What Is Fitness?

Being precise when it comes to defining a good level of fitness can be difficult, because being in good shape means different things to different people. Hell, the professionals haven't even agreed on a universal answer to the question of "What is fitness?"

All the research done in this area, while valuable, has produced many, many definitions of physical fitness . Some definitions compliment each other while others seem to be in conflict.

Despite the abundance of ideas and theories throughout the history of physical fitness however, I think the minimum that we should strive for is a degree of conditioning I like to call 'civilian functional fitness', functional meaning NOT mirror muscle that only looks good, but real muscle that will benefit your everyday life and safeguard your health into the future.

So, you and I have a different perspective on fitness than, say, professional athletes because an athletes goal is peak performance for their particular sport and their fitness training will reflect that.

Although some of the goals and and exercises at no-iron-fitness.com will be similar to those of pro-athletes, the intensity you train with will be based on you, on your abilities and needs, and not on someone elses opinion of your performance.

"Good physical fitness should enhance your life and make everyday tasks easier."

Whatever your fitness regiment is or will be, the most important thing is that it compliments your lifestyle and that you start to notice positive changes in your health and well-being.

As for me, I think it's always best to keep the 5 Components of Physical Fitness in mind when training. When evaluating my overall health and fitness level I also consider the Minor Components of Physical Fitness.

When these elements and criteria are taken together I find myself with a more than satisfactory way to answer the question "what is fitness?"

So while there will always be a multitude of answers to that question I suggest going with the most common sense suggestions and making sure your definition of fitness goes beyond looking good and includes the Minor Components of Fitness along with the more obvious major components (the 5 components).

Let's face it, most of us have no need for the same kind of conditioning as a professional athlete, and most of us also have real jobs, family obligations, and whatever else life throws at us, so working out for an hour and half every day is not realistic for most of us; it's also unnecessary when your goal is to challenge yourself and meet your personal goals and needs.

Good physical fitness should enhance your life and make everyday tasks easier. Being able to lift a lot of heavy weights doesn't automatically mean that you're in top physical condition, it means that under the right circumstances you can lift a lot of heavy weights.

You also need to include other criteria, like how does your cardiovascular system react to stress? How many flights of stairs can you walk or run up before wishing you would've taken the elevator instead?

So what exactly is good physical fitness? Well, the answer to that is a personal one that depends on who you are and the goals that you've put before yourself.

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