Paleo for weight loss, performance and disease prevention. Read my full review here.
What is Fitness?
My Definition of Fitness:
- The ability to perform everyday, recreational and extraordinary tasks efficiently and effectively.
My Fitness Goals:
- To improve overall fitness requires striving for balance across all the fitness components below.
- To make these activities varied, functional, practical, enjoyable and adaptive.
- To workout, play, experiment and explore.
- To share my knowledge with others.
My Fitness Ideals:
A candidate for fittest person on the planet? I would short-list a world champion Decathlete, rather than a master of a specific sport or event.
In my opinion one of the ultimate tests in strength, speed, power, stamina and endurance is the Double Decathlon (also known as the Icosathlon) which consists of 20 events over 2 days:
Day 1:
- 100 metres
- Long jump
- 200 metre hurdles
- Shot Put
- 5000 metres
- 800 metres
- High jump
- 400 metres
- Hammer throw
- 3000 metre steeplechase
Day 2:
- 110 metre hurdles
- Discus throw
- 200 metres
- Pole Vault
- 3000 metres
- 400 metre hurdles
- Javelin throw
- 1500 metres
- Triple jump
- 10000m
My 21 Components of Fitness:
- Accuracy - the ability to control movement in a precise manner.
- Agility - the ability to change the body's position quickly in a controlled fashion.
- Balance - the ability to control the body's stability whilst moving or stationary regardless of its base of support.
- Body Composition - the ability to maintain the optimal ratio of body fat to lean muscle mass.
- Cardiovascular Endurance - the ability of the body to gather, process and deliver oxygen.
- Coordination - the ability to combine several distinct movements to appear as one integrated move.
- Efficiency - the ability to perform movement with minimal exertion.
- Exteroception - the ability to respond to stimuli outside the body.
- Flexibility - optimal range of movement at the joints.
- Flow - the mental state of being completely focussed and engrossed on the task at hand.
- Function - the ability to perform whatever activity is required.
- Mindfulness - the ability to be aware, careful and thoughtful about movement.
- Mobility - the ability to move freely and easily.
- Muscular Endurance - the ability of muscles to maintain force production over a period of time.
- Posture - the ability to maintain the correct alignment and position of limbs whilst moving or stationary.
- Power - the ability to exert maximum strength explosively over a given distance.
- Proprioception - the internal awareness of the body's position in relation to its environment.
- Recovery Time - the ability for the body to return to it's pre-activity state after exercise.
- Response Time - the ability to react quickly (and appropriately) to external stimulus.
- Skill - the ability to develop gross and fine motor skills to refine technique.
- Speed - the ability to move as quickly as possible over a given distance.
- Stamina - the ability of the body to process, store, and utilize energy.
- Strength - the ability to exert a force against resistance (using your own bodyweight or external objects).
- Strength Endurance - the ability to apply force against resistance for a sustained period of time.
- Sustenance - the ability to provide the body with the nutrients required for good health, repair and optimal performance.
* This is my personal adaptation from the original - "Crossfit's 10 components of fitness" as prescribed by Crossfit and Dynamax.
