't look that professional and I disagree with protein intake. I don't think it's really that beneficial to aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of body mass. But everything else I agree and think it's well written and highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to lead healthier life.

[Stephen Antczak · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of very interesting and actionable information here, but also a few things that are a bit 'out there' or at least quite speculative. It culminates in a not very inspiring action plan. With a little more effort, I think the action plan could be much more useful to people in different circumstances, although that will require a lot more effort.

I get the impression that the author's concept is still under development, which is a good thing. Parts of the book felt rushed, especially later in the book, and I noticed a dozen or so typos (wish I had taken the time to note where they were, but I didn't, sorry). I did feel the strongest parts of the book were in presenting solid reasons for training holistically in different dimensions (i.e. bodybuilding type training, calisthenics, low-intensity cardio, etc.) and incorporating what I consider nontraditional types of training for most people (hand-eye coordination training, martial arts type training, meditation, etc.). If new and expanded and corrected editions come out, I may be enticed to check them out to see how the ideas evolve.

[Ed Fonseca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to various methods of training both your body and your mind. The author does a good job of explaining the various processes involved and why you should incorporate them into your life. The book is a great starting point for learning more about training, or diversifying your existing training, as the author does a good job of providing references for all the research.

[Victor Huynh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book on how the body should be viewed, and really changed my view on the potential of the human body. Even starting off with the notion that your body is adapted and becomes more efficient at sitting around and watching tv makes a lot of sense as you progress through the book.

My biggest takeaway was to never forget that the human body is extremely impressive (almost godlike) at *adapting* due to the nature of our brain. Meaning that the whole "fake it till you make it" actually makes sense on why it is so effective, since it can theoretically create the required connections required to eventually succeed at whatever task you throw at it. And adding onto that, the whole notion of "the more you learn, the better your brain gets at learning" becomes this whole snowball effect sort of mantra, something I believe everyone should internalize.

[Ravi Sinha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Respect for compiling this compendium of fitness and physical exercise philosophies and disciplines from across various cultures and times.

[Arnold Nemeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great book, with general overview of the body, mind, all the connections and very good training ideas. The writer is a kind of "superman", so I believed him everything....

[Nicholas Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful info. Some typos, but still useful, and insightful.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expertly crafted, useful information about almost every aspect of fitness and the general augmentation of the body.

[Malcolm Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Functional Training and Beyond: Building the Ultimate Superfunctional Body and Mind" by Adam Sinicki is a comprehensive guide that delves into the world of functional training and its benefits for both physical fitness and mental well-being. The book offers a holistic approach to training, emphasizing the importance of integrating mind and body to achieve optimal performance.

One of the strengths of this book is its thorough exploration of functional training principles. Sinicki provides a clear explanation of what functional training entails, highlighting how it differs from traditional weightlifting and bodybuilding. He emphasizes the importance of training movements that mimic real-life activities, focusing on enhancing overall functionality, mobility, stability, and coordination.

The author does an excellent job of breaking down various functional exercises and movement patterns, providing detailed descriptions and illustrations. The book covers a wide range of exercises, including bodyweight movements, resistance training exercises, and functional training tools such as kettlebells, suspension trainers, and medicine balls. The instructions are easy to follow, making it accessible for readers of different fitness levels.

What sets this book apart is its inclusion of the mind-body connection. Sinicki emphasizes the significance of mental focus, mindset, and mindfulness in functional training. He discusses the benefits of incorporating practices such as meditation, visualization, and breathwork into training routines, highlighting how they can enhance performance and overall well-being.

Another notable aspect of the book is its focus on injury prevention and rehabilitation. Sinicki provides guidance on identifying movement imbalances, addressing postural issues, and incorporating corrective exercises into training programs. This aspect adds value to the book, making it beneficial for individuals recovering from injuries or seeking to prevent them.

While the book covers a wide range of topics related to functional training, some readers may find the information overwhelming or overly technical at times. The depth of the content may require readers to take their time to fully absorb and implement the concepts presented.

In summary, "Functional Training and Beyond: Building the Ultimate Superfunctional Body and Mind" is a comprehensive guide that offers valuable insights into the world of functional training. Adam Sinicki provides a well-rounded approach, addressing both physical and mental aspects of training. With detailed exercise descriptions, illustrations, and a focus on injury prevention, this book is a valuable resource for those interested in improving their functional fitness and overall well-being.

[Andreas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book combines the ideas from other books and fitness programs but with a twist. The author advocates something that he calls Superfunctional Training. The idea is that you explore much more what the body is capable of. This includes maximum power, mobility and flexibility but also swinging, hanging, swimming and in general moving the body in all possible planes.

The biggest drawback of the book is that while it presents common workouts and options there is no structured plan. None. My guess is that the approach is to play around with the exercises and see what sticks. This can be overwhelming without some guidance and I wouldn't recommend it as your starting point. The "if you want to be good at it then just do it" forgets that modern life has negatively affected our bodies so we first have to regain important skills before progressing into a handstand. A much better choice would be The World's Fittest Book, which also addresses technical aspects.

If you are interested in "Natural Movement" then The Practice of Natural Movement is the ultimate reference. I have also good experience with the "GMB Elements" program but you need some deeper pockets for that one. The "Vitamin" program would even challenge you to move in "awkward" positions so you get quick feedback where your limitations are.

An exciting chapter was about farmer's strength and prisoner-like training. How useful is little resistance over long periods of time versus sub-max exercises? The author makes some good points and has his own explanations. That's something I definitely will try.

The last chapters cover the brain, learning, flow, supplements and energy. These are topics that I am interested as well and that I know a good thing about. To add them here into the book was a curious decision, especially in the way it was done. It would have been better to combine them more with the physical training to show exactly how mental training and attitude can make a difference.

Conclusion: lots of contents and very motivating but you have to build your own exercise plan. 4 out of 5 stars

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've watched Adam's channel The Bioneer for a while now, so I'm biased.

"You'll look like a lunatic... An awe -" stop, you had me at lunatic.

Ch.7 Head harness. Whoa, I'm fine with being a lunatic, looking like a stupid moron however, no.
Our neck is designed to accommodate the weight of our head, you don't need a harness to add resistance if you're doing proper resistance training with your own head. At most, add a football, hockey, or other light sports helmet once your own head's weight provides too little resistance.
Additionally, one can hang from their knees on a bar and then do neck exercises using gravity as resistance, better option than a crushing weight.
Lay on your back on the ground. Lift your head up, slowly turn it left. Slowly return to center, slowly turn it right. Repeat until you cannot anymore. Once that becomes too easy or takes to long to provide a real workout. Try the same but on your stomach on a table or other elevated surface. Again, light sports helmet later on if warranted.
Otherwise, our neck is delicate, so don't add a shit ton of weight and crush the vertebrae leading to chronic neck pain or other possibly severe damage.

Ch.8 Planche. See, here's the problem with Adam. "How often does someone really practically have to lift over 9000kgs of weight just once? It's not practical."
Also Adam "Doing impractical exercises and feats of strength like the straight handstand and full planche looks really cool so train to do this superhuman but completely impractical trick."
Such contradiction.

Ch.10 Barefoot or Minimalist shoes. Again I have to point out the problem here, transitioning to minimalist footwear is a process. If you go too thin too soon and with too much high impact activity, you'll damage or fracture your foot, much as I did.
Sure, we evolved to run long distances barefoot, but we didn't evolve to run on concrete.

Ch.11 Ambidexterity. I am working toward this as well, and not just writing with either hand but true ambidexterity, ie doing all tasks with either hand equally well (or equally poorly as the case may be) with no preference to one side or another.
However, the problems found with ambidexterity are that if young children do it while their brains are still forming, there will be fusing of areas of the brain which normally are not fused. This will not occur in adults later in life, or not to wuch a degree, as an adult brain is mostly completely developed with little room for restructuring.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting and engaging book on the different modalities of training. Often people can be divided into rigid training regimes, sticking with only CrossFit, bodybuilding, powerlifting, etc. Each group claims to have the best fitness program and tries to convert others to its side. Sinicki helps explain that instead of sticking to only one program, why not try taking the best aspects of multiple different programs and combining them into one holistic program? Or, as he likes to call it, functional training.

Throughout the course of the book, he goes over things such as strongman training, bodybuilding, free running, and animal movement, and also talks about training your mind to assist with physical training. The purpose of each of these sections is to give a brief overview of them and shouldn't be taken as the complete guide to any one style of training. There are lots of different things to consider while reading and has helped me view training differently.

While I did enjoy my time reading there are a couple of things that hold me back from 5 stars. First, there are some areas where it looks like it hasn't been proofread. I didn't think it would be distracting as it was, but it did lead to some confusion or unprofessionalism. Second, while I appreciate all the different training methods presented, I felt like the book dragged on for a bit. The brain training sections could be condensed into a couple of chapters while other chapters such as animal movement can be shortened in word length. This is all redeemed by the last chapter, however, which does a great job of changing our mindset and approach to physical training. Rather than restrict it only to time in the gym, why not make it a lifestyle that we adapt? Overall, a good and interesting read that is only held back by some minor issues.

[Enrique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me ha gustado este libro. Desde que leí Antifrágil de Nassim Taleb, llevo dándole vueltas a lo de tener en cuenta las ideas con un respaldo de miles de años de supervivencia (Efecto Lindy).
Este libro es la aplicación del Efecto Lindy al entrenamiento físico.

La idea fundamental del libro de Adam Sinicki es abandonar los ejercicios artificiales que no tienen ninguna aplicación equivalente en el mundo diario, ejercicios como el jalón tras nuca o los meros levantamientos de mancuernas de X kilos, X repeticiones durante X series; y sustituirlos por movimientos como los que han garantizado la supervivencia del ser humano durante siglos y siglos: andar, correr, saltar, nadar, trepar, mantenerse suspendido, balancearse, gatear, lanzar objetos, técnicas de autodefensa...

Para implementarlo, Adam Sinicki recopila una serie de ejercicios, así como menciones a otras disciplinas como el Parkour, la Calistenia, el MOVNat, la gimnasia, los deportes de equipo, las artes marciales mixtas y similares.

También incluye un apartado dedicado a la parte psicológica y a la dieta.
Le doy sólo 3 estrellas porque lo considero un buen libro introductorio.

PD: Recomiendo encarecidamente el canal de Youtube del autor: The Bioneer.
Un imprescindible complemento a este libro.

[Ulf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive. Adam gathers information on a multitude of subjects related to fitness from multiple sources and cooks it down to about 200 pages. The book addresses the subjects of physical and mental training, diet and sleep, providing actionable protocols for each. This is an excellent book to pick up whether you're a beginner in the word of fitness or a dedicated health enthusiast.

Personally, I appreciate that Adam approaches fitness broadly, beyond the typical image of toned physiques. Fitness is the individual's ability to function effectively in its environment, and that includes being able to perform a variety of movements and managing to adapt to changes both physically and mentally among other things.

There is room for improvement on several areas such as the layout and illustrations. In this book, information on nutrition is a bit perscriptvie for my taste. Nowadays, the topic of nutrition is controversial and here are a lot of "diets" out there that work fine for different people. Adam tries to stick to the science, but nutrition science is still vague and weak. Alternatively, he could perhaps try to provide a framework for building healthy eating habits.

[Fin Moorhouse · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. (Since GR doesn't have half stars, I chose 2 stars on a coin toss)

At its most enlightening: an info-dense tour through different training styles and how they work. Explanations of particular exercises, especially ones that most people overlook (face pulls seem underrated!). A fairly convincing case for training variety / holism. This describes most of the first half.

At its least: like someone trained a language model on mid-tier pop psychology / self-improvement books. For instance: lots of claims that various activities can "enhance neural plasticity" by doing things like writing with your non-dominant hand. I'm still not sure what exactly these claims mean, and I'm especially skeptical that they can be both nontrivial and true (I'd love to hear why that skepticism is undue). This mostly only applies to the latter half of the book, about training your brain.

Book aside, Adam Sinicki seems cool and genuine, and his videos are quality. Happy to have discovered them.

[Ryan Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content Warnings: None

Adam "The Bioneer" Sinicki provides a brief survey of various physical and mental training disciplines, addresses how these complement and interact with each other, and makes the case for an intentional synthesis of these disciplines to meet personal goals.

Sinicki had the difficult task of providing sufficiently useful and interesting detail across a range of disciplines that might each take up a volume of this size. He is generally successful and the concluding chapters bring it all together nicely.

I plan to employ some of his specific training recommendations, including:

- Apply super slow repetition to practice mobility skills (what he calls "slowcomotion") - - Fitting in movement (strength training, skill training, or both) casually as my day permits as well as integrating them into my formal training schedule.
- Continuing some of my independent strength exercises separate from skill exercises

[Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offered a great variety of benefits from virtually any workout “program” you could think of.

I really appreciated the scenarios and reasonings it used for using certain workouts, weights or philosophies from different programs, even the dreaded CrossFit.

This really motivated me to incorporate a lot more kettle bells, medicine balls and calisthenics into my training, I’m hoping to reach my goal soon of being able to the “The Crow” yoga pose by the end of the year!

Along with it re-motivated me to focus on my core strength (spine strength). He used some familiar people like Dr McGill and Dr Patrick mckeown.

His broad topics from all the different programs, to diverse topics even including nootropics, mental dexterity, meditation and focus, and Neuroplasticity were well appreciated aswell, integrating wholistic wellness from a scientific and well reasoned stand point and fitness focus.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good survey-level book on a more holistic approach to training - beyond the confines of traditional "powerlifting" or "bodybuilding" training. Adam dubs this style of training "functional training". The book is oozing with passion - the author clearly loves improving himself.

The best part of this book was the slew of name-drops of various schools of thoughts that can be further studied. However, the coverage of said schools of thoughts can be limited. While Adam passionately discusses the merits of such training, he does not delve into details. I am keen on exploring movement training such as the bear and lizard crawl, and slow SAMDAM training as a way of covering lesser-used muscles not utilized by typical gym movements. Ido Portal's "flow" training was also interesting, it also looks beautiful. Imagine being able to move in compromised positions, and do so beautifully! Planches! Handstands! Front levers!

I found it somewhat ironic how Adam heckles "curling on BOSU balls" as an example of ridiculous "functional" training taken too far, while he encourages us to do "math while training". Several aspects of this book can be similarly amateurish - such as mentioning "wrestling a bear" in the penultimate chapter. I thought it was also funny how he mentions successful artificial intelligence will likely be "trained" like humans and not hard-coded - this is what is done in practice!

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I initially found this book through the Bioneer youtube channel, and I do like the idea of being good at a bunch of random sh..tuff, since I'm not exactly an athlete trying to focus on anything in particular. So this book does fill you in on a lot of different stuff you could try out, which is great but.

I will say that many of the concepts, exercises, etc. does come out in a blur. Progress is swift from one to another, and it can feel like I was reading about one thing, and now the next is introduced as a tangent, or out of nowhere.

The last chapter is perhaps the best one, since it's the main part trying to tie it all together, and gives some suggestions on what you can actually do. So I did wish this was a larger part of the book.

I'ma take a wild guess here and say that if you like the youtube channel you will likely enjoy the book? Maybe, not sure.
Well upto you

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fun and educative read for anyone interested in physical (and to a lesser degree cognitive) development. Got it after watching a fair amount of the author's youtube videos (the bioneer) and am pleased that I did so. The book leans much more strongly towards a theoretical study of the body, fitness and physical capabilities (i.e. superfunctionality) than your average self-help or workout book, which was wonderful. Rather than giving you a dry list of exercises, the author gives you the tools and the fundamental knowledge to develop your own regime dependent on what you want to improve, all the while encouraging you to challenge yourself and the comfort zone you inhabit in a playful way. Healthy food for thought and, more importantly, for action!

[Mehm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read his ebook, Superfunctional Training, and watched pretty much all his videos before reading this one, and yet there was still enough information to transform a dozen lifetimes. Adam has changed my entire view on fitness and he keeps on giving and giving more with this book. He showed me a way to be the hero I've always wanted to be. He showed a way to make ten-year-old Mehm proud. He showed a way to become a future "coolest dad ever", and I cannot thank him enough for that. Just an absolute banger book that everyone who cares about their fitness journey should read. Have a lovely day!