What does ideal fitness really mean?
With the vast amounts of advertisements promising to get you into shape, it’s no wonder we have so many different ideas that define fitness. It doesn’t help that all of those advertisers are in the fitness business to make money because they only tell you what they want you to hear. Unfortunately, that leaves many of us at a loss to understand what fitness really means.
Putting a one-size fits all definition to fitness is difficult because it can mean many different things to many different people. For instance, a bodybuilder may be interested in lifting weights to build muscle whereas a marathoner would spend most of his time on the track, increasing his lung capacity. Therefore, to define fitness we must understand the definition is ever moving, changing on an individual basis based on wants and needs.
To have ideal fitness, you should have a firm grasp on strength, endurance, stamina, flexibility, speed, and balance. While it is not reasonable to expect yourself to be well skilled in all areas, striving to reach an acceptable skill level in each would be plenty.
Many athletes have great talent in certain skills but find themselves lacking in others. The shear fact that they workout and train as hard as they do gives them an edge in all areas. Being able to perform these skills fluidly and without issue is the true meaning of ideal fitness.
For the average non-athlete, getting into great (or even good) physical shape may seem out of reach. In this case, determination and motivation go a long way. Daily training to develop strength, speed, and agility will allow you to run faster, throw farther, and lift more weight than seems possible right now. Putting a plan action into play with a program designed to be hard but not impossible is the key to getting yourself into shape.
If after a few months, you don’t notice any changes or the changes you were making grow stagnant, then you will have to revise your program. This holds true for athletes as well as the “average joe.” You don’t have to be an NFL running back or an Olympic gymnast to be in shape, you just have to work hard and train smartly. And that is something that anyone can do.