PERSONAL WELLNESS Principles of Physical Fitness

How much?  Any amount of physical activity is better than none.  Physical activity breaks throughout the day  Regular physical activity (30 minutes or more each day) – Reduce risk of death from heart disease by 65%

What’s the difference?  Physical Activity movement that requires energy (muscles & skeleton)  Exercise planned, structured, repetitive, specifically intended to improve / maintain physical fitness

Intensity Level

Benefits….and MORE benefits  30 minutes / day – Adults Should be moderate – vigorous intensity  15 minutes / day Vigorous Intensity  Want more? Increased benefits (weight loss, fitness, etc.) – double the time.

Muscle Strengthening  2 / week  All muscle groups

Just say no

Benefits of P.A.  Lower risk of high blood pressure  Lower risk of diabetes (type 2)  Lower risk of stroke  Lower risk of heart disease  Lower risk of cancer  Lower risk of osteoporosis  Lower risk of depression  Lower stress levels

P.A. & Brain  Improved cognitive function (learn, think, remember, reason)  Promotes creation of new nerve cells (neurons) – Protection from injury  Can develop new pathways for transmitting sensory and motor commands

Fun Exercise  Any form of movement is better than none.  Same health benefits from walking, biking, swimming as traditional ball & bat sports  Find something you enjoy doing that requires movement – Increases chances of continuing to do it

Managing weight  2/3 of Americans are overweight  Some activity is better than none – weight loss benefits after 90 minutes / day  Not long-term solution by itself – diet must be changed for long-lasting effects

So…really how much do I need?  Some physically activity…  Improved health from daily moderate – vigorous activity  Improved CAPACITY from more intense activity  Depends on what your goals are  Scheduling / planning for periods of activity throughout the day can maximize health benefits  Consider regular exercise program to develop physical fitness

Components of physical fitness Cardiorespiratory Endurance Muscular Strength Muscular Endurance Flexibility Body Composition

Cardiorespiratory Endurance  the ability to perform prolonged, large-muscle, dynamic exercise at moderate to high levels of intensity.  Examples:  Lungs ability to deliver oxygen  Capacity of the heart to pump blood  Ability of nervous system and blood vessels to regulate blood flow  All the way down to the cellular level

Cardiorespiratory Endurance  As fitness improves:  Heart pumps more blood per beat  Resting heart rate slows  Blood volume increases  Blood supply / exchange with tissues improves  Body can manage temperature better  Improved metabolism  Increased production of antioxidants – protects body from bad cells.

Muscular Strength  the amount of force a muscle can produce with a single maximum effort  Benefits  Help keep body in alignment  Allow us to perform everyday activities (stairs, walking, etc.)  Improved performance in sports  Faster energy use / higher rate of metabolism

Muscular Endurance  the ability to resist fatigue and sustain a given level of muscle tension – hold muscle contraction longer or contract more often for longer periods of time  Example: Posture  Muscular strength gives you the ability to stand straight or sit straight.  Muscular endurance allows you to do it continuously for longer periods of time

Flexibility  the ability to move the joints through their full ranges of motion.

Body Composition  refers to the proportion of fat and fat free mass in the body  Fat Free Mass – Bone, Muscle, Water  Excess fat increases risk of health issues:  Heart disease  Insulin resistance  Blood pressure  Joint issues

Body Composition

Skill-related fitness  Athletes – specific abilities dependent on neuromuscular strength & ability  Speed  Agility  Balance  Coordination  Reaction / Movement Time

Physical Training - Goals  Body can adapt – physical training helps body become proficient at meeting the demands of exercise  Improving body capacity – goal of P.A. training  Where to start:  Specificity  Progressive overload  Reversibility  Individual Difference

Specificity  Want to change a particular area – choose exercises that focus on that area  Muscular Strength – Weight training  Cardiorespiratory Endurance – running, jogging, swimming  For life application = well rounded, spending time in each area, developing the whole body

Progressive Overload  Increasing the amount of exercise GRADUALLY and progressively, fitness improves  Quantity is key, but so is common sense

Progressive Overload  Start out on the low end, when body adapts – you can do this easily – increase the amount  Cycle of adapt / increase  Continuing at same level will maintain but not improve  How much overload do you need? – FITT Principle Frequency How often? Intensity How Hard? Time How long (duration) Type Mode of activity

Reversibility  All of this is fluid – it can improve / increase, or get worse and decrease  When you stop exercising – you lose 50% or more of the benefits you gained within 2 months  Not all fitness levels reverse at the same rate

What will you do? Where to start?  Start today:  Walk rather than drive (e.g. to post office, or dollar general)  Take the stairs rather than the elevator  Spend 10 minutes stretching  Begin to think about healthy food choices  Consider what you would like to change about your fitness levels (areas, etc.) – How can you make the change?

Be Active Where are you going? Subway? Next class? Choose a different way to get there