The Layers of Fitness

Defining What We’re Really Building

In our last journal entry, we shared the story behind how we started training. The fire that drove us. The shift in purpose that came with time, injury, growth, and parenthood.

But once you’ve answered why you train, there’s a bigger question waiting for you.

What are you actually trying to build?

Back in 2002, Greg Glassman dropped a piece called What Is Fitness? that tried to answer exactly that. His definition was simple and sharp. Fitness is increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains.

What made it stick wasn’t just the wording. It was the clarity. He stripped away the fluff, the industry jargon, and focused on output. What can you actually do? For how long? And across how many types of challenges?

That’s where the conversation changed.

From that idea came the Sickness–Wellness–Fitness Continuum. The more fit you become, the more you buffer yourself against sickness. If you’ve built up a strong foundation of fitness, you’ll drop into wellness before ever slipping into illness. Your markers improve. Your life improves.

It wasn’t about aesthetics. It wasn’t about elite performance. The original mission was simple. Use fitness to beat sickness.

And that still holds true.

Fitness Is Personal

What you do to build that kind of fitness? That’s where it gets personal. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. No brand owns it. No method is superior.

Whether you’re grinding through barbell sessions, getting in laps at the pool, doing bodyweight work in the backyard, or sneaking in movement between naps and school runs. It all counts.

It’s not about what you do. It’s about why you do it. And how consistently you keep showing up.

Fall in Love With the Process

Greatness doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from showing up and staying curious. Whether you’re a parent trying to stay present, a teenager chasing confidence, or a kid moving for the sheer fun of it. The process itself is the reward.

Once we understood that, fitness became something we could shape to suit our life. And not the other way around.

When GPP Hits a Ceiling

We’re big believers in general physical preparedness. Broad, balanced, capable fitness. The kind that keeps you ready for anything.

But eventually, you’ll hit a point where just “being prepared” starts to feel like going through the motions. You’ve picked the low-hanging fruit. The routine starts to blur. You feel stuck.

That’s not a sign to stop. It’s a sign to explore.

Try a new sport. Dial in a new style. If you’ve always trained like a generalist, dive deeper into something specific. If you’ve always specialised, pull back and explore the gaps.

Training should evolve as you do. Fitness should move with your life, not against it.

Final Thoughts

This is what Sugar Training stands for.

Not just grinding for numbers. Not just chasing goals for the sake of it.

We train because it makes us better. And fitness, as we’ve come to see it, is simply the result of showing up for that process again and again.

So go wide. Go deep. Stay curious. Make it your own.

Because you only get one life. Build the kind of fitness that lets you live it well.