10 General Physical Skills

Life does not award the specialist. If we look at the activities one might be presented within a day, we will see the need to have the ability to lift, carry, move, twist, walk, run or jog, hip hinge, and lift things overhead. Therefore, to build and maintain one’s fitness and health those are the very things that should be incorporated into a training program. The same skills athletes need to perform well at sport are the very skills my parents need to maintain their independence. “The needs of Olympic athletes and my grandparents differ by degree, not kind.”

If it doesn’t make you better at life what does it do?

The way that CrossFit measures an individual’s GPP is based on what has been deemed the “10 General Physical Skills.” CrossFit believes that the fittest individual or athlete will have the greatest capacity across all of the 10 General Physical Skills. We also believe to improve one's fitness and quality of life our time is best spent improving one's breathing and depth in each of the 10 General Physical Skills no matter one's age.

So what are the 10 General Physical Skills? Glad you asked. Here they are:

1. Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance – The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
2. Stamina – The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3. Strength – The productive application of force
4. Flexibility – The ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5. Power – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed – The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Coordination – The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8. Agility – The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9. Balance – The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10. Accuracy – The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity

The first four skills, including cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, and flexibility, are developed and improved through training. “Training refers to the activity that improves performance through a measurable organic change in the body. These are like hardware mods on the organism.” The last four, including coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy, are improved through practice. “Practice refers to the activity that improves performance through changes in the nervous system. These would be like software mods on the organism.” The last two skills, power, and speed are adaptations of both training and practice. So, hardware and software mods for those of you who may be more analytical minded.

A successful fitness regimen incorporates all these skills into their training. At CrossFit 235 / Machine Shed we work to provide a training program that integrates all of these skills seamlessly so that overtime improvement will be made in each area. This approach is how we achieve the general physical preparedness that one is looking for out of a fitness program.

The next time you are in the class challenge yourself and try to consider what skills you may be developing taking into consideration that many movements and workouts are developing multiple skills at the same time.

We also challenge you to take a look at the 10 skills and think about what skills are your strengths and weaknesses and work to develop your weaknesses.

By: Thomas Sampson CFL-3

*The list of “10 General Physical Skills” and statements in quotes were obtained from Greg Glassman’s What is Fitness?