Are you an employer?<\/strong> Hussle now offer flexible, discounted access to our fitness venues as an employee benefit. Elevate employee wellbeing.<\/em><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px” header_2_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#000000″ header_2_font_size=”20px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n When we talk about fitness, we’re often referring to physical fitness. But there are other types too. Skill related fitness, nutritional fitness, mental and emotional fitness. A good reminder that our wellbeing isn’t solely made up of our bodies ability to do squats.<\/p>\n In terms of physical fitness, our capabilities can be put into four categories: cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength<\/a><\/strong>, muscular endurance, and flexibility\/mobility<\/a><\/strong>. Body composition can also be seen as a physical fitness component, but it isn’t linked to a particular exercise; it just describes your body fat\/bone\/water\/muscle ratio<\/a>. So, for the purposes of this article, we’ll ignore it.<\/p>\n With physical fitness, you can excel in one type and struggle with the other\u2014an excellent reminder to broaden our perspective a little when we talk about being fit. People can have different levels of fitness in various categories. \u00a0<\/p>\n Cardiovascular fitness is our body’s ability to deal with oxygen. In particular, the efficiency with which our lungs and heart can take it in, transport it, and use it to fuel our movements. Activities that test and develop our cardiovascular fitness, or cardio as we like to shorten it to, are things like running, swimming, cycling, and most sports. \u00a0<\/p>\n When we think about their muscles, it’s easy to think about strength exclusively. Muscular strength relates to the amount of force a muscle can exert. It requires a particular type of muscle fibre. As our strength grows, the number of these fibres increases and our muscle mass will increase too. Strength lets us lift heavy. But, it’s not the only type of muscular fitness. \u00a0<\/p>\n Muscular endurance is the amount of time our muscles can work for without getting tired. The maximum force here is less relevant, and it’s more about the prolonged demand our muscles can deal with. Muscular endurance requires a different type of muscle fibre. Endurance lets us go for longer.<\/p>\n In real life, you need both muscular strength and muscular endurance. It’s hard to have one without the other. The way you train in the gym<\/a> will determine which type of fitness you’re developing more. \u00a0<\/p>\n Flexibility and mobility are grossly underrated elements of fitness. They get neglected a lot. But without them, we’d be unable to do all our bodily movements. Flexibility is the ability of our muscles to lengthen. Mobility is our range of motion within a joint. Maintaining good levels of these is integral to keeping active and injury-free.<\/p>\n In reality, exercise doesn’t improve one element of fitness exclusively. Activities, exercises, and workouts will probably test more than one type of fitness at a time. A Yoga session will probably test your muscular endurance, a bit of strength, and your flexibility. A HIIT class will likely test your cardiovascular fitness, your strength, and your endurance. A weightlifting session will probably have a go at your muscular strength and endurance.<\/p>\n The point isn’t to get overwhelmed with all the things we need to consider regarding fitness<\/a>. We don’t need to have a checklist to tick off. It’s just about understanding the reductive view we’ve developed of what fitness looks like. Fitness means more than just how long we spend at the bench press.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.hussle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Types-Of-Fitness-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”Types Of Fitness” _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”75%” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||31px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px” custom_margin=”65px||60px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Quantitative measures of fitness will differ between men and women. Between old people and young people. Between parents and people without children. The list goes on. The NHS guidelines suggest that people aged 19-64 need to do 150 minutes of activity a week that is moderate in intensity. Or 75 minutes that’s vigorous in intensity. What classifies as intense will be very different depending on the individual and their current fitness levels. Still vague.<\/p>\n If we strip it down to its bare bones, fitness is a physical state of health and wellbeing, which means we can fulfil a task. So, what determines if we’re fit or not is what we need to be physically suitable and fit for. <\/p>\n Fitness for professional athletes means being fit enough to qualify for the Olympics. Fitness for a first-time marathon runner means being fit enough to finish all 26.2 miles. Fitness for Melanie from Herne Hill means being able to stay on her feet all week at her job as a retail assistant and play netball with her friends at the weekend.<\/p>\n You know when you say a word so many times that it loses all meaning? We’ve done that with fitness.<\/p>\n We can always be motivated to do better, but that doesn’t mean we’re not enough right now. Remembering that fitness is defined by the individual and not by the appearance of abs is a good start. It’s time to re-calibrate our mindsets and understand what fitness means to us and the role it should play in our lives.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px” header_2_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#000000″ header_2_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||64px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u00a0 <\/p>\n As we’ve touched on, the type of exercise you do should be specific to your goals. Don’t expect to train in one way, then excel in another. If you want to run for longer, then don’t spend time doing bicep curls. Doing the same workout over and over again won’t lead to any improvements. If the demands on the body stay the same, it won’t need to make any changes to progress. To see increases in fitness<\/a><\/strong>, you’ll need to make it harder when it becomes easy. That can mean different things depending on what you want to achieve. It could be more workouts a week, a heavier weight, more reps, less rest time, or a faster pace. The unfortunate truth about fitness is that what isn’t used is lost. Because the body changes to adapt to demands, if those demands aren’t there any more, then the changes will be reversed. Your body will apply its efforts elsewhere. So, if you don’t train for a while, you can expect to lose a bit of fitness. That’s why making it a habit that you enjoy and can sustain is so important. All these adaptations to the body that we’ve been talking about happen when we’re at rest. That’s why recovery is crucial for developing fitness. Beginners will need more recovery than more advanced exercisers, so make time for it. Not resting will stunt fitness progress. There are loads of individual differences that will impact how you develop fitness. Your natural ability and rate of progression are affected by genetics, age, and sex. Measure your fitness only against yourself and never someone else.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px” custom_margin=”||51px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Finding a role for fitness and exercise in our lives is rooted in understanding and being motivated by the benefits it can bring us.<\/p>\n Some people want to achieve weight loss or a particular appearance. Some want to increase their strength or speed. Others want to feel good and get those endorphins going.<\/p>\n Defining your fitness goals isn’t as straightforward as it’s made out. Start by thinking big. Then you can narrow down your focus and figure out precisely what you should be doing in the gym to achieve it and how often you want to go.<\/p>\n Fitting fitness in is undoubtedly the most challenging part. When surveyed a bunch of people, most believe that their fitness would be improved if they had more time on their hands and it was easier to do. Relatable right?<\/p>\n We’ll let you in on a little secret. Using Hussle’s Monthly+ pass<\/a><\/strong> and getting unlimited access to multiple gyms, pools, and spas at thousands of different locations across the UK helps. The Monthly+ Pass also includes subscriptions to digital fitness apps for the days it works to work out at home.<\/p>\n Plus, if things get weird, which they often do because life is unpredictable. Just pause your pass. And come back to it when you’re ready. We’re all about that anti-contract life.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.hussle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Conversion-Banner-1-min.jpg” title_text=”Fitness fitted to you” url=”https:\/\/www.hussle.com” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”||63px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Being physically fit can hold a lot of value to people. That’s probably why the fitness industry is one of the largest globally and valued at around $100 billion. With links to health and wellness, being physically fit has become a massive aspiration for many. It’s spoken about as if there’s an invisible threshold you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":4766,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n Being classed as physically fit holds both social and personal value to people. That\u2019s why the fitness industry is one of the largest in the world and is valued at around $100 billion<\/a>. With links to health and wellness, being physically fit has become a huge aspiration to people. We\u2019ve all heard of and eyerolled at #fitspo.<\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n As with anything, there are both positive and negative impacts that come hand in hand with fitness culture. The positives are drilled into us. The benefits of exercise are widely documented with an unrivalled body of research behind them. There\u2019s an overwhelming list. Reduced risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, joint pain, and cancers for a start. Not to mention the positive impacts on mental health and sleep. It\u2019s pretty much undeniable.<\/p>\r\n\r\n We\u2019re stating the obvious here, but its important to set the scene before mentioning that amongst all the positive impacts of the fitness industry and it\u2019s brilliant effects on people\u2019s health and lifestyle, there are problematic pockets. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Fitness culture can motivate, be rewarding, and bring confidence. But not everybody feels that way all of the time. Fitness culture can also be really intimidating. Measuring progress against others and not ourselves. Seeing exercise as a punishment rather than a reward. Basing success on only the number of calories burned or the amount of sweat on our foreheads. These normalised approaches to exercise can nurture unhealthy comparisons, feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, and guilt. At the extreme end, it normalises dysfunctional relationships with exercise and food. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Fitness fads may come and go. But what is consistent is an appearance driven notion of fitness ideals. We\u2019re only fit if we look a certain way, right? At one point it was all about the #thighgap<\/i> but now it\u2019s #bootygains<\/i>. We fool ourselves into thinking that we\u2019ve made societal progress because we\u2019re now championing #strongnotskinny<\/i>. When really, the notion is the same. Reducing fitness and exercise to just the aesthetics and ignoring the individual. And although women feel this pressure disproportionately, men can feel it too. It becomes all about the #gains. <\/p>\r\n\r\n We tend to define fitness with a global glance and reduce it down to what we look like. And whilst body composition does come into it, it\u2019s only one part of what fitness involves and is more to do with internal ratios than what size clothing we need.<\/p>\r\n\r\n So, what really is fitness? What does it mean to be fit? How can we find a definition and a value that suits us, encourages us to get involved, and plays the perfect role in our lifestyles?<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n \r\n\r\n A good place to start is acknowledging that when we talk about fitness, we\u2019re often referring to physical fitness. But there are other types too. Skill related fitness, nutritional fitness, mental and emotional fitness. A good reminder that our wellbeing isn\u2019t solely made up from our bodies ability to do squats.<\/p>\r\n\r\n In terms of physical fitness, our capabilities can be put into four categories. Cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility\/mobility. (Body composition can also be seen as a component of physical fitness but isn\u2019t linked to a particular exercise and describes your body fat\/bone\/water\/muscle ratio). With physical fitness, you can excel in one type and struggle with the other. Another reminder to help broaden our perspective a little. People can have different levels of fitness in different categories.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Cardiovascular fitness<\/b> is our body\u2019s ability to deal with oxygen. In particular, the efficiency with which our lungs and heart can take it in, transport it, and use it to fuel our movements. Activities that test and develop our cardiovascular fitness, or cardio as we like to shorten it to, are things like running, swimming, cycling, and most sports.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Often, when people think about their muscles, they think about strength exclusively. But it\u2019s not the only type of muscular fitness. Muscular strength<\/b> relates to the amount of force a muscle can exert. It requires a certain type of muscle fibre. As our strength grows, the amount of these types of fibres increase, and our muscle mass will increase with it. Strength lets us lift heavy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Muscular endurance<\/b>, is another type of muscular fitness. It relates to the amount of time our muscles can work for without getting tired. The force here is less relevant, and it\u2019s more about the prolonged demand our muscles can deal with. Muscular endurance requires a different type of muscle fibre. As your endurance increases, these fibres will too, but they\u2019re less likely to cause huge growth in muscle mass like strength fibres might. Endurance lets us go for longer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n In real life, you need both muscular strength and muscular endurance. The type of exercise you do will determine which type of fitness you\u2019re testing more.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Flexibility and mobility<\/b> are a grossly underrated elements of fitness. They get neglected a lot. But without them, we\u2019d be unable to do all our bodily movements. Flexibility is the ability of our muscles to lengthen. Mobility is our range of motion within a joint. Maintaining good levels of these is integral to keeping active and injury free.<\/p>\r\n\r\n In reality, exercise doesn\u2019t improve one element of fitness exclusively. Activities, exercises, and workouts will probably test more than one type of fitness at a time. A Yoga session will probably test your muscular endurance, a bit of strength, and your flexibility. A HIIT class will likely test your cardiovascular fitness, your strength, and your endurance. A weightlifting session will probably have a go at your muscular strength and endurance. <\/p>\r\n\r\n The point of this isn\u2019t to get overwhelmed with all the things we need to consider regarding fitness. We don\u2019t need to have a checklist that we tick off to make sure we attend to every element equally and frequently. It\u2019s just about understanding the reductive view we\u2019ve developed of what fitness looks like. Fitness means more than just how long we spend at the bench press.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n At what point can we say we are fit? As with most things, the answer to complex questions like this is usually the same. It depends on the individual. Quantitative measures of fitness will differ between men and women. Between old people and young people. Between parents and people without children. The list goes on. The NHS guidelines<\/a> suggest that people aged 19-64 need to do 150 minutes of activity a week that is moderate in intensity. Or 75 minutes that\u2019s vigorous in intensity. What classifies as intense will be very different depending on the individual and their current fitness levels. Still vague.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Stripping it back, fitness is a physical state of health and well being that means we\u2019re suitable to fulfil a role or task. So, what determines if we\u2019re fit or not is what we need to be physically suitable and fit for<\/b>. Fitness for professional athletes means being fit enough to qualify for the Olympics. Fitness for a first-time marathon runner means being fit enough to finish all 26.2 miles. Fitness for Melanie from Herne Hill means being able to stay on her feet all week at her job as a retail assistant and play netball with her friends at the weekend.<\/p>\r\n\r\n You know when you say a word so many times it loses all meaning? We\u2019ve done that with fitness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n We can always be motivated to do better, but that doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019re not enough right now. Remembering that fitness is defined by the individual and not by the appearance of abs is a good start. It\u2019s time to re-calibrate our mindsets and understand what fitness means to us and the role it should play in our lives.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n Finding the right role for fitness and exercise in our lives is rooted in understanding and being motivated by the benefits it can bring us. <\/p>\r\n\r\n That doesn\u2019t mean shaming those who want to embark on weight-loss or appearance driven journey. It\u2019s okay to want to look a certain way. It\u2019s okay to use exercise as a tool to do that. But at the same time, we need to understand that it\u2019s not the sole purpose for exercising and it\u2019s not a long-term reason to keep it in our lives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Exercise so that your body feels better. Exercise so that your mind feels clearer. Exercise so that you\u2019re able to do something. Exercise so that you\u2019re able to maintain energy, keep up with your demanding lifestyle, and stay healthy. Motivations to exercise span far beyond what lots of us reduce them to.<\/b> They go way beyond \u2018blasting belly fat\u2019.<\/p>\r\n\r\n There\u2019s a movement that\u2019s increasing in momentum about intuitive fitness. It\u2019s born out of a troublesome relationship that many people have experienced with exercise. When the drive to go to the gym is fuelled only by pressure, guilt, and an unsustainable expectation of ourselves, it becomes toxic. The true reasons for exercising take a back seat. Ironically, in pursuit of peak physical fitness, mental and emotional fitness suffers. <\/p>\r\n\r\nWhat are the different types of physical fitness?<\/h1>\n
Cardiovascular fitness<\/h2>\n
Muscular Strength<\/h2>\n
Muscular Endurance<\/h2>\n
Flexibility\/Mobility<\/h2>\n
How do you define fitness?<\/h1>\n
\nAt what point can we say we are fit? As with most things, the answer to complex questions like this is usually the same. It depends on the individual. <\/p>\nHow do you improve fitness?<\/h1>\n
Because we all have different starting points, the route to increasing fitness will be different too. However, some fundamental principles of training help guide us into understanding how changes will occur.
\u00a0<\/p>\nThe Principles of Training<\/h2>\n
Make it specific<\/h2>\n
This rule gets quite granular, even within a particular type of fitness. For example, you can develop incredible aerobic fitness and be a brilliant runner. Still, you won’t perform at a really high standard on the bicycle if you haven’t trained on it.
\u00a0<\/p>\nPlan for progression<\/h2>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\nUnderstand it’s reversible<\/h2>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\nPrioritise recovery<\/h2>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\nRemember your individuality<\/h2>\n
How to define fitness for yourself<\/h1>\n
The different types of fitness<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hussle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Fitness-Types.png\")
\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n \r\nDefining fitness levels<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hussle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Physical-fitness-pyramid.png\")
\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\nFinding out what fitness means for you<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n