General Conditioning – does it even exist, and if so, how do we improve it? Plus, the *BACK BURNER STRATEGY REVEALED* teaching you how to master several different physical skills or fitness qualities simultaneously

The phrase General Conditioning has problems in and of itself because we don’t know what we’re talking about. There isn’t a world-wide definition of what general conditioning entails. Certainly, general conditioning is different from one person to the next. The general conditioning of an olympic swimmer is very different than the general conditioning of a traveling businessman. The U.S. military has a different definition than the Chinese military. Even U.S. colleges have different definitions of what general conditioning is.

Think about it…

Is being able to run a 10k in 50 minutes good general conditioning?

What about being able to do 10 pullups, 30 pushups, and 50 bodyweight squats?

How about being able to carry an 80 lb rucksack through moderate-difficult terrain for a weekend?

Aren’t those all qualities of general conditioning?

So, the first problem is that general conditioning requires a definition – which immediately makes that conditioning SPECIFIC. Even if you make the definition of general conditioning very broad, you still have specific means of obtaining it.
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Specificity in Training – How much carry-over does weight lifting have in real life? Will your time under the iron help you on the field, on the mat, or in the ring?

I have read numerous studies that have concluded that specific weight lifting activities have very little, if any, carry-over to athletic activities. It sounds crazy, I know. Believe me, I was pretty skeptical when I started reading these research abstracts myself. How could getting stronger hinder an athletes performance? Isn’t it the biggest, strongest, fastest athletes that are always the best? These questions were racing through my mind, and I had to ask myself, “how much does my training help me perform?”
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4-week Sample Strength Training Program for your Workout Routine: Using Only Dumbbell Weight Training and Bodyweight exercise – by John Sifferman

Description: This is a general physical preparedness (GPP) style program that can be used for a variety of goals including fat loss, building muscle, and building your overall work capacity (AKA “gas tank”).  Please note that this is not a specific program for specific athletic goals, rather a generalized program for simple goals such as body composition changes.  With every sample strength training program, please note that you have individual needs, that you are not a blank slate, that you have a lifetime of conditioning under your belt (whether you like your conditioning or not).  You will need to supplement this program with training for your individual needs, and may need to substitute some of the exercises with others.  Also recognize that not all goals can be achieved strictly through exercise – some require very specific lifestyle adjustments to be achieved.  For instance, fat loss is dependent on the principle of energy balance, (and ensuring you are in a caloric deficit) as opposed to simply training harder or longer.  In order for any strength training program to be effective, you must consider all of the variables needed to achieve your goals.

This program requires minimal equipment and can be performed at home or at the gym.  There are three, full body strength training sessions per week, performed on non-consecutive days, for four weeks.

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