Ask 10 people how they define fitness and you’ll get 10 different answers. Often, whatever a person happens to enjoy doing or is currently doing to be in shape heavily influences their response. I’d argue that fitness, real physical fitness that does your body good, is far broader than most people’s definition. While a marathon runner might suggest that being able to run 26 miles is the epitome of fitness, what good is all of that endurance if you can’t lift a 40-pound bag of soil in your garden?

Fitness should be functional. Your workouts should help you accomplish more, more efficiently, in your daily life - not just when you’re running a race or playing a game of golf. I can hear the sighs now: “But, I work out regularly and I like my workouts. Isn’t that enough?” While it’s important to make fitness a habit, it’s important that the fitness habit is broad and inclusive of activities that work multiple muscle groups. Even if you’re an athlete that requires sport-specific training, like a runner who needs to get their miles in, your workouts should include basics, like squats and push-ups. Beyond simple functionality -- having a body that works efficiently in a variety of situations - a broader approach to fitness can help you avoid overtraining. Overtraining the same muscle groups can lead to injury. We all know of runners who suffer from shin splints or bikers who have stress fractures in their feet. How about those who have been running for years and complain of joint pain, especially in their ankles and knees? A little variety can do these bodies good now and long into the future. Challenge yourself to change up your workouts at least once a week to add in something you’re not doing now. However you choose to mix it up, focus on functional exercises, like deadlifts or squats, that transfer into multiple physical situations. By re-examining what it means to be fit, and looking at fitness through the lens of functionality, healthier habits will emerge. Changing it up a little on a regular basis can teach your body to recruit strength and power from various muscle groups. These workouts can also help you be better primed for whatever life throws your way.

Melissa Gerharter MS, RD is co-owner of Joust Strength and Fitness of Ann Arbor, joustfitness.com. She is also a personal trainer and an adjunct lecturer at Eastern Michigan University. She can be reached at Melissa@joustfitness.com