Exercise is learning. The most basic kind.

July 30, 2016 by fitnessbaddie

A couple years ago when visiting World Athletics (now Altis) in Arizona, I asked Dan Pfaff how long it would take someone to develop physically at a basic level (in the context of the sport he coaches at an Olympic level, track and field).

In other words, generally speaking, if you took someone with no consistent physical training, and trained them to be physically competent in basic movement patterns, posture, muscular strength and cardiovascular fitness (not highly specialized mind you), how long would it take? I wanted to see what someone working with people at the highest level would say, even though most of the answer would be “it depends”but I wanted to hear what came after that. As a mental marker, though I knew whatever time frame he gave me could never be specific to everyone, everywhere, in all sports. Ever.

“It depends” he said, “6 months if they learn fast. 2 years if they are a motor moron (have a harder time learning physical skills).”

Mind you, he was talking from his context: mostly