What is conditioning?

Question

I see this term used a lot. What is conditioning really mean?

Is conditioning a general method of improving all facets of physical fitness? Or is conditioning specific to the activity, like conditioning for cross-country different from conditioning for football?

Answer 1

Conditioning is a term used widely by many fields. Doctors usually asses people as in fair, good, or excellent condition....this reference means they are functioning at homeostasis....no illness or structural abnormalities...it doesn't mean they are in shape-or fit.
In the fitness/sports arena,generally conditioning doesn't speak of a specific method to become fit...it refers to all facets of physical fitness though, as you mentioned. For the most part, it refers to you fitness in aerobic,anaerobic,glycolytic, and lactic energy systems. Breaking it down, yes, you have different methods to become fit and different goals for various tasks, again as you mentioned, the conditiong for a runner is different from the conditioning of a football player

Answer 2

I believe that we all do the best we can based on our knowledge/understanding and "the hand we're dealt". Although wrong choices are often made, the most honest explanation one can ever give is, "It seemed like a good idea at the time." We inhabit a rock that hurtles through space at high speeds around a ball of fire. It's kind of comical when you think about it. The thing is, we are all on this flying rock together and nobody has any control over the direction it takes, and our lives depend on this rock holding its course around the fireball and not getting too close or too far away. We have no control over the big things, so we try to control small things to comfort ourselves with the illusion that the small things actually make a difference. I know that sounds kind of pessimistic, but I've found that with acceptance comes peace. As humans, we tend to take on burdens and hold ourselves responsible for things that are out of our control. Can you steer the Earth? I can't.

Answer 3

Hi, conditioning is overall cardio vascular ect. improvement on your body-- before you participate in a sport.

I just completed conditioning for wretsling at my school and it is just getting your body in shape.

Our practice consisted of 1 hour running around the mat, non-stop w/pushups and situps in between. Wrestling moves and other strengthening moves were called out during the running such as:

Back Pedals
"Shooting"
Frog Jumps
Duck Walks
&
Many diffrent kinds of rolls

Then for 20-30 minutes we would go outside and run the amphitheater stairs. After the first week i thought i couldn't ever go back but something made me... and i could do that just about anyday.

That is just about living proof that conditioning works, i can withstand 3-4 hours of practice everyday now... that would never have been possible.

Answer 4

Uh, you've answered your own question....Whatever event you are going after you should condition/mold yourself to "fit" that particular event so you will have enduarance.....can you really see a football player running cross country? Could you see an olympic swimmer or tennis player playing football? Can you see a .....well, you get my point