What the heck is conditioning?

Conditioning is the process of getting your body used to certain activities. Your body will change with conditioning depending upon the type you are doing. Strength training helps you to build stronger muscles. Cardio training helps your lungs and circulatory system to adjust to be better able to distribute oxygen throughout the body. You can condition your body to relax and rest more effectively. You can condition your body to use nutrients better. Basically, you are getting your body in the groove to perform at its best. It takes time, but is worth it. Your body will function better than ever before when it is in condition.

Athletes may undertake specific types of conditioning such as agility, speed, power, etc. Most common people are interested in general strength and health. General strength condition training is accomplished by resistance, or weights. The resistance of the muscle against a weight builds it up and the result is better strength. Strength training is a very important element of health because a stronger muscle continues to burn energy long after it has stopped working out. That means that calories are being burned for that amount of time as well. Strength training is a foundation for weight management.

Cardio conditioning helps to optimize the lungs and circulatory system. It is also called aerobic exercise. Cardio training increases the amount of air that needs to go in and come out at an increased rate. This helps to keep the heart healthy. It takes a lot energy to do cardio because it is usually of low intensity but long duration. Keeping the heart rate up and at a steady pace is the aim of cardio training. Performing aerobic activity also creates a lot of energy. Cardio conditioning is part of a balanced exercise program.

Training your body to rest and relax is also very important. Conditioning can help you to be in better control of your body. This can help you to be ready to handle any situation. Learning to rest and relax helps you to handle stressful situations properly and minimize damage to the body and the health. Training may consist of yoga type exercises, mediation practices, or some forms of karate. There are many ways to teach your body to rest, most involve plenty of practice. It is another element that should be part of a regular health program. Get your body exactly where you want it with conditioning.