What's your experience of being 'really fit'
Discussion
Ken_Code said:
To settle arguments such as this I think that the BBC ought to make some sort of early-evening program where they get sportspeople from all sorts of different disciplines to compete in fitness tests.
They could have things like squat thrusts, press-ups and dips, and have top stars such as Kevin Keegan falling off a bike into some dog poo in a municipal park.
They could then have a learning-challenged Judo champion win each time.
I used to love that programme. They could have things like squat thrusts, press-ups and dips, and have top stars such as Kevin Keegan falling off a bike into some dog poo in a municipal park.
They could then have a learning-challenged Judo champion win each time.
Ken_Code said:
Such as what?
Such as anything that can be measured?Your 100m running, Paul’s 5km running, guy above lifting, cycling etc.
For example, most normal people could do an Ironman if they trained for it. But to finish one quick enough to Kona shows you might actually be ‘very fit’ vs one of the tens of thousands who get round it.
okgo said:
Ken_Code said:
Such as what?
Such as anything that can be measured?Your 100m running, Paul’s 5km running, guy above lifting, cycling etc.
For example, most normal people could do an Ironman if they trained for it. But to finish one quick enough to Kona shows you might actually be ‘very fit’ vs one of the tens of thousands who get round it.
OP's question was our experience of being 'really fit'. My experience was thinking I was fit through decades of kickboxing, but much like Pete from a few pages back, I realise that I am now considerably fitter since I've started running up and down mountains as well.
How do I measure that? Apart from feeling fitter (or conversely feeling awful if I don't train), Oddman's definition being able to say, 'yeah I fancy doing that' and stand a realistic chance of actually doing that is a very nice, non scientific metric. For me at least.
ben5575 said:
How do I measure that?
If your metric is CV fitness then you are probably fitter. But boxing you need more than CV fitness. Speed, coordination, balance, flexibility as well as CV fitness. Lets put it this way - put a boxer in running shorts and he can still run, put a runner in a boxing ring though and his lack of other fitness elements will leave him short.
Funnily enough I know a few boxers that are also very good runners.
Ken_Code said:
To settle arguments such as this I think that the BBC ought to make some sort of early-evening program where they get sportspeople from all sorts of different disciplines to compete in fitness tests.
They could have things like squat thrusts, press-ups and dips, and have top stars such as Kevin Keegan falling off a bike into some dog poo in a municipal park.
They could then have a learning-challenged Judo champion win each time.
I know you were trying to be funny but why the derogatory comment about Brian Jacks ?They could have things like squat thrusts, press-ups and dips, and have top stars such as Kevin Keegan falling off a bike into some dog poo in a municipal park.
They could then have a learning-challenged Judo champion win each time.
As I understand it he had physical disabilities as a child which he obviously over came to become a top athlete,we should be lauding that
ben5575 said:
oddman said:
Another way I see fitness is that it's synonymous with 'ready' 'prepared'. I like to think that by keeping up with training up to 20k off road running 80k mountain bike 100+k hilly road ride then if a mate calls me and says 'Do you fancy.......How about it?' I'm only one training cycle away from adjusting the specificity of my activity to meet that objective.
I like this definition. It's a mature answer that sits comfortably with the OP's question and my own experience. I lack PW's professional fluency, but I would add structural fitness to the list of fitnesses. The ability to run up and down mountains without your achilies, calves, quads etc exploding is different from strength or is at least a different definition of strength to simply being strong. There's also functional fitness but then I suppose that's defined by what your particular function is.
My original question was really - 'What does being really fit feel like?' with an analysis of how it felt to me. Running downhill is a combination of strength (maybe not power lifter strength but needs resilient and strong muscle and tendons) coordination, and skill. Lightness and good visuospatial skills help too. Downhill running is really good preparation for skiing.okgo said:
The point is - while that’s all very well, most of this isn’t ’very fit’ loads of people can do all of those sorts of things,
Surely very fit is being able to do things very few can?
Not sure I buy this. I appreciate that competition is the ultimate test and when I'm needing to get fit for a very challenging objective then I'll enter races to motivate me but, in general, I can't compete. Surely it counts as fitness when at I'm above 90% of my potential and having those elusive and desirable feelings that I associate with peak fitness. Interestingly its my mates who were the best at their sports who are most reluctant to take on a challenge that's 'outside their lane' eg. won't touch a mountain bike.Surely very fit is being able to do things very few can?
I stand by fitness = readiness. This applies whether the challenge is competition or something where there is no competition (apart from nature and yourself) and the clock isn't ticking.
I've never been really fit, but when I'm "on it" in terms of training I feel great, despite the DOMS which can.... tickle, although I only suffer really badly in my chest, it can be killer, though.
I think that I peak and trough in terms of fitness and when I'm doing well a clean diet and little alcohol intake is (obviously) part of that, and keeping away from the booze makes me feel really good, coupled with the training.
I've patched drinking outside of occasions now; gigs, festivals, get togethers ETC, where as in the past I'd drink at home whilst playing computer games, even if training well, I wouldn't feel so great, because of it...
I think that I peak and trough in terms of fitness and when I'm doing well a clean diet and little alcohol intake is (obviously) part of that, and keeping away from the booze makes me feel really good, coupled with the training.
I've patched drinking outside of occasions now; gigs, festivals, get togethers ETC, where as in the past I'd drink at home whilst playing computer games, even if training well, I wouldn't feel so great, because of it...
k me that was an eye opener.
I have been "fairly fit"/capable overall from my teens to now (second half of my 40s), with a small number of periods of being a bit less fit due to injury, work and then having young children. County level as a teenager. Various activities at a good club level. I went though a phase of feeling sore and worn-out from overdoing it a few years ago.
Nowadays I like to maintain reasonable stamina, reasonable strength, good work capacity/strength endurance, good conditioning and coordination/movement. Real core strength is so valuable -core strength *is* strength. It is not something achieved by doing a few crunches.
I am lean. I can sit and lie down on the floor or a chair and stand up again in a controlled manner without making a noise.
I can carry heavy things around. I can run and cycle. I can climb and duck over and under things. I can chop wood. I can do a day's heavy work, I can box and wrestle without getting gassed, I can cope with unpleasant conditions, I feel quite efficient and I can keep going when many people need to stop.
People comment on my my strength, conditioning and endurance, as I stand out in the group of men of my age. It is amusing when doing activities with people half my age or less.
There is no secret. Just keep moving, train for specific events If you want to compete, don't over-eat.
Nowadays I like to maintain reasonable stamina, reasonable strength, good work capacity/strength endurance, good conditioning and coordination/movement. Real core strength is so valuable -core strength *is* strength. It is not something achieved by doing a few crunches.
I am lean. I can sit and lie down on the floor or a chair and stand up again in a controlled manner without making a noise.
I can carry heavy things around. I can run and cycle. I can climb and duck over and under things. I can chop wood. I can do a day's heavy work, I can box and wrestle without getting gassed, I can cope with unpleasant conditions, I feel quite efficient and I can keep going when many people need to stop.
People comment on my my strength, conditioning and endurance, as I stand out in the group of men of my age. It is amusing when doing activities with people half my age or less.
There is no secret. Just keep moving, train for specific events If you want to compete, don't over-eat.
Edited by MC Bodge on Thursday 23 May 20:18
Thinking more of this, aside from the positive of being just able to “do” stuff, the other main take away from being extremely fit was managing rest and injuries.
There was never any problem at all with doing exactly what my coach needed, including putting in whatever effort I was told to for however long, up to actual collapse, but managing injuries and recovering well was hard.
This was always the limiting factor. Trying to spot signs that something wasn’t working perfectly, finding whether I could work around it and / or accepting that until it was fixed I was limited was both difficult and frustrating.
There was also very often not an obviously right answer. Back off more and hope it healed quickly, or accept a sub-optimal recovery to maintain other things was often the choice to be made, or even, if a fight was imminent, choosing to accept it would get worse but hopefully not fast enough to cause a problem.
Every competitive bout saw me with some pull or strain that I knew wouldn’t have been there had I rested.
It’s well and good to say that backing off is always right, but some opportunities only came round once, and do too much of that and you’ll never actually win anything.
There was never any problem at all with doing exactly what my coach needed, including putting in whatever effort I was told to for however long, up to actual collapse, but managing injuries and recovering well was hard.
This was always the limiting factor. Trying to spot signs that something wasn’t working perfectly, finding whether I could work around it and / or accepting that until it was fixed I was limited was both difficult and frustrating.
There was also very often not an obviously right answer. Back off more and hope it healed quickly, or accept a sub-optimal recovery to maintain other things was often the choice to be made, or even, if a fight was imminent, choosing to accept it would get worse but hopefully not fast enough to cause a problem.
Every competitive bout saw me with some pull or strain that I knew wouldn’t have been there had I rested.
It’s well and good to say that backing off is always right, but some opportunities only came round once, and do too much of that and you’ll never actually win anything.
I can still knock out a good cardio workout at 59 yrs old but, its pretty much mental stubbornness and muscle memory.
I am 5'10'' , 74kg and I want to keep it that way. As we knock on our mobility is the key to an easier life , not to mention continued good hygiene
I am 5'10'' , 74kg and I want to keep it that way. As we knock on our mobility is the key to an easier life , not to mention continued good hygiene
Edited by throt on Friday 24th May 16:11
throt said:
I can still knock out a good cardio workout at 59 yrs old but, its pretty much mental stubbornness and muscle memory.
I am 5'10'' , 74kg and I want to keep it that way. As we knock on our mobility is the key to an easier life , not to mention continued good hygiene
Yes, at 52, my primary goal is to not live my latter years struggling to get up from the ground or open a jar without assistance. Having witnessed family members struggle with that in their 70s and 80s, as well as having worked in a care home, I know what happens when you just don't push your body - it happily complies.I am 5'10'' , 74kg and I want to keep it that way. As we knock on our mobility is the key to an easier life , not to mention continued good hygiene
mcelliott said:
My experience of being really fit, and I don't think it's been mentioned yet is managing fatigue and tiredness, there is a fine line between feeling fit and strong at a high level and tipping over the edge.
Steve Redgrave said something like "When you're really fit you're dragging yourself from one training session to the next". I think he was suffering with Colitis at the same time, though.The top CrossFit guys are some of the fittest in the world - athletic, strong, explosive, mobile, excellent endurance.
I’d say they tick all the boxes for all round fit athletes.
Many people can run far, or fast. Many can lift heavy. Few can do both to a high level concurrently.
I can do both, but not that well. Far from really fit, but above average.
I’d say they tick all the boxes for all round fit athletes.
Many people can run far, or fast. Many can lift heavy. Few can do both to a high level concurrently.
I can do both, but not that well. Far from really fit, but above average.
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