About Physical Fitness

What is Fitness? A condition that helps us look, feel and do our best. It enables us to perform up to our potential. Physical fitness is to the human body what fine tuning is to an engine.

Why Exercise?

Overall Benefits Increased Stamina Improved Endurance Increased Strength Increased Energy

Physiological Benefits Strengthens heart muscle increasing blood and oxygen supply to the body. Improved oxygen delivery = more energy Stronger lungs Stronger heart= lower BP Burns off excess calories/fat Increases metabolism Increases muscle % = less fat on body.

Longevity Delays frailty by keeps bones stronger Fights muscle atrophy Life is more enjoyable due to increased stamina and energy. May add 20 + (good) years to life.

Disease Prevention Benefits Reduces the risk of heart disease Reduces high blood pressure Reduces bad “LDL” cholesterol Reduces the risk of developing Type II diabetes (NIDDM) Reduces the risk of osteoporosis

Disease Prevention Benefits Reduce risk of breast cancer by 60% Reduce the risk of colon cancer Improves the function of the immune system. Makes the body more resistant to picking up an infection and better able to fight off infections.

Appearance Benefits Better Posture Improved body weight Improved body shape and tone More muscular, less flabby Adds a glow and radiance to complexion

Emotional Benefits Increased Self Esteem Reduction in depression Decreased Stress Levels Improved psychological well being Improved mood Inactivity magnifies depression

Benefits Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance Enhanced quality of sleep Improved digestion

5 Health Components of Physical Fitness Cardio-respiratory Muscular Endurance Strength Flexibility Body Composition

Cardio Respiratory Fitness The body’s ability to take in adequate amounts of oxygen. The goal of aerobic exercise is to increase heart and breathing rates. Anaerobic is using oxygen faster than your heart & lungs can deliver This builds up the heart muscles

Muscular Endurance The ability to use the same group of muscles for an extended period of time under conditions of fatigue or tiredness. Strength The ability of the body to move objects

Body Composition The proportion of muscle mass in the body compared to fatty tissue. The ability of the body to move through a range of motion, like stretching. Stretching muscles also protects against injuries. Flexibility

The Six Skill Components of Physical Fitness…

Power: The ability to do strength work at an explosive pace.

Agility: The ability of the body to change direction quickly

Balance: The ability to maintain an upright posture while still or moving

Coordination: Integration with hand and/or foot movements with the input of the senses.

Speed: The ability to move quickly from one point to another

Reaction Time: Amount of time it takes to get moving.

 Regularity  Variety  Progression  Balance  Overload  Recovery **** Specificity

 To achieve a training effect, you must exercise often. You should exercise each of the fitness components three times a week. Regularity is also important in resting, sleeping, and following a sensible diet. A variety of different activities reduces boredom, increases motivation, & progress, and also works a variety of different muscles. Variety

 The intensity (how hard) and/or duration (how long) of exercise must gradually increase to improve the level of fitness.

 To be effective, a program should include activities that have all the fitness components, since overemphasizing any one of them may hurt the others.

 If you want to see results, the work load of each exercise session must exceed the normal demands placed on the body. For example, When lifting weights, you have to lift more than your muscles can handle. The overload will cause the muscle fibers to grow stronger in order to handle the extra load. A hard day of training for a given component of fitness should be followed by an easier training day or rest day for that component and/or muscle group(s) to help permit recovery. Recovery

 Gear training toward specific goals. For example, people become better runners if their training emphasizes running. Although swimming is great exercise, it does not improve a 2-mile-run time as much as a running program does.

Planning an exercise program part II

Four Phases of a Workout 1. Warm Up 2. Workout Period 3. Cool Down 4. Post Stretch

Warm Up To prepare and "'alert" our body for the upcoming physical activity. A warm up at the beginning of an exercise session is one of the best ways to prevent pain and injury. For a proper warm up, simply perform the exercise at a slow pace for about 5 minutes (or until your pulse count is above 100 beats per minute-bpm).

Workout Period Function: To improve cardiovascular fitness and/or burn body fat. An aerobic activity should increase our pulse count to 40% - 60% of our maximum heart rate. The activity should be done for about minutes developing the components of fitness.

Cool Down Function: To gradually return to resting state. The cool down is the same as the warm up, but in reverse. Just do the exercise or previous activity at a slow, temperate pace for about 5 minutes or until your heart rate has gone down below 100 bpm. If we stop short after exercising, it takes time for our body to regain homeostasis. Meanwhile, our heart is still pumping at an accelerated pace and blood pools in our extremities. We get swollen fingers and feet. This causes dizziness because no blood, and therefore no oxygen, is getting to our brain.

Stretch Function: Relaxes and lengthens our muscles, prevents soreness Once we have worked out, it is time to stretch the muscles we have used. Relaxed muscles tend to improve our efficiency and our performance as well as reducing our risk of injury by reducing tightness in the muscle.

Frequency Intensity Type Time

Frequency Frequency refers to the number of times you exercise. Exercise between 3 and 5 times per week. Exercise each body part 1 to 2 times per week.

Intensity * Intensity is the level of effort you put into each exercise. * Aerobic exercises intensity is usually measured in terms relative to your maximum heart rate. Strength exercise is the number of repetitions & sets you perform and gradually increasing the amount of weight for higher intensity.

Time Time is simply how long you exercise during each session. 30 minutes a day for maintenance 60 minutes day for improvement/weight loss

Type Type refers to whether you do aerobics or strength training during your exercise sessions and the specific exercises you select for each.

Type Exercises that involve as many muscles as possible and allow a relatively consistent level of intensity are best. Good examples of these include: Walking Jogging Cycling Swimming Rowing Hiking

Injuries