Adaptation

Adaptation is a part of life. As human beings we are constantly adapting to our surrounding environment and circumstances.

It’s all part of evolution. It’s all part of life. Adapting to situations, each day, whether you know it or not, in an unconscious attempt to improve and make each situation as comfortable as possible.

Where does all of this fit with health and fitness I hear you ask??

Well, adaptation is HUGE if you want to improve your health, fitness, and ultimately your body.

Back to the evolution bit. Our bodies are incredible things. Over millions of years we have evolved into the incredible creatures we are today. And this is due to our ability to adapt to the changing world.

So, in relation to health and fitness. Our ability to adapt will play a huge part in your search for your goals. As we exercise, we create a stimulus that shocks our bodies. This prompts a change within the body that tries to cope with the new stress that has been placed upon it. This forces our bodies to adapt to the new stimulus that it has been placed under.

So, it adapts, meaning your body will become more efficient at performing that exercise next time you do it.

Now, if we continue to use the same form exercise, with the same intensity, over and over again, your body will become used to that activity. You won’t be creating a new stimulus to help the body push itself. This is what we call a ‘plateau’ in your training.

So how do we change this? Well, you need to create a new stimulus for the body. New exercises. New levels of intensity. This will again shock the body, and it will have to adapt to solve the equation you have placed upon it. Which it will do.

We need to continually push ourselves because our bodies will adapt and improve, and eventually it will solve the equation. By continually mixing up your training, not only do you help to keep your mind active, but you will continually keep asking questions of your body, so it has no choice but to improve to try and make the situation as comfortable as possible for itself.

That’s why we need to keep trying to improve, or we will hit that ‘plateau’.

So, keep things fresh with your exercise. Set short term goals. Hit them, then move onto a new short-term goal. Constantly keep pushing yourself, and your body has no choice but to adapt.