What do the words physical conditioning mean to you? It might bring up images of sled pushes and met-cons designed to condition mind and body. It may also mean practicing a skill until you can do with without thinking.
The term physical conditioning can mean many things and it’s important to understand what sort of physical conditioning you’re hoping to achieve. Not all conditioning methods are the same and some may even be detrimental to your goals.
When it comes to Fitness Independence, physical conditioning means to condition both your mind and body to get used to a specific demand. The more you become used to doing something the more effectively you can do it. Not only do you become more proficient at the specific demands of your activity, but that activity becomes easier to do as well.
Take the example of learning how to ride a bike. At first, it’s difficult and requires a lot of concentration. It may seem like you’re never going to become good at doing it. With enough repetition, you become conditioned to ride the bike until you can ride faster and further with ease. You’ve become conditioned to ride the bike and you’re rewarded with greater results from less effort.
This is the goal of physical conditioning. To become proficient in an activity to the point where you can do it with less effort. It’s the key to not only achieving greater results but also results that are easier to maintain.
