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Total Fitness Is The Goal, Can We Make It A Reality?

Total fitness is an ideal we all aspire to reach.

But how do we define it? How do we know if we are going in the right direction? To be fit means being able to do what you need to do and to do it well.

A swimmer may not be fit to run a marathon; a squash player could struggle to at the 100m hurdles. They are fit for their own sport because that is what they train for.

If You Want To Be Fit Ask Yourself...
Fit For What?

Fitness is relative. Relative to the demands you place on your body. The ultimate goal, in my view, is the ability to meet the challenges that life throws at you. Not just your sport, but your career, your family and your leisure pursuits. If you can successfully handle life and not let your health suffer then this is approaching the ideal.

We hear about the 3s', that is, strength, stamina and suppleness as attributes that determine your level of fitness, I would like to add two more, the first is synchronisation (coordination as we know it but it does begin with S). You may have strength but if the appropriate muscles are not firing at the right time, their strength will work against you. This may be resistance to a movement adding to the effort required, or worse still injury.

The other is judgement (okay I know this one doesn't begin with S!). Your 4s' are not worth much if you cannot make the right decision at the appropriate time. This may be during the course of play or about when you train or what sort of training you do.

Injuries can occur when wrong decisions are made. What if you decide to train too soon after a big event? You may have chosen a fitness program that is unsuitable for your sport. You may judge a shot to be possible but injury yourself if you have misjudged the distance. From a performance view, you may miss your chance to take the lead if you choose the wrong moment to up your pace. Can your read the game and make appropriate decisions? Are these qualities people consider when training for total fitness?

So your fitness to perform in your sport and away from it relies heavily on your ability to assess a situation and to act upon what you see. Your actions will be based upon your previous experiences, but are these reliable?

One obstacle you will have to face is habit. Habit is the hidden element in your pursuit of total fitness. It determines the way you move, what you feel and how you react. Are you aware of how much habit influences your performance? Try my Ultimate fitness test - its not what you think.

Did you have a go? Were you surprised at how habits may be limiting your performance. Your reliance on habit will also affect your judgement because you will react without allowing yourself to think - some call it a knee jerk reaction. So in addition to training your 4s'(your sport will dictate the requirements), you also need to practice your ability to stop and think. Athletes refer to this as being in the moment or the here and now. You will not usually find techniques to train this ability in most fitness programs.

My fitness philosophy
I see fitness in a different way to most. It's not about exercise, it's about personal development through challenging yourself.



What my clients say about our programs for total fitness
I appreciate you may not have come across an approach to training such as mine. Take a look at what my clients have said about the program.

Running for fitness Running is an extremely useful activity to help your develop total fitness. Take a look at running from a different angle and change how you see it.

Swimming for fitness
Swimming provides an excellent way to total fitness, especially if combined with sports such as running.

Running for total fitness
Dr Romanov of POSETECH has developed a radical new approach to running that helps to develop your mind as you run. I have tried his method and would recommend you take a look at their products.




Want to ask a question?
My view of what fitness means and how it can be attained is different to the conventional approach. If there is anything on this page that you would like to follow up please feel free to contact me



Copyright 2005 Roy Palmer (Art of Performance)
e-mail: contact@artofperformance.co.uk

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FITNESS PROGRAMS

Fitness is about more than exercise. The most beneficial fitness programs are the ones that will keep you coming back for more.

If it's dull, you won't train!

My programs are designed to challenge both your mind and body - see below.


About Me


I've spent 15 years teaching sports people the Alexander Technique. This remarkable movement system helps to improve performance, posture and mental awareness whilst reducing the risk of injury.

To read more about me and my approach, please click here.


FREE Fitness Program


Try something different! My FREE Body Awareness Fitness Program may give you a few surprises about your body and movement.

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Take Your Performance To The Next Level


Discover how you can perform at you peak with my critically acclaimed book, see mental sports training for details.


Rowing Machine Workouts


Get the best results from your rower with my Complete Rowing Machine Workout Program.


Run For Your Life!


There's so much more to running than ...just running! Get into the best shape of your life by discovering how to get into the best mental state to run. Includes bonus programs and audio downloads.
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Get A Fit Posture


A good posture has so many benefits! A poor posture not only doesn't look good, it can be the cause of poor performance and sports injuries

My program will show you how to achieve a perfect posture for life and your sport. For more information see improve your posture.



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