What does it take to be "fit"? (Burpees required?)

rosebette
rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
edited November 15 in Fitness and Exercise
I went to a "strength training" class last week, expecting it to be the usual with free weights, bars, squats, etc. It turned out to be numerous rapid and intense reps of certain exercises for 1 minute each, burpees, holding planks, zillions of pushups, mountain climbers, and high jumps then squatting. I'm older (56), but I thought in pretty good shape (I do zumba and kickboxing), but I also have a shoulder injury, so can only do kneeling pushups. Anyway, I was pretty much destroyed by the end of the class. Other people in the class we're saying, "I thought I was fit until I did this class." I was pretty wiped out the next day -- shoulder pain, knee pain, etc. I guess my question is: Is this the type of workout that is necessary for fitness? Have I been "wimping out"?

Replies

  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Not at all. Fitness is an extremely broad term that means different things to different people. Some people consider "fit" to be someone who can deadlift 500lbs. Some people consider "fit" to be someone who runs marathons. Some people consider "fit" to be someone who can get up a set of stairs without gasping for breath. It's all relative.

    What you're describing is very high impact, intense cardio/circuit training type work. Some people like it, some people don't. You'll have to decide for yourself.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    I think there is more than one definition for fitness. I take classes similar to what you described and I love them but they aren't everyone's cup of tea. I would totally try a Zumba class if I had any sense of rythym and I used to love Jazzercise and Step. I say just do what you love!
  • dougpconnell219
    dougpconnell219 Posts: 566 Member
    The word fit means

    1.
    (of a thing) of a suitable quality, standard, or type to meet the required purpose.
    "the meat is fit for human consumption"
    synonyms: suitable, good enough; More

    So to determine if you are "fit" one must ask oneself "fit for what"?

    I'm beginning to look at fitness like training a dog.

    You don't take a dog and just look at it and say "do something cool" and it performs random tricks.

    No. First you have to decide what the desired behavior is. Then you slowly and repeatedly instill that behavior into the dog via various forms of reinforcement.

    Our body is the same way. First, you need to decide what you want your body to do.

    Want to run for long distances? Ok. Train for that.

    Want to be able to lift small cars for fun? Train for that.

    Don't really care what you can do, just want your body to look a certain way? Within reason, you can do that.

    So who is more fit? The powerlifter or the marathon runner? Well, they are both more fit for thier chosen task. That's it.
  • foursirius
    foursirius Posts: 321 Member
    edited March 2015
    To me if you're going to a strength training class you should be focusing more on a goal of "Are you strong?" Out of the big 3 the general basic benchmark is 1.5xbw on squat and dead with 1.25 on bench. This is just a general guideline but if you can do this in the gym you're not doing shabby at all.

    As others have said there are a lot of measures of fitness basedon what you are training for. In the class you took it sounds like more of an aerobic exercise class than strength training.
  • trijoe
    trijoe Posts: 729 Member
    One day our triathlon club was having a social outing at a baseball game. The seats were in nosebleed, up near the highest rows. As we were climbing up there, this guy next me says, "This is killing me and I do ironman races." Dude can log a 140+ mile race, but struggled to climb stairs. Why? Because it's what you're used to. ANYTHING is difficult if you're not used to it. I'm sure if he spent a month or two climbing ballpark stairs every day for a few hours, he'd be great at it.

    If you ask me, the trick to being "fit" is to find a physical activity you love and then just do it. Some people lift. Others ride bikes. Still others run 10K's and marathons and stuff. And we all know about those crazy Crossfit folks. I have a friend who gets his jollies doing pickup basketball. He loves his pickup basketball.

    Find what makes you absolutely joyous working yourself into a big stinky sweat, and just do it. That's about as fit as you'll ever need to be. In my opinion.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    it sounded like body weight training but with a lot of hiit thrown in. you can strengthen your body with that type of "strength training" ,but to me strength training is what you thought it would be rosebette
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    edited March 2015
    trijoe wrote: »
    One day our triathlon club was having a social outing at a baseball game. The seats were in nosebleed, up near the highest rows. As we were climbing up there, this guy next me says, "This is killing me and I do ironman races." Dude can log a 140+ mile race, but struggled to climb stairs. Why? Because it's what you're used to. ANYTHING is difficult if you're not used to it. I'm sure if he spent a month or two climbing ballpark stairs every day for a few hours, he'd be great at it.

    If you ask me, the trick to being "fit" is to find a physical activity you love and then just do it. Some people lift. Others ride bikes. Still others run 10K's and marathons and stuff. And we all know about those crazy Crossfit folks. I have a friend who gets his jollies doing pickup basketball. He loves his pickup basketball.

    Find what makes you absolutely joyous working yourself into a big stinky sweat, and just do it. That's about as fit as you'll ever need to be. In my opinion.

    This is so true! There was someone in class last week who did Triathlons and he was struggling. Crossfitters have come and struggled. I take a stair class and marathon runners and a crossfitter have struggled.

    I know I could never do a Tri, or even a 5k because I don't train for them or do them. But I still consider myself fit. For example, I love my dog and having had a previous large dog that needed to be lifted and carried as a senior it's important for me to know that if a medical emergency happens I can get my current large dog to the car, etc. Another example, I work in a large building. I like knowing that if there is an emergency I can get out using the stairs. Unfortunately I can't say the same about everyone on my floor. So things like that factor into how I define being fit too.

  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Like others have said, "fit" is a very broad term, and it can really mean whatever you want it to mean. I consider myself to have a solid baseline of fitness -- I love lifting and continue to progress, and can comfortably run a 5k, which was a goal of mine last year -- but I'd rather stick a fork in my eyeball than do a high-impact cardio/circuit class. Burpees hold zero appeal for me. Even the name is just icky.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    edited March 2015
    @rosebette
    I just turned 54 and have been performing those four times a week for over two years. It's tough. But soon you will be able to add in some Dumbbells to your routine. Just make sure you put form over speed.
  • AussieDragonfly
    AussieDragonfly Posts: 19 Member
    Its all about doing it at your level...I go to classes like that and its at my pace....with my lower back weakness burpees are done with a step....as in I dont 'hit the floor' I hit the step just that little bit back up off the ground makes all the difference and Im still getting something out of the exercise...chat to the instructor doing the class a good one will give you your options or maybe a personal trainer can help you find your level ...good luck and dont give up :)
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    Fitness has several different modalities that we should all seek to maximize in our lives. Among them is:
    - strength
    - muscle mass/body composition
    - muscular endurance
    - cardiovascular
    - mobility
    - balance
    - agility
    - speed

    The workout you experienced is similar to a crossfit met con (metabolic conditioning). It mixes strength, endurance, speed, balance, mobility and agility into a single session. Fun, huh?

    The question you should ask yourself is what matters most to you. It is a different answer for each of us and it can change over time. I’m 49, and I’m seeing myself and others do things that people in their 40’s were never able to do before. So, the rules of age are being questioned, and in many cases, shattered. People in their 90’s are breaking records (for their age group).

    One minimum fitness standard I have for myself is to be able to wipe my own butt when I’m 105. But I joke about that, but I know that strength, mobility, and balance are the keys to an improved lifestyle as I age. So, my standard for myself now is I want to be able to deadlift 500 lbs and do Fran (an intense crossfit workout) within 10 minutes before I turn 50. What standard do you have for yourself now and as you age?



  • SBRRepeat
    SBRRepeat Posts: 384 Member
    Confession time: I have never done a burpee. I probably never will. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure I know what they are. But they sound miserable and I don't like miserable things.
    I would still consider myself fit. I've lost sixty pounds, I'm training for a marathon and a half Ironman race.
    Two years ago, I rode 12 miles on my bike and thought I was going to pass out. I had to get off and walk hills that don't even look like hills.
    Last week, I climbed a mountain on my bike. And I did it for funsies.
    Decide what you want to be able to do and go do that thing.

    TLDR: Don't do burpees unless you want to do burpees.
  • dougpconnell219
    dougpconnell219 Posts: 566 Member
    The only way I will ever do a burpee is if I decide to run a spartan race and have to do penalty burpees.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    There is not a single exercise routine that will help you be "perfect" in all aspects of fitness. Figure out what you like and focus on this. If this class seemed challenging in a fun way, go for it. If you are only doing it because you fear you are not fit enough, then this makes no sense. The type of class you describe is my definition of a fun workout for example, but this does not mean it is a better workout than kickboxing. If you stick with something for a while, it gets easier, so keep doing what you love to do.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    rosebette wrote: »
    I was pretty much destroyed by the end of the class.
    I guess my question is: Is this the type of workout that is necessary for fitness?

    I can think of a few emergency / survival situations where that level of conditioning could come in handy. So if that's important to you, perhaps diversify your routine. Not necessarily burpees, but similar dynamic exercises, like kettlebell swings, boxing, and speed skaters, for example.

  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    edited March 2015
    S
    foursirius wrote: »
    To me if you're going to a strength training class you should be focusing more on a goal of "Are you strong?" Out of the big 3 the general basic benchmark is 1.5xbw on squat and dead with 1.25 on bench. This is just a general guideline but if you can do this in the gym you're not doing shabby at all.

    As others have said there are a lot of measures of fitness basedon what you are training for. In the class you took it sounds like more of an aerobic exercise class than strength training.

    So, if I can't lift 180 lbs. in a squat (I weigh 120), and 150 on a bench press, I'm unfit. I might as well quit right now. Even without the bum shoulder, I could never do that.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    foursirius wrote: »
    To me if you're going to a strength training class you should be focusing more on a goal of "Are you strong?" Out of the big 3 the general basic benchmark is 1.5xbw on squat and dead with 1.25 on bench. This is just a general guideline but if you can do this in the gym you're not doing shabby at all.

    As others have said there are a lot of measures of fitness basedon what you are training for. In the class you took it sounds like more of an aerobic exercise class than strength training.

    So my squats pretty much there, my dead is far past, and I'll be challenging the CPU national bench record before I'm not doing shabby at all. Got it.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    Does "fit" then mean competition level weight lifting?
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    rosebette wrote: »
    Does "fit" then mean competition level weight lifting?

    Perhaps to some weight lifters ...
    I have a friend who is a ballet dancer and she believes all weight lifter are in terrible shape because their posture is awful (it is compared to hers, but everyone's posture sucks compared to hers). Every single pilates and yoga instructor I have met also thinks weight lifting is a waste of time and their way is better. And if you decide to run a marathon, how much you can lift is really soemthing no one will care about. But then again a marathon runner might not be the best choice as a valuable addition to a basketball team. And so on ;)
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,687 Member
    Burpees are definitely NOT required to be fit. I don't think I've ever done one, even back when I was in high school ... and I have absolutely no intention to start.

    Train for a triathlon ... throw in some weightlifting and yoga ... and you'll be fit.

    That'll cover AllanMisner's list:

    - strength
    - muscle mass/body composition
    - muscular endurance
    - cardiovascular
    - mobility
    - balance
    - agility
    - speed
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • foursirius
    foursirius Posts: 321 Member
    edited March 2015
    rosebette wrote: »
    S
    foursirius wrote: »
    To me if you're going to a strength training class you should be focusing more on a goal of "Are you strong?" Out of the big 3 the general basic benchmark is 1.5xbw on squat and dead with 1.25 on bench. This is just a general guideline but if you can do this in the gym you're not doing shabby at all.

    As others have said there are a lot of measures of fitness basedon what you are training for. In the class you took it sounds like more of an aerobic exercise class than strength training.

    So, if I can't lift 180 lbs. in a squat (I weigh 120), and 150 on a bench press, I'm unfit. I might as well quit right now. Even without the bum shoulder, I could never do that.

    Not at all, however those are some rather general benchmarks (for men) that if your into actively tracking those 3 lifts that you can shoot for and achieve. My post was more to illustrate that if your into strength training, id think your goal would be to gain strength as your measure to be fit vs. An aerobic workout.
  • foursirius
    foursirius Posts: 321 Member
    Iron_Miss_Canada wrote: »
    foursirius wrote: »
    To me if you're going to a strength training class you should be focusing more on a goal of "Are you strong?" Out of the big 3 the general basic benchmark is 1.5xbw on squat and dead with 1.25 on bench. This is just a general guideline but if you can do this in the gym you're not doing shabby at all.

    As others have said there are a lot of measures of fitness basedon what you are training for. In the class you took it sounds like more of an aerobic exercise class than strength training.

    So my squats pretty much there, my dead is far past, and I'll be challenging the CPU national bench record before I'm not doing shabby at all. Got it.

    The ratios i listed were for men and even then they are just an estimate. My post was to point out that if your in a strength training class id expect to see goals of being fit more tied to that vs. Can you complete this endurance class.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited March 2015
    I consider myself "fit" but I will not and do not want to do a burpee. I will run all over the place and do this for hours. I will do thousands of jumping jacks until I die and I will even lift weights until my arms fall off, but I will not do a burpee...

    I think I might be allergic to burpees or it may be the word itself. When I see or hear the word burpee it sounds like a name for an "egg burp" (which is ohhhhh so nasty) . LOL :):):):)

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