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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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, 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

5. 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

6. 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: minutes, 30 minutes being ideal
Type of activity: uninterrupted forms using large muscles

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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 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)

12. 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

13. 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 calories
Using a pedometer is highly recommended

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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.

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