Fitness: Physical Activity for Life Chapter Seven Fitness: Physical Activity for Life

Fitness Terms Physical Activity: activity that requires any type of movement Exercise: structured planned physical activity, often used to improve fitness levels Physical Fitness: ability of the body to respond to the physical demands placed upon it Skill related Fitness: ability to perform specific sport skills Health related Fitness: ability to perform daily living activities with vigor

Benefits of Exercise People who are active are healthier than those who are do not exercise Benefits from the participation in exercise include: Physical benefits of improved functioning of body systems Cognitive benefits of processing information more quickly Psychological and emotional benefits by reducing stress levels and influencing mood Spiritual benefits by connecting with yourself and with others

1996 Surgeon General’s Physical Activity and Health Report The report had the following major conclusions: People can improve their health by becoming moderately active on a regular basis Physical activity doesn’t need to be strenuous to confer benefits Greater health benefits can be achieved by increasing the amount of activity The report established two kinds of exercise guidelines: Health benefits can be obtained by participating in structured or unstructured forms of activities, 20-30 minutes in duration, 2-5 times per week Besides the inclusion of aerobic fitness, multiple sets of strength training, two times per week should be implemented

Components of Health-related Fitness There are five components of fitness which help establish health benefits: Cardiorespiratory Fitness Muscular Strength Muscular Endurance Flexibility Body Composition

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Ability of the heart and lungs to efficiently deliver oxygen and nutrients to the body’s muscles and cells via the bloodstream Benefits include: Improved extraction of oxygen from blood to muscles Improved cardiac functioning Decreased resting heart rate and blood pressure The FITT acronym provides a basis for a fitness workout plan Frequency: at least 3 times per week Intensity: reaching target heart rate Time: 15-60 minutes, 30 minutes being ideal Type of activity: uninterrupted forms using large muscles

Muscle Strength and Endurance Muscular Strength: the capacity of the muscle to exert force against resistance Muscular Endurance: the capacity of the muscle to exert force repeatedly over a period of time Benefits include: Increased body mass Increased bone density Improved glucose metabolism Improved posture and reduction of low back pain Being able to perform your daily routines with greater ease, allows you to look and feel better

Types of Muscle Action Different types of exercise can produce different types of muscle action There are 3 main types: Isometric Exercise Isotonic Exercise Isokinetic Exercise Each form of exercise is capable of improving muscular strength or endurance

Weight Training Principles To develop muscular strength, you need to exercise at a higher intensity for a shorter duration (higher weight/lower reps) To develop muscular endurance, perform more repetitions at a lower weight (lower weight/higher reps) Two to three resistance training sessions a week should be sufficient to build either strength or muscular endurance

Flexibility Ability of joints to move through the full range of motion Flexibility is needed in everyday routines Benefits include: Lowers the risk of back injuries Maintains posture and lowers the risk of other joint injuries Improves balance You can maintain flexibility by incorporating a stretching program as part of your regular fitness routine

Types of Stretching Programs There are four types of stretching programs Passive Stretching (partner applies pressure, producing a stretch beyond of what you could do on your own) Static Stretching (stretching until your feel tightness and maintain this hold for 30-60 seconds) Ballistic Stretching (stretching the muscle by bouncing rapidly to contract the muscle spindles and initiate a stretch reflex) Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (partner technique involves contracting, relaxing, and stretching the opposite muscle group to achieve greater range of motion)

Body Composition The relative amounts of fat and fat-free mass in the body The relative amount of body fat a person has does have an impact upon overall health and fitness Too much body fat could have the following effects: Heart disease Obesity Diabetes Different forms of cancer By becoming more physically active, the reduction of body fat can be achieved

How Can You Improve Your Health Through Moderate Physical Activity? Make your daily activities more active Walk for Fitness Incorporate the 10,000 Steps Program 10,000 steps is equivalent to 5 miles Walking 10,000 steps expends between 300-400 calories Using a pedometer is highly recommended

Health and Safety Precautions to Consider Before Exercising Become familiar with proper ‘warm up’ and ‘cool-down’ activities Recognize forms of ‘fatigue’ and when to stop exercising Learn the differences between over-exertion and over-training, all which can result in negative feedback from exercising Know how to treat ‘soft tissue injuries’ by using the acronym: R-I-C-E Understand The Female Athlete Triad

Exercise for Special Populations Exercise for Children and Adolescents The Surgeon General recommends that children get 60 minutes of exercise everyday Exercise for Persons with Disabilities Immobility or inactivity may aggravate the original disability and increase secondary health problems Exercise for Older Adults Regular supervised physical activities can improve physical functioning and enhance the quality of life for older adults

Physical Activity for Life Several key factors help people make physical activity a lifetime event Commitment to Change Discovering Your Fitness Personality Use Social and Community Support.

Fitness: Physical Activity for Life Chapter Seven Fitness: Physical Activity for Life