What does it mean to be “fit”? Such a difficult question, mainly because everybody’s answer and approach towards this question can be so subjective. It is almost impossible to tune it down to one finite answer, but we will try anyway. Firstly, let’s break down the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition of “fitness” (why the OED? Because it is the accepted authority on the English Language).
Fitness
pronounced ‘ fɪtnəs ‘
The condition of being physically fit and healthy.
Vague? 100%. Useless? Not exactly. The basic definition of “fitness” mainly revolves around “physical” condition of an individual, the ability to be fit and healthy. Knowing this, we can further explore what it takes to train our physical selves and what it takes to be “physically fit”.
Let’s begin by looking at the different phases of sports training, also known as “periodization” or systematic planning, there’s the: preparation phase, competition phase, and transition phase. In brief, the preparation phase is where general and specific training is made to develop motor skills for the sport, the competition phase is the training pre and during tournaments, finally, the transition phase is used for rest and recovery post competition. Where does this all blend into fitness? Well only partly. If your fitness level is related to a specific sport, your perception of fitness would be closely related to how well you perform in your chosen sport. And depending on what part of the year you are in and what phase you and/or coach are focussing on will also affect your perception of fitness. In other words, are you best prepared for your training goal?
If however, you are not training for a competitive sport, “fitness” then becomes a much broader term. To strip it down further you would have to assess, if not what, then why you are training, whether it be performance or aesthetic based, then look at whether your training is ensuring you are physically fit for your goal and if you are healthy at the same time. Does your training allow you perform at your peak ability? If so, then you clearly have a high level of physical fitness, relating specifically to your training goal (as mentioned in previous blogs, please take a look at Ross Edgley’s breakdown of The Law of Specific Skill for a more in-depth look at this concept). Finally, ensure all training fits into being healthy, both physically and mentally and remember that taxing your body heavily to achieve one goal may seem optimal short term but can damage you long term. Train smart.
If you found this post insightful, why not check out some of our previous posts on our blog page or if you are interested in becoming a qualified personal trainer check out our main page for course information and if you have any questions feel free to email us at info@focusfitnessuk.com.
Written by Daniyal Siddiqui.