Physical Condition Essay, Research Paper
In a world driven by a society obsessed with wanting to look and stay healthy, people would give anything to look more like the poster-child for Calvin Klein adds. However, not all people seem willing to make the necessary sacrifices to conquer what seems an unattainable task. Everybody wants to look like a model or just simply be happy with his or her physical appearance, but when they learn that going from a beer belly to a washboard stomach doesn?t come over night, these same people become discouraged. These people, or ?frauds? as you might call them, can be instantly spotted?old fogies with jet-black hair, blubbery bikers in spandex shorts, or lazy exercisers without work habits. They are the kind of people who buy a membership to their fitness club at the beginning of the year, use the pass four days a week for the first three weeks, and maybe go back three times the rest of the year. However, with just a little dedication, and a little devotion of spare time, anyone can improve his or her level of condition?no matter what that level is.
Everyone has walked down the grocery store aisle and passed the ?muscle magazines.? If you ever picked one of these up and looked at it, you would?ve seen the freakish human beings that call themselves body builders because the mass of their muscle exceeds even the wildest dream of the average man. These men devote the better part of their lives trying to look like that. Putting themselves through countless tests of will power and dedication, reaching their ?level? of fitness has come at a price?a price that not many of us seem willing to pay. Some of these bodybuilders are willing to pay such a price that they will do anything to reach their goal, even if it means putting some of the most dangerous supplements for the body into their system. This is when it goes too far. This is when becoming a fit person no longer becomes just a goal, but instead, an obsession. However, many of them do not use these drugs or steroids and just simply make weight-lifting life. This level of condition is probably not what you want, and is certainly not what I want. But, props must be given to these individuals for setting goals, sacrificing, and reaching them.
Another level of condition that every American strives for is definitely athleticism. Even though you may be in good shape, or even great shape, when you spend your first evening on the basketball court this season, play your first sets of tennis this year, try your first day on the ski slopes, or maybe you decide it?s time to try paddling white water for the first time, you will end up damn sore somewhere the next day. There really is no way to avoid this. However, there are ways to prepare yourself and even avoid some of these problems. ?Training? for these sports can be an answer of bringing yourself to a new level of condition. Simply conditioning yourself, eating halfway healthy, drinking plenty of water, and most importantly stretching after exercise will make you and your body more athletically inclined. I?m not saying that you will be able to ski down every double black-diamond trail if you run every once in a while and drink water, but I am saying becoming more athletically fit will decrease the amount of pain you feel the next day. However, you must to start somewhere. Once again, you cannot become athletically fit overnight. You must work towards your fitness level, and remember that sports are fun, but you get in shape to play them, not vice versa.
Finally, what everyone needs, and maybe doesn?t want?an exercise routine. Not muscle freaks, or maybe not even athletic condition, but fitness. Don?t get me wrong, both of these others don?t seem bad, but fitness is the building block of both of these levels of condition. And it definitely is not easy. Working out is definitely not a labor of love, but more like hard labor. Surprisingly, you don?t need to join a gym, you don?t need to sweat everyday, and you don?t need to workout more than an hour on the days you do train. Just a little effort will pay major dividends until you feel ready to reach for your own level of condition. Doing simple things such as dieting and exercise will help you make leaps and bounds in the direction of your goal.
Everybody wants to be in shape, and can be in shape. How one goes about it, however, reveals a lot about how much it really matters to them and how high they want to reach. Just remember that nothing comes easy. Anybody who says building and maintaining a strong, muscular, and aerobically fit physique is easy either doesn?t have one, or is a card-carrying member of the sperm club?s fitness division. It?s hard lifting weights, and it?s exhausting riding a stationary bike or working a stair climber until you?re drenched with sweat. If you?d like to maximize whatever time you can devote to improve your level of fitness, and your quality of life, make the necessary sacrifices and quit looking for the easy way out.
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