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The aim of the game is to stay in the game - after all, you can't win the race if you're not still in it!
What is conditioning?
In simple terms, conditioning is preparing your body to handle stress - the process of improving your body's ability to perform physical activities efficiently, effectively and safely. It involves building strength, endurance, flexibility, balance and agility through targeted exercises and training routines.
For endurance sports, like hiking, running or cycling, conditioning is about enhancing the body's capacity to sustain prolonged activities, recover quickly and minimise injury risk.
You can think of conditioning as a sliding scale that can look very different depending on your body and your goals at any given time.
Capacity & Preparation - Biomechanics & Pre-Pilates
At one end of the scale is prehab (we prefer this to rehab wherever preventable!), where the focus is on improving your body’s capacity for movement. This often-overlooked stage, while not always the most glamorous or fun, can prevent issues further down the line. If we prematurely strengthen a body that isn’t moving well, we risk hitting a performance block or, worse, injury. The focus here is on joint mobility, stability, and optimising the body’s capacity to move efficiently. This stage sets the foundation for better function and reduces the risk of setbacks later.
Stability & Control - Pilates and Core
Once your body has the capacity to move well, the next step is to strengthen and integrate this movement into whole-body activities. This stage refines movement control and builds core integration, enhancing overall efficiency. Core strength isn’t just about abs—it’s the anchor for everything you do. Through focused core training, you’ll develop stability and control that will improve how you feel and move in all activities. This phase focuses on motor programming, creating a seamless connection between your muscles and movements.
Function & Performance - Strength and Specificity
This phase focuses on global muscle performance and sport-specific conditioning to develop the strength, power and endurance needed to perform at your best. The goal is to build peak performance by addressing the entire physical development of the athlete—ensuring they become the best physical version of themselves. This involves tailoring training to the unique demands of your chosen sport or activity, incorporating cardiovascular training as well as resistance training, enhancing both functional and specific movement capabilities. This stage creates a well-rounded, resilient and high-performing body.
Who should be doing it?
Everyone! Whether you're a recreational athlete, weekend warrior or seasoned competitor, conditioning is essential if you want to:
Reduce the risk of injury.
Improve athletic performance.
Build a resilient, functional body for life.
You can’t build a great building on a weak foundation, the same is true of your body. The idea is to use the sliding scale of conditioning as an ongoing strategy that you integrate as needed.
Proactively incorporate more prehab exercises as part of your routine when:
You feel aches, tightness or reduced mobility.
You increase training intensity (e.g. preparing for a sportive or long hike).
You're recovering from injury or surgery.
Once your body is conditioned and resilient, incorporate power, speed and agility for improved performance. You can still integrate key (prehab) exercises into your sports specific conditioning, valuable for maintaining resilience, especially as you age or encounter new challenges.
Key takeaway
Conditioning isn’t a one-time effort but an ongoing strategy. The sliding scale allows you to adapt your routine to meet your current needs, whether building a foundation with prehab, enhancing control with Pilates or advancing into sport-specific performance training. By staying proactive, you’ll build a resilient body that keeps you active and strong for years to come.
For a personalised conditioning programme, contact Lil or Vic and book your movement assessment today.
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