Are You Fit?

What is Fitness?

Fit for what is the question I like to ask. After all, there is no perfect definition of fitness because each activity requires its own type of body fitness. Swimmers develop their own specialized type of fitness just as joggers and weightlifters do. Every sport develops its own body characteristics.

So what is important to you? If it’s tennis you like, then you need to develop powerful leg strength, rapid speed and a powerful upper body to drive the ball. To a certain extent playing the game develops these strengths. But in the case of tennis, you need to be in shape to play the game. And because it’s a one sided sport, (using primarily the left or right arm, just like in golf or squash) players need to work out and train both sides of the body independently to create a balance. Otherwise, players become disproportionately developed on one side of their body.

Some Sports Are More Balanced

Some sports or activities get you in shape while you train such as in the Martial Arts. Classes typically begin with running then calisthenics and stretching. Next come technique and sparring. All of these activities work and develop both sides of the body (and brain) equally. That’s why I like them so much.

The 3 Critical Components of Fitness

And, aside from learning a useful skill, martial arts develop what I consider the 3 critical components of body fitness. They are: muscle strength, flexibility and endurance.

But if this is not your cup of tea, then there are other activities that develop the 3 critical components of fitness for example, Tai Chi, Yoga, and even swimming with some stretching thrown in.

Pick your sport whatever it may be, just make sure that these 3 components are part of your routine and you won’t go wrong.