Principles of Physical Fitness
Key Concepts and Principles of Physical Fitness
Definition of Exercise:
Planned, structured, repetitive movement aimed at improving or maintaining physical fitness.
Physical Fitness:
Set of physical attributes that allows the body to respond or adapt to demands of physical effort. It is crucial for health and longevity.
Health Benefits of Physical Activity:
Regular physical activity decreases the risk of chronic diseases and improves mental health.
Participating in moderate-intensity physical activity can reduce the relative risk of death from all causes by up to 65%.
Exercise Recommendations:
At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, or an equivalent combination, is recommended for health benefits.
For more extensive health benefits, increase to 300 minutes a week.
Muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups should be performed on two or more days per week.
Components of Health-Related Fitness:
Cardiorespiratory Endurance: Ability to perform prolonged, large-muscle dynamic exercise at moderate- to high-intensity levels. Improves heart and lung function.
Muscular Strength: Maximum ability of a muscle to exert force in a single effort.
Muscular Endurance: Ability to resist fatigue and sustain muscle tension over time.
Flexibility: Ability to move joints through their full range of motion, important for injury prevention.
Body Composition: Proportion of fat and fat-free mass (muscle, bone, water) in the body. Healthy body composition includes lower body fat and higher fat-free mass.
Important Training Principles
Specificity: To improve a specific fitness component, targeted exercises must be performed (e.g., weight training for strength).
Progressive Overload: To improve fitness, the demands placed on the body during exercise must progressively increase over time.
Reversibility: Fitness gains can be lost if exercise is stopped or reduced significantly.
Individual Differences: Everyone has unique limits to how much they can improve their fitness based on genetic and physiological factors.
Designing a Well-Rounded Exercise Program
FITT Principle:
Frequency: How often to exercise (generally 3-5 days/week).
Intensity: How hard to exercise (moderate or vigorous).
Time: Duration of each exercise session (20-60 minutes).
Type: Mode of activity (activities that use large muscle groups).
Goal Setting: Establish realistic short-term and long-term fitness goals based on individual needs and abilities.
Tracking Progress: Monitoring physical activity through fitness apps or journals aids motivation and helps maintain focus on goals.
Lifestyle Recommendations
Increase daily physical activity in any form to maximize health benefits, such as walking or engaging in household chores.
Replace sedentary activities with active options whenever possible; standing while working or taking the stairs can facilitate this.
Mental Health Benefits: Exercise improves mood, cognitive function, and may prevent or reduce the risk of mental health disorders.
Safety and Considerations
Consult with a healthcare provider before beginning any new exercise program, especially for individuals over 45 or those with preexisting health conditions.
Use appropriate techniques and equipment to ensure safety and effectiveness during physical activity.
Adhere to principles of warm-up and cool down to prevent injuries.