Physical Fitness
Physical Fitness is not only important for the professional athlete, it is also vital to the well-being of us all. Fitness, most importantly cardio-respiratory fitness, has been directly correlated to the mortality rate. Even those of us who haven't always led active lifestyles, increasing our physical activity now will help us live longer healthier lives.
Exercise
Physical Fitness is defined by the USDHHS as “a set of attributes that people have or achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity.” Physical Fitness is often divided into several different components.
Body Composition
Flexibility
Muscular Strength
Muscular Endurance
Cardiorespiratory Endurance
Body Composition:
Our bodies are made up of many different materials including water, fat, protein, carbohydrates, various vitamins and minerals. It is important to keep a balance of these materials. High amounts of fat, especially located at the waist can lead to high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes.
There are several ways of assessing the composition of our body composition, including waist circumference and body mass index.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
This compares your body weight relative to your height. To determine your body mass index, you take your weight in kilograms and divide by your height in meters squared. Or, multiply your weight in pounds by 705, divide by your height in inches, then divide again by your height in inches (Both yield the same result, you may just be more familiar with certain units of measure)
| Under 18.5 | 18.5-24.9 | 25.0-29.9 | 30.0 or greater | 40 or greater |
| Underweight | Normal | Overweight | Obese | Extremely Obese |
Flexibility:
Flexibility is the range of motion around a joint (USDHHS, 1996 as adapted from Wilmore & Costill, 1994). Flexibility helps prevent injury. Stretching can be one method of improving flexibility.
Muscular Strength:
Muscular Strength is the amount of force a muscle can exert during a certain activity. To improve Muscular Strength, you must use your muscles against some form of resistance, whether it be weights or gravity.
Muscular Endurance:
Muscular Endurance is the ability of the muscle to work without fatigue. To improve Muscular Endurance, cardiorespiatory exercises such as running should be done.
Cardiorespiratory endurance:
Cardiorespiratory Endurance is the ability of your circulatory, and respiratory system to deliver the needed fuel to your body and to remove the wastes. Cardiorespiratory endurance can be increased by doing activities which elevate heart rate for a sustained amount of time. These activities include, walking, swimming, bicycling and running.
The Effects of Exercise on Your Body
Generally speaking, people associate the term "exercise" with "losing weight" and benefits of that nature. Exercise affects not only the external appearance of a person's body, but the quality of their insides and the strength of some of the vital organs.
Figures that are lower:
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Blood Pressure (Long Term)
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Heart Rate (Long Term)
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Risk of Heart Disease
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Risk of Stroke
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Stress
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Weight
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Body Mass Index (BMI)
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Mean Arterial Pressure
Figures that are higher:
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Stroke Volume
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Lung Capacity (Long Term)
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Endurance (Muscular and Cardiorespiratory)
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Body Composition
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Muscular Strength
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Blood Pressure (Short Term)
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Heart Rate (Short Term)
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Breathing Rate (Short Term)
Your heart is a muscle, and as any muscle needs to be strengthened. Some exercises are specially designed to strengthen one of the most important muscles in your body. As the heart strengthens it has the ability to push more blood throughout your body in a beat, permitting your heart to not beat as often and consequently your heart rate decrease.
Exercise is an important part of every individual's life, whether you are a child, teenager, adult, athlete or businessman. To live a full and healthy life, exercise must be a part of it.