Let’s take a look at how to accurately define fitness. It is the ability to adapt to a specific task or sport with capacity to build SPRADA & SEB. SPRADA being Speed, Power, Reaction, Agility, De-acceleration, Acceleration & SEB; known as Strength, Endurance, Balance. These elements are extremely important to every athlete. Briefly defining each element will give you a better understanding of how it impacts your fitness level.
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Speed is a measure of the body’s ability to move one or all parts as fast as possible, through a range of motion in a direct and deliberate direction or path.
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Power is the explosive force a muscle or combination of muscles can deliver with maximum speed and energy in a given task.
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Reaction time is an ability to consistently respond to stimuli or task quickly and efficiently.
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Agility is the ability to rapidly, precisely and accurately change the body’s direction at a high speed. It is a dynamic combination of speed, balance, power and coordination.
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De-acceleration is the ability to move and or slow down the body in a multi-directional capacity while adjusting the level of speed in a given task. This is a tactic that athletes can use to expose opponents by faking or biting on a move. Let’s be clear, not all De-acceleration is stopping! Most of the time it is changing direction or cutting at different angles while changing the level of speed.
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Acceleration is the ability to reach maximum top speed in the absolute shortest amount of time, while maintaining body control.
Many powerful athletes from around the world have adapted and enhanced their professional careers using the SPRADA training technique. The elements of SEB can also be incorporated to give you an incredible fitness workout!
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Strength is the ability to exert maximum force of any given muscle contraction.
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Endurance is the body’s ability to exert energy in a sustained fashion and remain active for a long period. Durability, stamina, resistance and ability to break through lactic acid thresholds all are factors of endurance.
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Balance is the body’s ability to maintain coordination and equilibrium when the body is moving or even in a stationary position.
Increasing work capacity and density, in different time parameters and specific areas will determine exactly how “fit” you become at what you are doing. Fitness is not only adapting, but becoming extremely efficient at the sport or task at hand. A professional football player comes in many levels and skill sets will vary. Only the elite professionals are a step above the rest, because they have mastered fitness for their specific task. To be a true athlete you need to train using SPRADA and SEB. By training for speed, power, reaction time, agility, deacceleration, acceleration, strength, endurance and balance you gain the techniques required to become a true athletic human machine!
As a former football player, it is my opinion that Walter Payton and Barry Sanders were two of the best running backs of all time primarily because of their consistent ability to out perform the other running backs in the NFL. Based on performance I have seen, Walter Payton is the "fittest" running back of all time with Barry in a close 2nd. In turn, this makes fitness a term that can compare people’s fitness level at which they are performing to other equals doing the same task or sport. If subject #1 weighs 170lbs and bench presses 315lbs 20 times and subject #2 weighs 170lbs and bench presses 315lbs 30 times, Subject #2 would win the fitness title in my book. You get the idea.
Now you have a breakdown of fitness and a better understanding of SPRADA and SEB. Using this knowledge, evaluate your fitness levels to see where you might have room for improvement.
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