Strength

We talk about everyday strengths like strength of character, strength of convictions, and strength of the family unit. Basically we are talking about a force, something that is powerful and intense. This is exactly the classic definition of strength-the ability to exert force. Even though it seems like a cut-and-dried definition, in chapter 5 you will find out that there is a lot more to it. There is absolute strength and relative strength and, to confound the issue, there is also speed-strength and strength-endurance.

Obviously you picked up this book because you are interested in doing strength training, or at least in finding out what it is. If you do decide to devote your fitness program to training for strength, it doesn't necessarily mean that you can't incorporate all of the five components of fitness. It does mean that you will sacrifice excelling in some for excelling in others, because as much as we want to, we just can't have it all.