What actually is ‘Fitness?’
I take a look at what fitness is, our view of it and how the World Health Organisation classify it.
I asked a few people this question recently and their answers surprised me. It appears people associate fitness with finding a given activity easier. That’s an interesting concept to me as all my training is based around being able to be faster at the same given intensity. So to simply this, being able to hold a pace for a lower heart rate than previously. I never expect the same percentage of effort to feel easier, only that I get faster. So running at 70% of my maximum heart rate should always feel the same, It’s the same intensity after all. So in this sense you only ever get faster or stronger, it never becomes easier.
So what is fitness? Is fitness being able to run a sub 4hr marathon or is it simply being able to run for 2 hours without stopping? Is it being able to benchpress more then twice your body weight or being able to do 60 press ups in succession? Is it simply being able to walk up some stairs without feeling out of breath? How about body measurements? Does one measurement of your body justify calling someone fit? Does a resting heart rate of 44 bpm make you fit? Well it depends.
When you ask someone to name someone 'fit', they’ll most likely name an athlete. This will be most likely an endurance athlete. This really isn't the true definition of fitness. Fitness is simply being able to cross a pedestrian crossing before the green man turns red. Fitness is being able to sit down and get up from a chair without the use of your arms. Fitness is being able to complete daily tasks like opening a jar and doing household chores. When we think of fitness we think big, we mention marathons. We may even think of things out of most peoples capabilities like Ironman. The tasks I've just mentioned are all things that a 'fit' person should be able to perform based on the World Health Organisations definitions.
The point I’m making is you will set yourself an unrealistic goal that you are unable to visualise. If you visualise finding running easier then you’ll never hit that target. The main point is fitness is capability, not peak performance. This year I urge you to see your fitness as a lifelong journey and not as a year goal. Make daily decisions that benefit health, that ultimately improve your capabilities. No matter what anyone tells you exercise is hard. Getting fitter doesn't mean you find it any easier, it just means daily tasks become easier. Fitness from one exercise can cross over to another. An example for me was taking up bouldering, I found as my climbing improved, my running did as well. Completely unrelated components of fitness, except when you break down what makes you good at climbing: power:weight, core strength, flexibility, muscular endurance - all components that benefit both my running and cycling without adding unnecessary extra muscle.
Recently I watched the World Strongest Man final. I always enjoy it from a competitive point of view and regardless of your opinion on what these guys are taking to get to the size and strength they are, it’s still extremely impressive. What did amaze me was watching a man over 180kg’s in body mass being held up after pulling a truck or being pulled from the ground by four other men after deadlifting. These same men are routinely given oxygen after finishing an event, are these men fit? I personally don't think so, but would always be up for a discussion on this. I will always stand by that the true definition of fitness will always be related to cardiovascular health.
I would consider myself to be ‘fit.’ I’m able to run and cycle faster and for longer than most of the population. I have a resting heart rate of a sub elite athlete and I’m able to utilise more oxygen than the next person. That being said if I followed the World Health Organisations recommendations I would not feel ‘fit.’ I wouldn't make much progress in my training, I would be healthy, but I wouldn't feel fit. Fitness for me is being able to go out and run or cycle and when I look back at the data be able to say I was able to do that 5 hour ride because of my capabilities not my fitness. Anyone else is capable of the same activity, fitness however dictates the distance you would cover in those 5 hours and the time before you could repeat the same session. Fitness for me isn't feeling exasperated over what you can and cant do, it’s being able to complete the necessary exercise sessions to improve performance. If I followed that logic then spending so much tim
e running and cycling would be crazy. Realistically I’m not going to win a Gold medal at the olympics, but for me turning up to a competition and knowing that when I put my mind to it, and body through it I’ll be right up there for my age category and if you want to beat me you have to work for it. More importantly though and something I have had to learn is to be thankful for what you can do. It’s all too easy to take for granted how abled you are. It’s good to take a step back and be truly grateful for how wonderful the joys of exercise really are. How amazing our bodies are and just how far we can push them when we have the mindset to do so. Conquering hills has always been a great analogy for life in my opinion. I like to refer to them as speed bumps because walking, running or cycling up them, it doesn't matter, they only slow you down if you let them. The view from the top is one that is always better when you have had to work hard to get up it. A bit like anything in life. Your fitness is your health so rather than getting off the treadmill after 30 minutes and thinking that was a challenge, walk off knowing that was 30 minutes well spent. Appreciate what you are able to do.
