What is body conditioning?

Ever heard the term ‘body conditioning’ thrown around and wondering what that really means? Well, we’ve got everything you need to know about what body conditioning is, the benefits and movements you can incorporate into your workouts to become a better athlete. Let’s dive right in…

What is body conditioning?

Body conditioning is based around certain exercises that help you to develop your overall physical fitness. These exercises are usually focused on your full body rather than isolated movements. 

Total body conditioning aims to improve strength and heart rate for general fitness as opposed to muscle growth. Although, body conditioning will help with this but on a more functional level as well. The easiest way to think about body conditioning is that it consists of cardiovascular exercises that improve aerobic fitness, muscular endurance and even flexibility.

How to start conditioning your body

If you’re a total beginner, it’s really easy to get started. Some light stretching, mobility work, walking, and low-level resistance training for 15 to 20 minutes a day is a great place to begin. You’ll soon notice an improvement and you can then look into incorporating those HIIT, total body conditioning workouts a few times a week. Just make sure to not overdo it and plan in rest days to make sure your body isn’t getting all the rest it needs.

It will take about 6-8 weeks for you to start noticing improvements, which isn’t a very long time at all when you think about it. So, no, body conditioning isn’t like weightlifting, you can take it at your own pace, and you’ll be noticing the changes in your fitness and abilities in no time.

Of course, it’s easier to get started with body conditioning if you’ve got all the right gear. Investing in premium sportswear, although more costly, is more durable for longevity and optimised for performance. So, get yourself a workout wardrobe you love and that makes you feel good and work hard.

Body conditioning exercises

There are so many body conditioning exercises which makes finding what works for you that bit easier. It’s probably best to do a little research into all the various exercises to see what takes your fancy. If you can, try to incorporate all three subsets of body conditioning exercises. They are strength, flexibility, and cardio. Obviously within that, there are endless combinations for you to choose from and make a workout plan you’ll love. For a general idea, here are a few examples of each:

You may be wondering why you need to train all three. Well, strength will help you with everyday tasks such as carrying and lifting things. Flexibility will improve your balance and general muscle wellbeing. And cardio looks after your heart, training it to handle aerobic activity. By combining all three, you’re really looking after your body, giving it the best possible functionality to make your life outside of the gym, easier. Working out isn’t all about looking good after all, it’s about making sure your body is healthy and happy.

What are the benefits of body conditioning?

Body conditioning is such an important part of training and for good reason. There are loads of benefits to body conditioning, but here are some of the top reasons you should incorporate it into your workouts:

Easy to do on your own

Total body conditioning exercises are incredibly easy to do unsupervised and even away from a gym setting. Those burpees and mountain climbers, for example, require no equipment, just enough space to move around. These can be done in your living room, garden, or even in your local park. It also means you can take your workout with you wherever you go, whether that’s on holiday or on a business trip. Body conditioning workouts are the best and easiest way of keeping fit without tying yourself to one place.

Trains your cardio ability

Like any cardio-based exercise, body conditioning gets your heart pumping which is great for improving your general fitness. Body conditioning can even strengthen your musculoskeletal system and improve bone density. All these things add up not just to your fitness levels, but your everyday health and wellbeing too.

Improves flexibility and mobility

Body conditioning is the opposite of isolated training. By working multiple muscle groups all at the same time, you can train your body to become more flexible and, over time, improve your mobility. Body conditioning is a lot like functional training, it replicates everyday movements that make your day-to-day life that bit easier. Plus, the earlier you start body conditioning, the better it is for your body as you age. Although, it’s never too late to start, you’d be surprised at how adaptable the body is once you get going.

Quick & time efficient

Without the need to travel to and from a gym and set up various weights and benches, body conditioning workouts are super quick. Body conditioning can be worked into a HIIT workout for a fast way to burn calories and train that heart.

Builds a healthier lifestyle

When it comes down to it, body conditioning, while categorised into different types of movements and exercises, is about building a healthy lifestyle. The movements you’ll train will improve your strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular system, it’s more about maintaining your body for day-to-day life. Those all-important functional movements that we probably neglect, especially if you work a desk job. By creating a total body conditioning workout plan that you love will help you to enjoy exercise, rather than feeling like it’s a chore.