Conditioning Vs. Fitness

With paddling season around the corner it’s a great time to put a game plan in place to  prepare for the upcoming season.  The key is to approach the new year with  the mindset of sustaining the momentum throughout the year with a program that is  progressive, fun, and prepares you mentally as well as physically for training and  competition.     

As an Outrigger Canoe World Sprint Champion and Vitality Coach, I have spent the last  30 years preparing myself to be in the position to help people find their champion  within.  Through improving their vitality and well-being, I support people by coaching  the whole person, as well as continue to implement these practices myself and  compete at a high level (and parenting too).  This last year working at The Taylor  Group I have added vitality to up-level my game as a coach and athlete.  I am part of a  team that supports all the aspects that make up the whole person, customizing our  coaching to meet the unique needs of our clients for the growth and development of  their business and themselves.   

To begin mapping out your vitality journey in the coming year, let’s first provide some  clarity on the difference between fitness and conditioning. They often get collapsed  together, but are actually two different things.   

Fitness​ is a measure of physical qualities that create the potential for performance.  Some of these physical qualities include resting heart rate, joint mobility, aerobic  capacity, heart rate variability, etc.   

Conditioning​ is the physical and mental ability to utilize your fitness, and meet the  demands of your environment. Someone can have a high fitness level (high potential  for performance), and still have poor conditioning.   

Why is conditioning important for ​everyone​, not just competitive athletes?  Conditioning is the key to improving your ability to navigate and cope with the many  stressors you encounter in daily life, as well as any sports and activities. Conditioning  helps you more effectively utilize your background fitness level to meet and overcome  real-world scenarios, and achieve long-term goals.  Adding conditioning into your life  can help you feel, look, and perform your best while decreasing your risk for injuries and chronic health issues. Conditioning supports CEOs who need to train like  Quarterbacks to stay on top of their business. It helps competitors of all ages to stay  on top of their A-game when they perform, and helps people in everyday life to have  the energy to endure all that comes their way.   

As paddlers (who also have jobs, families, etc.), there is a great opportunity to use the  love of the paddling sport of choice to provide a way to train conditioning levels and  increase fitness levels to support sport performance as well as everyday life. Here are  some tips to keep in mind when creating a conditioning program: 

● Have a vision in mind of where you want to go 

● Develop a quality aerobic fitness base to support your ability to perform as well  as recover optimally 

● Implement practices to support adapting to stressors of the environment you  will be performing in 

● Develop quality of movement for it is crucial to conditioning because it drives  energy production and usage 

● Create a practice mindset program that is consistent to support your ability to  create the skills you need to optimize your performance   

Having a map that progresses and supports you on the journey of where you want to  go helps create a successful and enjoyable program that can carry you into 2019 with  sustained momentum! All the best in 2019 and happy paddling!!!   

You can contact Lori for more information at  http://www.taylorgroup.com/team/lori-jorgenson/ 

-Lori Jorgenson