The SAID (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands) principle is one of the foundations of Sport Science. It’s a fairly easy concept to understand that’s broken down into two segments. First, if you want to get better at a certain thing, you must do that certain thing over and over. And over. And OVER. Until you are better at that certain thing. If you want to be CrossFit’s next Mat Fraser and Tia Clair Toomey, you have to put in as much time in the gym as they have. Over and over and over again. If you want to be better at basketball, then play, and dribble, and shoot, over and over and over again. Continue with any specific sport!
Second segment: Adaptation. If you put in the time (Part #1), your body will adapt and change to the stressors (demands) you apply. For example, if you want to be an ultra marathoner (but why?), you must run 100+ miles a week (Part #1), and your body will adapt and probably look something like this (Part #2).
Take Arnold as another example. Arnold spent years in the gym sculpting his body (Part #1), his body adapted accordingly to the stressors and demands he put on himself everyday (Part #2) to the point where the Govenator looked like this!
Those examples are easily understood and yes, very hard (but possible) to obtain. But what if you’re not into what your body looks like, but more about what your body can DO? The two principles still apply to many things. If you workout consistently 5-6 days a week (part 1), your stamina, strength, endurance, MENTAL health, all adapt to the lifestyle (part 2).
What if you want to be more present as a parent? Then be there, over and over and over again, and see how much easier it becomes (adaptation) to prioritize time for the little ones! The SAID Principle isn’t only conducive to sports, it matters in all areas of life!
Your goals are obtainable. Some goals may be harder than others, but that doesn’t mean you give up at the first sign of failure. Failure is learning, learning is adapting, adapting is inching closer to your goals. Failure is success. Quitting is the only true failure.
So how do we make those goals possible? How do we create the habits to achieve the two principles from above? Come talk to us! Whatever your goals may be, we can help!
