Chapter 3 Physical Fitness and Your Health

Physical Fitness and You

What is Physical Fitness? This depends on your ability to carry out daily tasks easily and have enough reserve energy to respond to unexpected demands. Maintaining a high level of fitness is a lifelong challenge.

Benefits of Physical Fitness Physical Fitness effects all aspects of your health and life. How you sleep eat and learn If you are fit: you look good, you have energy, and you feel good about yourself.

Physical Health Reduces chances of acquiring disease: cardiovascular disease and obesity More active and capable at any age Higher energy for longer periods Improves posture

Mental/Emotional Health Intellectually more productive Relieves stress Helps control depression Gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment for taking care of yourself. Contributes to a positive self esteem

Social Health Reduces stress that can interfere with relationships Builds self-confidence Gives you the opportunity to interact an cooperate with others

Basic Components of Physical Fitness

Body Composition Ratio of body fat to lean body tissue, including muscle, bone, water, and connective tissue such as ligaments, cartilage, and tendons. Measuring Body Composition Calipers are used to pinch the skin behind your upper arm and calf. Males with 25+ and females with 30+ are at risk for developing a cardiovascular problem.

Flexibility Ability to move a body part a full range of motion. Measuring Flexibility Flexibility is specific to each moving joint. A general level of flexibility can be determined by the sit and reach test. A quick assessment can be made: can you touch your knees to your chest? Can you place your palms on the floor while standing; touch your toes while you’re sitting? Can you twist at the waist until your shoulders are perpendicular to your feet? If you can do all of these tasks you have good flexibility. This will measure your lower back flexibility.

Muscular Strength The amount of force a muscle can exert. Measuring Muscular Strength Two broad ways to measure muscular strength: pull-ups which measure upper body strength curl-ups which measure abdominal strength.

Muscular Endurance Ability of the muscles to do difficult physical tasks over a period of time without causing fatigue. Measuring Muscular Endurance Individuals with good abdominal muscle endurance generally have a better posture and fewer back problems. Each muscle group can be tested separately. Leg lifts will tests your gluts and hamstrings.

Cardio-respiratory endurance Ability of the heart lungs and blood vessels to send fuel and oxygen to the body’s tissues during long periods of vigorous activity. Measuring Cardio-respiratory One way is to find your pulse recovery rate. This is the rate at which your heart beats following activity. Find your heart rate after you exercise: find pulse, place use two fingers and count beats for 15 seconds, multiply the number by 4. Plug the number into the chart Excellent Good Fair 125+ Needs improvement