Sunday 03.21.10

Rest Day!!!


What is the definition of fitness and being physically fit? Many think of being fit as lifting the biggest weight possible or running the longest distance in the fastest time possible. However, when specializing in a certain area of fitness, it causes us to lose efficiency in other areas. Some examples include: A runner who has all the endurance or speed in the world, but struggles with the most basic weight lifts due to strength deficiencies. The power lifter who can lift considerable amounts of weight, but struggles to hold weight above his head in the proper form due to inflexibility.

Crossfit’s First Fitness Standard states their definition of fitness as ten recognized general physical skills. If your goal is optimum physical competence then all the general physical skills must be considered. They are:

GENERAL PHYSICAL SKILLS
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. Coordination - 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 bodies 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.

You are as fit as you are competent in each of these ten skills. A workout regimen develops fitness to the extent that it improves each of these ten skills.
So how do you make improvements in all ten of those areas?
1) endurance, stamina, strength, and flexibility come about through training. Training refers to activity that improves performance through a measurable organic change in the body.
2) coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy come about through practice. Practice refers to activity that improves performance through changes in the nervous system.
3) Power and speed are adaptations of both training and practice.

When training for being fit for everyday life, survival will be awarded on average to those men and women who have secured the most generalized physical capacity. They will, by necessity, be strong, fast, quick reacting, accurate, and flexible due to high-intensity, high-variety, minimal-equipment, short duration workouts. cc