Physical Activity: Benefits 
What does it mean to be
"physically fit"? You might be surprised to learn that fitness involves more
than being able to complete an aerobics class without puffing too much or bench
pressing your body weight.
Physical fitness actually refers to the
capability of the heart, lungs, circulation and muscles to perform at maximum
efficiency so we can enjoy the best possible health and wellness. Physical
fitness enables a lifestyle people who are unfit cannot
enjoy.
Fitness building blocks
The basic four
components of physical fitness are:
- Cardiorespiratory endurance
The ability of the heart, lungs, and circulation to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues and remove waste products over an extended period of time. Long distance running, cycling or swimming are often used to measure cardiorespiratory endurance. - Strength
The ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert force for a brief period of time. Different weight lifting exercises can measure upper and lower body strength. - Muscular endurance
The ability of a muscle or muscle group to sustain force for an extended period of time. For example, performing as many push ups as possible is a way to measure muscular endurance. - Flexibility
The ability to move joints and use muscles through their full range of motion. The sit-and-reach test is an example of how to measure flexibility in the hamstring muscles at the back of the thigh.
Other contributors to overall fitness
Other
components of physical fitness include:
- Motor skills
Agility, coordination, speed, balance, and reaction time are all considered important factors that help achieve optimal fitness and there are established ways to test and improve each of these different components. - Body composition
This is often considered as an indicator of fitness and refers to the ratio of lean muscle mass to body fat mass. Lowering body fat is widely recommended as a major goal of most exercise programs in order to improve overall fitness.
How can we achieve
physical fitness?
A training program designed to improve physical
fitness must therefore take each of the different building blocks into
consideration. Understanding and improving each component of physical fitness
will promote health and maximise our enjoyment of life.
- Improving cardiorespiratory endurance comes from incorporating aerobic activities such as walking, jogging, running, cycling or swimming into a program. It is generally recommended that at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity be performed on most days.
- Muscle strength and endurance are best developed by ‘resistance’ training, usually involving weights. For the best possible benefits, this type of exercise should be performed two to three times a week in order to maintain as well as build muscle size and strength.
- Improved flexibility comes from regularly performing stretching exercises that improve the range of motion.
Reference: Foundation
49