How do you define 'fit'?

[Hip Priest]

I normally cycle 80-100 miles a week, which leads my sedentary work colleagues to describe me as 'super fit'. However, the better cyclists I know leave me for dead on climbs, so they'd describe me as unfit.

Of course, in comparison to cyclists who race, at any level, we're probably all dreadfully unfit.

So can you define fitness, or is it just all relative?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Depending on which component of fitness you mean (physical/mental&emotional/medical/nutritional/social)

Robergs and Roberts 1997
"A state of wellbeing the provides optimal performance"

McArdle et al 2001
"Attributes related to how well one performs physical activity"

"Fitness if the successful adaptation to the stresses of ones lifestyle"

"The ability to carry out everyday tasks with vigour and without excess stress or fatigue"


Or something

 

[Sittingduck]

I reckon it's the latter.

 

[vernon]

So can you define fitness, or is it just all relative?

The ability to wind up my watch without getting out of breath.

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

I normally cycle 80-100 miles a week, which leads my sedentary work colleagues to describe me as 'super fit'. However, the better cyclists I know leave me for dead on climbs, so they'd describe me as unfit.

Of course, in comparison to cyclists who race, at any level, we're probably all dreadfully unfit.

So can you define fitness, or is it just all relative?

Maybe you are a bit heavy? I am, I can't climb but on the flat into a gale I tow the grimpeurs behind me.

 

[Hip Priest]

The ability to wind up my watch without getting out of breath.

Ah, my friends are right. I am unfit!

 

[Hip Priest]

Maybe you are a bit heavy? I am, I can't climb but on the flat into a gale I tow the grimpeurs behind me.

I'm definitely too heavy. I did a century recently and found the distance quite easy, but there were four bad climbs that really took it out of me. One was so hard I had to stop at the top to get my breath back.

 

[MattHB]

I'm definitely too heavy. I did a century recently and found the distance quite easy, but there were four bad climbs that really took it out of me. One was so hard I had to stop at the top to get my breath back.

It might be you're not too heavy, but need more power. If you can't alter one, alter the other. If you alter both, do it.

For me 'fit' is the ability to do whatever it is that I want to do. To start with that was 20 miles without dying.. Now it's to lead a fast group for 75 miles at 18-19mph average over hilly terrain.

However fit you are, you'll always want to be fitter, and there will always be someone fitter than you

 

[ufkacbln]

.. and I was looking forward to more sexism and sexual objectification of the opposite sex!


I think it is relative....

To someone who doesn't cycle then a trip round to the shops is inconceivable, so someone who does your kind of distances is something for which they have no comparison - hence the "super fit"

However if you have an Audaxer who does your 100 miles before breakfast then they will see you as fit, but not especially so

The important question is how you feel.

I am not as fast as I used to be, but that is a function of age.....

 

[Smurfy]

How do you define 'fit'?

Being capable of ascending the cow-and-calf on fixed is a good benchmark for me.

 

[edwardd67]

Regardless of how fast or fit ,you're fitter than the people sitting on their sofa!

 

[ColinJ]

In the first half of last year, I would have described myself as 'pretty unfit'. By the standards of fit cyclists, that was true. It wasn't long, however, before illness made me appreciate just how fit I had been. And then I lost all that fitness and had to start building it up again from scratch.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

In the first half of last year, I would have described myself as 'pretty unfit'. By the standards of fit cyclists, that was true. It wasn't long, however, before illness made me appreciate just how fit I had been. And then I lost all that fitness and had to start building it up again from scratch.

You've never mentioned this before.... EVER.

 

[black'n'yellow]

It might be you're not too heavy, but need more power.

Fitness in that context means being able to sustain the power you have - not create more.

 

[Sittingduck]

Regarding weight and climbing. I agree it's a big disadvantage but also believe that you can train yourself to be able to climb quite well, even if you are a cpl of stone overweight. I guess that's fitness, coming into play to trump donut abuse.