If you’re reading this, you’ve probably been to a conventional gym before. Machines, treadmills, a generic playlist and that training plan nobody’s updated since you signed up. Does it work? For some, yes. But for anyone who wants real, consistent and sustainable results, there’s a better way to train.
Be Water functional training isn’t a gym. It’s a training system — with method, progression and real technical coaching. In this article, I’ll explain exactly what we do, how we do it and why.
What functional training actually means
Functional training means training movements, not isolated muscles. Instead of leg extensions on a machine, you do squats — a movement you use every day to sit, stand and climb stairs. Instead of bicep curls, you do pull-ups — recruiting arms, back, core and stabilisers simultaneously.
The principle is simple: your body was built to move as an integrated unit. Training should reflect that. Push, pull, squat, hinge, rotate, carry — these are the fundamental movement patterns that functional training works.
But be careful: “functional training” has become a buzzword. Some gyms call it “functional” to jump on stability balls or do burpees until you collapse. That’s not functional training — it’s entertaining yourself with fatigue. At Be Water, functional has structure, science and purpose.
The Be Water method: 5 pillars
Our functional training programme combines five components in a coherent weekly plan:
1. Strength
The foundation of everything. Squat, deadlift, press, pull-up — the big compound movements with linear progression. If on Monday you squatted 60kg, next Monday you squat 62.5kg. Simple, measurable, effective. No randomness.
2. Explosiveness and speed
Plyometrics, medicine ball throws, sprints and kettlebell swings. Building the capacity to generate force quickly — essential for both sport and daily life.
3. Conditioning and endurance
High-intensity circuits with low technical complexity movements. Battle ropes, sleds, box jumps, rowing — exercises you can perform at maximum intensity without compromising form. This is what many gyms call “functional training” — but for us it’s just one of five pieces.
4. Calisthenics and mobility
Bodyweight control: strict pull-ups, dips, pistol squats, progressive muscle-ups. And joint mobility work that lets you train better with less injury risk. It’s not the typical “stretch at the end” — it’s mobility integrated into the programme.
5. Hypertrophy and accessory work
Because let’s be honest: most people want to get stronger AND have better body composition. We include dedicated hypertrophy and accessory blocks — arms, shoulders, glutes, core — because these goals aren’t contradictory. They just need to be trained intentionally.
What makes us different from a regular gym
Real progression. At a conventional gym, you do the same plan for months until you get bored and quit. At Be Water, each week has clear objectives and load progresses in a structured way. You know exactly where you are and where you’re heading.
Small groups. We’re not a factory churning out 30 people per class. Each session has limited capacity so coaches can correct technique, adapt loads and give individual attention. It’s the difference between being coached and being just another number.
Coaches with real backgrounds. Jorge Segurado played for the Portuguese national rugby team. Luís Catarino spent 9 years at Benfica. Inês Pires is a high-performance training researcher and S&C at Benfica. Joaquim Coelho is a physiotherapist. These aren’t weekend-certified personal trainers — they’re professionals with elite experience who apply those principles to everyone.
Zero kipping, zero ego. We only do strict pull-ups. We never programme Olympic lifting under fatigue. There’s no leaderboard and no pressure to sacrifice form for speed. The goal is to train well for decades, not impress on Instagram for months.
More than a gym. Beyond functional training, you have access to Jiu-Jitsu (with Master Alexandre Izidro, 6th degree black belt), Muay Thai (with Diogo Calado, world and European champion), Boxing (with Arménio Reis, 6x national champion) and Open Gym. All plans include all modalities.
Over 20 sessions per week
The schedule was designed to fit your life, not the other way around:
- Early morning: 6:30am and 7:00am — for those who train before work
- Mid-morning: 9:30am–12:30pm Open Gym + classes at 11:00am and 12:30pm
- Late afternoon: 6:15pm and 7:00–7:30pm
- Saturday: 10:30am
If you have a complicated schedule, there’s always a session that fits. And if you want to train more than once a day — the plans allow it.
Who is it for
Everyone. Literally. Every exercise has variations: if you can’t do a pull-up, we do assisted. If your squat is limited by mobility, we work on it. If you’re an advanced athlete, there’s load and intensity to challenge you.
Our members range from people who’ve never set foot in a gym to competition athletes. What unites them is the desire to train with method, not randomness.
Try it
Your first class is free and commitment-free. Send us a message on WhatsApp (933 869 791) and book your session. Plans from €64.90/month, no lock-in, with access to all modalities.
Be Water Lisboa — Av. do Brasil 7, Campo Grande. Monday to Friday 7am–9pm, Saturday 10am–1pm.
— Bruno Salgueiro, Founder
