Physical skills to being fit
FITNESS
Posted By JAMES GORDON
Posted 2 months ago
As a trainer, it's inevitable that during my day-to-day interactions with people, the conversation will turn to fitness. Whether it's with my clients, my family, or at social gatherings, there is no shortage of opinions on the subject. Not surprisingly, there is always a very wide range of thoughts and ideas about what "fitness" really means.
For many people, triathletes and marathon runners represent the ultimate in "fit". For others, it may be body builders, or strongman competitors. My problem with these "exemplars" of fitness is that they are very well suited to doing one thing very well, but not much else. If that is the "sport" of their choice, then training only for that sport is understandable. But does that make them fit? Clearly, the endurance athlete cannot do what the strongman does, and I have yet to see a strongman in the middle of a marathon.
I think fitness needs to be defined as more than being a good runner, or being able to lift heavy things. What about athletes that need to be fit in other ways such as gymnasts, fighters, hockey and football players? And what about professions that demand a high level of fitness like the military, police and fire services?
There are 10 general physical skills (CrossFit Journal, October 2002) that apply to fitness.
In my opinion, you are only as fit as you are developed in each of these 10 areas:
1. Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance: The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
2. Stamina: The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3. Strength: The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
4. Flexibility: the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5. Power: The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed: The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Co-ordination: The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8. Agility: The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9. Balance: The ability to control the placement of the body's center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10. Accuracy: The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.
By including these 10 physical skills into our definition of fitness, we start to see that true fitness covers a much broader scope than most people realize.
We all need to broaden our definition of "fitness" regardless of our sport of choice, profession, or lifestyle.
James Gordon is the owner and trainer at CrossFit Orillia. Contact him at 327-0920 or www.crossfitorillia.ca.
