The FitSpan Stay in Play Decathlon

Design principle: If you can’t do these comfortably, repeatedly and without anxiety about recovery, your capacity- not your discipline- is the bottleneck.

1. Get up and down off the floor

Why: Baseline independence, joint health, play with kids
Standard: Sit cross-legged → stand → return to floor

No hands, no rush, no pain

If this degrades, everything else follows.

2. Carry a meaningful load while breathing normally

Why: Life is loaded carries (kids, groceries, travel)
Standard: Farmer carry bodyweight total (split between hands)

1–2 minutes, nasal breathing maintained

Strength that doesn’t spike stress.

3. Walk uphill without stopping or spiking heart rate

Why: Aerobic base = daily energy
Standard: 20–30 minutes incline walking

Conversational breathing throughout

If this feels hard, life will feel hard.

4. Pick something heavy up safely, repeatedly

Why: Injury prevention, confidence
Standard: Hinge a moderate-to-heavy object from the floor

5–10 clean reps, perfect control

Not max strength. Reliable strength.

5. Move fast when you need to

Why: Falls, sports, reflexive life moments
Standard: Short sprint, jump, or quick directional change

Feels sharp, not dangerous

Speed you trust is speed you keep.

6. Support your body with your upper strength

Why: Shoulders age fast when neglected
Standard: Hang, pull, push without pain

At least one controlled pull and one controlled push pattern

Pain-free beats impressive.

7. Maintain balance under mild fatigue

Why: Real life isn’t fresh
Standard: Single-leg balance or step-down

After light exertion, not at rest

Balance is a skill, not a gift.

8. Recover quickly after effort

Why: Capacity = output + recovery
Standard: Heart rate and breath normalize quickly

You feel clear, not fried

If recovery lags, scale output.

9. Play spontaneously without planning recovery

Why: This is the whole point
Standard: You can join a game, hike, ski, wrestle, or explore

Without wondering, “Will this wreck me?”

When play disappears, performance is already gone.

10. Wake up ready for the day

Why: Ultimate downstream metric
Standard: Morning energy feels usable

No dread about your body

If mornings feel heavy, your system is overloaded.

The Stay in Play Rule

If a training method, lifestyle choice, or work pattern improves short-term output but degrades your ability to pass this decathlon over time- it’s a bad trade.