From Eugen Sandow's Strength and How to Obtain It (1897):

"'And what is physical culture?' is naturally the question which arises to the lips of those to whom the subject is still unfamiliar...it is to the body what culture, in the accepted sense of the word, is to the mind. To constantly and persistently cultivate the whole of the body so that at last it shall be capable of anything that sound organs and perfectly developed muscles can accomplish - that is physical culture...

To undo the evil for which civilization, and all the drawbacks it has brought in its train, have been responsible in making man regard his body lightly - that is the aim of physical culture."

Although Sandow was concerned with the aesthetics of the "perfectly formed" body, his intentions were true - to cultivate the body, to develop fitness, health and ability. Sandow is adamant that strength of the mind comes first, then the body, then the external. One quote I often use is "appearance is a consequence of fitness." If you are fit, your body will reflect that. If you are not of sound mind and body, it will manifest itself aesthetically.

Physical Culture is the pursuit of mastery of the self - not a vain quest to fulfill an external perception. Conquer yourself, master your mind, and seek out those physical activities that bring you joy, enlightenment and success and you've found Physical Culture.

The issue of writing on fitness for combat sports is a complex one: I could wow you with cutting edge techniques, boggle your mind with science and biomechanics, champion lost methods of yore, or just latch on to the current fad.

It’s easy to say “Well, this works for my team,” or “He’s the champ, so his method is obviously the best.” That doesn’t necessarily translate into success for you, the reader, though. Unfortunately, if you or me had the genetic predisposition to be “The Champ” you’d probably already be there.