Move Better, Live Longer: The Power of Functional Training | Shebah Carfagna & Nate Wilkins

Functional training is redefining what it means to stay fit for life. Instead of chasing personal records in the gym, this approach focuses on the movements that matter most—squatting, lifting, balancing, and moving with control—to preserve independence and prevent injury.

In this Move for Life episode of the Live Long Podcast, Peter Bowes is joined by trainers Nate Wilkins and Shebah Carfagna, co-founders of The Ageless Workout, to explore how functional fitness supports healthy aging and long-term vitality. They discuss how to tailor workouts to your lifestyle and age, set realistic baselines, and build habits that stand the test of time.

More than a trend, functional training offers a cost-effective, evidence-based path to longevity—linking movement, nutrition, sleep, and social connection to a longer, healthier life. The ultimate goal: stay capable, strong, and independent for as long as possible, compressing decline into the shortest time.

You should consult a doctor or qualified fitness professional before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have existing health conditions or limited mobility.

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Transcript

Peter Bowes: 0:25

Real life fitness isn't just about lifting weights, it's about moving well every day. Functional training. Hello again. Welcome to the Live Long podcast and our Move for Life series with Nate Wilkins and Shebah Carfagna. Short episodes focused on the movements that help you live better and longer.

Nate Wilkins: 1:02

It's the way that we move. We're trying to replicate in terms of functional movements, the things that we do, and we want to get better at that. That, in my mind, is functional movement. This is where it's like every day, whatever we do in a day's time, whether we're standing up, we're sitting down, we're lifting. And we don't necessarily need weights to do this. Doing what we do ordinarily better, right. Working on that. So if you can do a squat as an example, how low can you squat. If you're lifting something, what do you need to do to lift all of these pieces in my mind is what we call functional training. But it's different than going to the gym and doing the traditional work. You can do it at home, you can do it anywhere.

Shebah Carfagna: 1:49

Functional training is, you know, looking at where you are today. So let's say you woke up and you looked at where you are today at 68. At 78, I want to be able to move just as I am now. So I would practice functionality of my body and moving my body around so I can use that as a baseline. Ten years from now, where will I be functionally? So I would continue to do the movements that fit my lifestyle. Everyone's lifestyle is totally different. Some of us hike, some of us lift, some of us sail, some of us are full time moms. I think you have to look at where you are and again, perhaps do some research, vet some professionals, go to your local gym and talk to someone. Listen to Peter's podcast. He always has great individuals on there, but to see where you are and make your own baseline of functionality.

Peter Bowes: 2:39

I look at it like this I go to the gym, I move every day. I go for my long hikes every morning. I do many of the exercises that we've been talking about over the last few weeks, that that kind of functional movement, because I want to function in the rest of my life. It's not because I want to take part in a weightlifting competition, or indeed a marathon or a triathlon like I used to do. They're fun to do, but it's existing in every day life. It's functioning as a human being that's ultimately my goal. And I think you phrase it absolutely correctly when you say, really, what we're doing as we exercise is mimicking that movement that we do every day that is essential to keep on living.

Shebah Carfagna: 3:23

Right. And I think it's important when you think about functional training, lateral moves. So in there I heard no lateral movement. You know you've got to do the leg the balance on one leg you've got to do the lateral movements, the quick movement, the quick step movements with ladders. If you're that advanced of an athlete, because that movement from side to side is also functional because your body never focuses on one axis. Your body has to move around and around. And that functionality of getting in a car, getting in a phone, you know, into a restaurant booth, bending over at the grocery store, picking up your bags at the grocery store, pushing the cart.

Nate Wilkins: 4:03

What's interesting about this is that some people call it compound movements, multiple joints that you get, that you get, or you're allowed to move in ways that perhaps we haven't thought about moving because we get aches and pains, but this is encourages us to move those in the way that we need to move.

Peter Bowes: 4:24

And this is why we talk about functional training for longevity. It is an investment, isn't it, in the years to come.

Shebah Carfagna: 4:31

It is an investment and you can never start too soon or too late. So if you've not done anything, now is a good time to start. You can catch up to yourself. You set your own barometer. You set your own goal. Again, it's to taking that mindset. And how do I become better in a world where aging is so lucrative? On the negative side, I wish aging were more lucrative. On the positive aging side, which is why we are having these conversations now. It used to be when you got 70 years old, when you were 70 years old, they put you in a nursing home. Well, you've seen people walk in a nursing home, but you never see anyone walk out. You know, that sedentary lifestyle is difficult. And so aging in America at least, is really big, big, big money. And there's a lot of things to navigate, like your insurance. And how do you get to the doctors you need. And so exercise is one of the best things you can grab on to. And there's not really a whole lot of conversation about movement exercise in the longevity space. It's more about tests and things that not everyone can afford, which I find is interesting.

Peter Bowes: 5:41

That is the whole point of the three of us having these conversations, because I have those other conversations about the the new technology, the new interventions, oftentimes expensive interventions that may or may not extend our healthspan. But I wanted to come back to basics with you. And I think movement is about as basic as we can get and potentially the most helpful to us. And I come back to this phrase, a holistic approach. It's the whole body preparing the body to keep on living. And I think science backs this claim up. That movement, that exercise, along with a good diet and plenty of sleep and great social connections. But these are the most basic of longevity interventions, and they're open to all of us.

Nate Wilkins: 6:29

So, Peter, I like the way that you've been talking about this thing from a healthspan perspective. Right. So health is really the issue. While we want to live a long time, what's the difference between living a hundred and not being able to do anything or living to 90 and have the health to be able to do it. And I think that's where you're coming from.

Peter Bowes: 6:51

It is totally it is. Healthspan again, a definition of healthspan being living for as long as we can without those chronic diseases which sadly and inevitably will come along at some point for most of us. But it's keeping healthy, being able to do what we want to do. As a 60 or 70 year old that we did when we were 20, 30, 40 or 50. And that is the quite simple definition. It is doing everything we can in terms of those basic interventions to extend our healthy years for as long as possible. And then if you take it a step further, it is to minimize the number of unhealthy years. So the goal ultimately is and that's not entirely totally in our control, but from the point that we begin to fail, that it actually happens quite quickly, ultimately leading to death.

Shebah Carfagna: 7:41

Right. But you're but you're able to move until then, for as long as you can, to do the best that you can for as long as you can. But can I back up one second? It's also about habits. So we're we're on the right page with the movement. But how do you have folks focus on getting in the habit of it? You have to put that in your mindset. It's creating a better habit. We didn't just arrive at this one day as second career professionals. At this, we realized that we needed to do this back in 2005 and made this great commitment to change and say that we could do this. We're our peers were 20, 30 years younger in your case, and that we could enter this market and do this successfully and look where we are. And now everyone's talking about longevity.Pro-aging.

Nate Wilkins: 8:34

I can remember the first time we started doing things together. I was, you know, I was sore the first time, but then I did it more and more. And what's interesting is, is when you stop thinking about it as a workout or working out and start thinking about it in a different way, it becomes a part of a habit.

Shebah Carfagna: 8:55

And that is called a lifestyle. So it becomes a lifestyle. So if you travel, you cruise, you hike. Whatever you do, you have to make this part of your lifestyle.

Peter Bowes: 9:07

So functional training builds strength. You can use for bending, lifting, climbing and carrying. It's practical, powerful and helps maintain independence and vitality at every age. The Live Long Podcast is a Healthspan Media production. I'm Peter Bowes, you can contact me through our website, livelongpodcast.com, where you'll also find show notes for this episode.

DISCLAIMER: 9:31

This podcast is for informational, educational and entertainment purposes only. We do not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should first consult your doctor.