What determines if someone is fit or not?
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Fit is based on your goals.. a boxer is fit for boxing a powerlifter is fit for a boxer a bodybuilding is fit for a bodybuilder so on and so forth... each being specifically fit for there individual goals but throw one into the others routine and "fit" is out of the window! Give yourself manageable goals realistic goals and go from there! There is never a perfect physique always room for improvement and never be satisfied, for that is when you let go! Keep up the great work people0
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You won't just fall of out bed and become amazing at every activity. Each one might require sports specific training.0
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markburnett70 wrote: »Although there is probably some base fitness that everyone ought to be able to meet I guess.
I think I consider fitness to be able to do an average amount of many different things, like be able to run 10k+, be able to do 50 pull ups, 1000 sit-ups, 100 squats, swim a certain distance, lift a certain amount etc.
You have an unrealistic view of "average amount"0 -
I think you are "fit" when you are at the point where you can physically do the things you want to do and need to do. I also think you are fit when your body works without a hindrance like getting out of breath quickly or getting tired easily.
I like this definition. Works for me.
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50 pullups? Wow. I was really excited when I did 3 this weekend.
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Mouse_Potato wrote: »50 pullups? Wow. I was really excited when I did 3 this weekend.
Hey, still 3 more than I can do
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AllonsYtotheTardis wrote: »markburnett70 wrote: »Although there is probably some base fitness that everyone ought to be able to meet I guess.
I think I consider fitness to be able to do an average amount of many different things, like be able to run 10k+, be able to do 50 pull ups, 1000 sit-ups, 100 squats, swim a certain distance, lift a certain amount etc.
You have an unrealistic view of "average amount"
Yeah, if average amount is applied to the population for sure, considering this is an obesity crisis. I should have said ''healthy amount''. I don't know what it is, which is why I asked. I was wondering if there is some sort of test to determine this. I was slightly overweight as a young teenager, and I couldn't even finish half the fitness tests at school, which is why what I put down as what I thought might class as a healthy fitness level- because what was considered healthy in highschool seemed impossible for me.0 -
AllonsYtotheTardis wrote: »markburnett70 wrote: »Although there is probably some base fitness that everyone ought to be able to meet I guess.
I think I consider fitness to be able to do an average amount of many different things, like be able to run 10k+, be able to do 50 pull ups, 1000 sit-ups, 100 squats, swim a certain distance, lift a certain amount etc.
You have an unrealistic view of "average amount"
Yeah, if average amount is applied to the population for sure, considering this is an obesity crisis. I should have said ''healthy amount''. I don't know what it is, which is why I asked. I was wondering if there is some sort of test to determine this. I was slightly overweight as a young teenager, and I couldn't even finish half the fitness tests at school, which is why what I put down as what I thought might class as a healthy fitness level- because what was considered healthy in highschool seemed impossible for me.
I wasn't even talking about the general population. I don't think you realize how much upper body strength is required for 50 pullups or core strength and endurance for 1000 situps. Those are not 'average' amounts for a fit person.0 -
As some have already mentioned, health and fitness are different things though strength training might get you both. Here's a nice article that spells it out. http://danjohn.net/2014/08/what-is-health-what-is-fitness/0
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As a runner, I'll take your 10K example. I was fit enough to run my first 10K years ago. I finished around an hour and a couple minutes. In the last year, I've decided to work on my speed. After a year + of putting down mileage and adding some speedwork & strength, I brought that time down to 54:00. Obviously, that takes a higher level of fitness to achieve than just completing a 10K. I'm now working towards breaking 50:00, and that's going to take even more fitness.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of other runners out there that would scoff at my times because they're working on breaking 40:00, or lower.
Bottom line: I'll always be chasing a bigger, better goal. Fitness is subjective, and relative. It's also something worth pursuing! I like to think I'll be able to do more in 3 months than I can do today.0 -
As others have said, fitness is a moving target. At 47, I'm very fit compared with most of my co-workers, and rather unfit compared with some of the other people I know.
However, there's some interesting evidence that a good test of longevity, and thus fitness and health, is whether you can sit down and stand up without using your arms or knees to support you, especially if you are older. It's somewhat more challenging than the chair test (can you stand up from a chair using your legs alone?).0 -
As others have said, fitness is a moving target. At 47, I'm very fit compared with most of my co-workers, and rather unfit compared with some of the other people I know.
However, there's some interesting evidence that a good test of longevity, and thus fitness and health, is whether you can sit down and stand up without using your arms or knees to support you, especially if you are older. It's somewhat more challenging than the chair test (can you stand up from a chair using your legs alone?).
Agree! I also compared myself now and a decade ago before I started this whole weight-loss thing as a teenager- now I have good cardiac function, higher confidence, and am happy to keep going without giving up. I think I'm pretty fit physically and mentally now
And here's an interesting post I read a few days ago. I'm not sure if it's accurate but it's quite fun!
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/calculate-your-fitness-age-it-may-predict-how-long-youll-live/?utm_source=mfp&utm_medium=Facebook0 -
100 squats with how much weight on your back? 225? 315?markburnett70 wrote: »Although there is probably some base fitness that everyone ought to be able to meet I guess.
I kind of mean standard fitness. Like what do you have to be able to do to be considered ''healthy''? is there a test or something? We used to do a few different things in health class, one being the ''beep test''.
What would one have to be able to do to qualify as a police officer? to get into the army? to become a navy seal? What is the optimum fitness?
I think I consider fitness to be able to do an average amount of many different things, like be able to run 10k+, be able to do 50 pull ups, 1000 sit-ups, 100 squats, swim a certain distance, lift a certain amount etc. If you can only do a group of things, but not other things, I'm not sure if I would consider you fit. Whats the point in being able to lift heavy stuff if you can't outrun a zombie?
I feel like if you get good at one area, your fitness would increase in other areas as well. This may not apply to everything, but if you are good at running, you might be able to swim or bike further than you could before, also.
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For people who are serious about getting in shape, yes, fitness does indeed tend to be a moving target.
I think that there's an obvious problem with saying that "being fit" depends on one's goals. To cite an all-too-common example, what about the couch potato who doesn't care about his heart or his waistline? More charitably, what about the obese person who doesn't want to lose more than just "a few pounds"?
For some less extreme examples, what about the guy who likes to lift weights, but hates cardio and has no cardiovascular endurance? I guarantee that there are a lot of guys like that.0 -
Everyone says how fit I am, but as others have said, for me it's a moving target. I am much fitter than I was even a few weeks ago, but I don't think there's some pinnacle of fitness. I will always keep working towards getting stronger, faster, better endurance, etc. PR or bust for me.0
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Can we get video proof of this?0 -
For people who are serious about getting in shape, yes, fitness does indeed tend to be a moving target.
I think that there's an obvious problem with saying that "being fit" depends on one's goals. To cite an all-too-common example, what about the couch potato who doesn't care about his heart or his waistline? More charitably, what about the obese person who doesn't want to lose more than just "a few pounds"?
For some less extreme examples, what about the guy who likes to lift weights, but hates cardio and has no cardiovascular endurance? I guarantee that there are a lot of guys like that.
Don't see how that's possible for a weight lifter to have "no cardiovascular endurance". In order to lift x amount of weight for x reps, you'd have to have cardiovascular endurance. You may not have it as good as a runner, but you do have it.
Also, there are weight lifting programs that include circuit training/supersets so that also trains cardiovascular endurance too.0 -
PikaKnight wrote: »For people who are serious about getting in shape, yes, fitness does indeed tend to be a moving target.
I think that there's an obvious problem with saying that "being fit" depends on one's goals. To cite an all-too-common example, what about the couch potato who doesn't care about his heart or his waistline? More charitably, what about the obese person who doesn't want to lose more than just "a few pounds"?
For some less extreme examples, what about the guy who likes to lift weights, but hates cardio and has no cardiovascular endurance? I guarantee that there are a lot of guys like that.
Don't see how that's possible for a weight lifter to have "no cardiovascular endurance". In order to lift x amount of weight for x reps, you'd have to have cardiovascular endurance. You may not have it as good as a runner, but you do have it.
It's simple. Not everyone who lifts weights does so to the point of developing significant cardiovascular endurance. Sure, they'll develop SOME endurance, but we're obviously speaking in hyperbole when we say that they have none.
It's like saying that you have no artistic talent or singing ability. Everyone has SOME talent in that regard, but it's commonly understood that this is a figure of speech.
I taken boot camp classes with guys who had huge, bulging muscles but who were gasping for breath 15 minutes into the workout. Did they have endurance? Sure, in the sense that everyone has some... but their weight training, being mostly anaerobic in nature, didn't translate well into cardiovascular conditioning.0
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