What is this podcast about?

In the inaugural episode, Dr. Dan addresses this question.

He provides several potential definitions for fitness, and discusses some necessary criteria for quantifying changes in fitness.

Different aspects of fitness are considered, laying the framework for future episodes.

Show Notes:

Work Capacity Graph

Episode Transcript:

Thank you for tuning into the inaugural episode of the Exploring Fitness Podcast!

For those who do not know me, my name is Dan Dallatore. I am a doctor of physical therapy and founder of Infinite Capacity Physical Therapy, where, as performance physical therapists, we specialize in helping active people both prevent injuries and help them minimize symptoms so they can maximize their fitness.

But what does that mean? What does it mean to maximize your fitness?

If we want to try and maximize something, we should probably start by defining the thing we are trying to affect or change. In this case… fitness.

Looking to the good old Merriam-Webster dictionary for a definition, we get:

-          The quality or state of being fit

Well, I thought we were taught in grade school that you aren’t supposed to use the word you’re trying to define in the definition

Moving on, Wikipedia provides a slightly better definition of:

-          A state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of sports, occupations and daily activities

Okay… but if we’re trying to affect, improve, and maximize something, we need to be able to measure it.

In order for us to be able to know for certain that change is happening, that state of health and well-being should be measurable, observable, and repeatable.

So we need a better definition of fitness which is able to serve this purpose.

As a physical therapist, I use the process of measure, observe, and repeat on a daily basis. We are constantly measuring people’s pain levels, range of motion, strength, balance, ability to perform functional movements, etc., then observing as we perform interventions to positively affect those things, and repeating the measurements for proof of change throughout a patient’s plan of care.

So when I was first introduced to the same concept applying to fitness, it made total sense and I was instantly on board.

Pretty early in my career, I was introduced to the world of functional fitness through a series of post-graduate continuing education courses. These courses got me doing functional movements that I had never before been exposed to like the overhead squat with a barbell and performing workouts like I had never done before with high-intensity interval training and metabolic conditioning workouts.

The movements, concepts, and methodology behind these courses was largely based on the sport of CrossFit. So, as a result, I have been participating in CrossFit since 2018, opened a physical therapy office inside of a CrossFit gym in 2020, took the Level 1 CrossFit Trainer course in 2021, began coaching CrossFit classes in 2021, and took the Level 2 CrossFit Trainer course in 2022.

Now, I am a firm believer that CrossFit can be for ANYONE, but it isn’t for everyone. Meaning, the movements and workouts are infinitely scalable so anyone is capable of doing them. I’ve seen people in their 80’s doing CrossFit workouts alongside people in their 20’s. But, it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea.

So, regardless of your personal feelings or views of CrossFit, please stick with me here. While CrossFit is the vessel by which the following information will be presented, I strongly believe that the information is extremely valuable to EVERYONE, no matter your preferred fitness regimen.

One thing that CrossFit does extremely well is defining things. CrossFit even went to the extend to define itself, which is:

-          CrossFit = CVFMHI

They then go on to further define each of the individual components in detail:

-          Constantly Varied

-          Functional Movements

-          High Intensity

CrossFit also has a definition of Fitness:

-          Fitness = WCABTMD

Work capacity they use synonymously with the measure of Power.

Broad time domains refers to performing workouts of varying lengths. Everything from a very quick lift like a 1RM of an Olympic lift like the snatch or clean and jerk to a longer workout like a 10K run or maybe even a marathon.

Broad modal domains meaning a wide variety of movement types.

They display how this can even be graphed by putting work capacity (power) on the y-axis and time on the x-axis with plot points representing power output across time through the completion of different modes of exercise. With the resultant area under the curve representing an individual’s fitness.

CrossFit also describes 4 supporting models for their methodology:

1.      10 General Physical Skills

a.      Balance of physiological adaptation

                                                              i.      Cardiorespiratory Endurance

                                                            ii.      Strength

                                                          iii.      Stamina

                                                           iv.      Flexibility

                                                            v.      Power

                                                           vi.      Speed

                                                         vii.      Coordination

                                                       viii.      Agility

                                                           ix.      Accuracy

                                                             x.      Balance

2.      The Hopper Model

a.      Balance of skills and drills

3.      Metabolic Pathways

a.      Balance of bioenergentics

4.      Sickness-Wellness-Fitness Continuum

a.      Balance of lifestyle

Each of these in and of themselves could, and very well might end up, as their own episodes on this podcast.

And finally, there is the epic of CrossFit founder Greg Glassman:

-          Fitness in 100 Words

o   “Eat meat & vegetables, nuts & seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise, but not body fat. Practice & train major lifts: Deadlifts, cleans, squats, presses, C&Js, and snatch. Similarly master the basics of gymnastics: Pullups, dips, rope climbs, pushups, situps, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, row, swim, etc. hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.”

Across each of these sources, CrossFit does an excellent job of defining fitness. It has been able to provide guidance on how to measure, observe, and repeat. It provides an overarching view what fitness is, and how to achieve it.

Because ultimately, fitness is relatable to every single person on this planet. As stated in the CrossFit Level 1 Handbook:

“The needs of an Olympic athlete and our grandparents differ by degree not kind. One is looking for functional dominance, the other for functional competence. Competence and dominance manifest through identical physiological mechanisms.”

These definitions will serve as the framework for this podcast with the purpose of diving even deeper into these definitions, methodologies, models, and mechanisms.

I invite you along on this journey with us as we continue Exploring Fitness. The goal will be to dive into as many aspects of fitness as possible, by talking with experts in their respective fields.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to this episode, and I hope you join us again.