8 Fitness Qualities in Development

It’s fairly widely understood that the main training offering in the DEUCE curriculum is General Physical Preparedness (GPP). GPP, of course, represents the most broad, general, inclusive development of fitness qualities. Here are eight qualities that we develop in GPP: 

1. Hypertrophy – growth in muscle size and density
2. Flexibility – positive changes in the range of motion available locally and globally
3. Speed-Endurance – a cousin of stamina with an orientation in speed expression
4. Strength-Endurance – a cousin of stamina with an orientation in strength expression
5. Speed-Strength – positive change in the ability to express smaller loads with specific velocity
6. Strength-Speed – positive change in the ability to express larger loads with specific velocity 
7. Maximal Strength – raising the peak expression of one’s ability to move top end loads
8. Maximal Speed – raising the peak expression of top end speed

At first glance, training can be reduced to the choreography. What I mean is we see the moves. “Oh, we’re squatting today,” students will say. Or, they’ll say, “Upper body again?” While movements are a variable in training, they are far from the most significant. In fact, one could use eight different  squats prescriptions, for example, in a fashion that develops each of eight qualities above. 

If you scan this month’s training, you’ll find specific instances to develop each of the eight qualities above. Look closely.