Physical Fitness

Physical Fitness

What is the definition of Physical Fitness?

What are the main components of Fitness?
What do you do to improve your fitness?
Why is Physical Fitness important?
Skills related Fitness
Benefits of Physical Fitness
Factors affecting fitness
How do you test your Physical Fitness
Physical Activity Pyramid
Sendentary Lifestyle
10 great reasons to get fit

Definition
physical fitness is considered a measure of the bodys
ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and
leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist hypokinetic
diseases, and to meet emergency situations.

general fitness is a state of health and wellbeing.

specific fitness is a task-oriented definition

based on the ability to perform specific
aspects of sports or occupations.

What are the main components of Fitness?

Muscular
Strength
Body
Composition

Cardiovascular
Endurance

Components
of
Fitness
Flexibilitiy
or
Suppleness

Muscular
Endurance
Speed
or
Velocity

Specific Fitness

Factors
affecting
fitness
Gender
(sex)
Age

Environment
Stress

Build
Diet

Factors
Affecting
fitness

Drugtaking

Exercise

Physical
disability
Illness
and
Fatigue

Benefits of Physical Fitness

Your heart becomes stronger and works more efficiently

You can lose weight if you combine exercise and healthy eating
You feel better about yourself
You are less likely to be anxious or depressed and feel more positive
You may be able to bring down a slightly raise blood pressure to
normal
You are likely to drink less alcohol and cut down or stop smoking
You are less likely to suffer from low back pain
You will feel positive benefits if you have a specific health problem such
as lung disease, diabetes, arthritis or renal disease, or have had an
organ transplantation

How do you test your physical fitness?

Fitness tests help you check how fit you are, and see
how your fitness improves with exercise.

Cardiovascular endurance: the

cycle ergonometer test, the Cooper
test, PACER the multistage fitness
test, etc.
Muscular endurance: Push-ups,
Curl-ups, Pull-ups, Flex-arm Hang.
Muscular Strength: Vertical jumps,
Standing broad jumps, Grip strength
Flexibility: Deep-Flex, Sit and reach,
Shoulders stretch, Trunk lift.
Body Composition: Body mass
index
Speed: 6x9, 40metres.

Sedentary Lifestyle

A type of lifestyle with no or irregular physical activity (a couch potato).

Sitting, reading, watching television and computer use for much of the
day with little or no vigorous physical exercise.
A sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity can contribute to or
be a risk factor for Cardiovascular disease,Mortality, Depression,
Obesity,etc.
National guidelines recommend that young people spend no more
than two hours each day using electronic media for recreation.
Why not make a deal to keep your body fit and healthy? Even
exchanging 30 minutes of TV viewing for some physical activity will
deliver real health benefits.

Effects that physical inactivity and a

sedentary lifestyle have on your health

Physical Activity Pyramid

Physical Activity Piramid

CUT DOWN ON

2-3 TIMES A WEEK

3-5 TIMES A WEEK

EVERY DAY

Watching tv
Computer games
Sitting for more than 30 min
Leisure activities
Golf, bowling, pinpon
Flexibility and Strength
Stretching, yoga, push-ups,
weight lifting
Aerobic exercise + 20min
-Walking, jogging, cycling,
swimming
Recreational activities
Football, Badminton, Basket
Walk the dog
Take longer routes
Take the stairs instead of the elevator
Gardening

Alternative Physical Activity

Recreational Sports: Noodle Hockey,

Paddle, Jumping Ropes,
Bodymind Activities: Pilates, Yoga, Taichi,
BodyFlow, Relaxation
Weight lifting, Bodypump.
Fitness Walking, Jogging, Hiking
Traditional Games
Alternative Games and Sports: Floor Ball,
Indiaca, Frisbee, KingBall, Ultimate, Flag
Football.
Music Activities: Aerobic, Dance
Cycling, Swimming, Skating, Sailing,
kayaking
Wii Sports
School, Gym, Outdoor, Clubs

The Cardiovascular Endurance:

oThe ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply fuel
during sustained physical activity.(aerobic fitness).
oTo improve your cardiorespiratory endurance, try activities that keep
your heart rate elevated at a safe level for a sustained length of time
such as walking, swimming or cycling.
oIt is very important because the more cardiovascular fit you are, the
healthier your lungs, heart and vascular system is.

The Muscular Endurance

o The ability of muscles to continue to perfom without
fatigue.
o To improve your muscle endurance, try
cardiorespiratory activities such as walking,
jogging, cycling or dancing.
o It is the bridge between muscular strength and
cardiovascular endurance.

The Muscular Strength

The ability of muscles to exert

force during an activity.

The key to making your

muscles stronger is working
them against resistance,
whether that be from weights
or gravity.

It is important for your

efficiency at Activities of Daily
Living (ADLs)

Body Composition

Refers to the relative amount

of muscle, fat, bone and other
vital parts of the body.
Body composition is important
to consider for health and
managing your weight!
Having a poor body
composition has many
negative physical and
psychological effects.

Flexibility

Is the rango of motion around

a joint.
Good flexibility in the joints can
help prevent injuries through
all stages of life. If you want to
improve your flexibility, try
activities that lengthen the
muscles or a basic stretching
program.
Poor flexibility can directly
effect cardiovascular
endurance, muscle strength
and muscular endurance.

Speed

Is the ability to move your body

or part of your body quickly.
Its involved in most the athletic
skills such as in sprint running,
some skills of soccer,
basketball,etc.
Ways to run faster: increase
stride length, increase stride
frequency, build speed and
power, train for agility, develop
your anaerobic threshold,
decrease recovery time and
delay fatigue.

Explosive Strength or Power

The ability to exert maximum muscular
contraction instantly in an explosive burst of
movements.
The two components of power are strength
and speed.
e.g. jumping or a sprint start.

Agility

The ability to change the body`s position and

direction fast.
e.g.: ZigZag running or cutting movements.

Balance

The ability to control the body`s position, either stationary

or while moving.
E.g.:handstand, gymnastic stunt.

Coordination

The ability to move body parts smoothly and

accuarately in response to what your senses tell
you.

Reaction Speed Drill

Reaction Speed is the time it takes to respond to a

stimulus.
Reaction Time + Movement Time = Response Time
Sprinters react to the starting gun (e.g.
100metres),Control of an object (e.g. football or hockey
puck).

Timing
The ability to act at the right moment.
E.g. passing a ball at the correct time to allow
another player to score.

Bibliography
Gallagher R., Fountain S., Gee L. Physical Education,
through diagrams. Oxford Revision Guides
Kleinman I. Complete Physical Education Plans for
grades 7-12. Human Kinetics. United States, 2001.
McCracken B. It's Not Just Gym Anymore, Human
Kinetics. United States, 2001.

Web
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_fitness
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/5main-components-ofphysical-fitness.html
http://www.askthetrainer.com/5-components-of-physicalfitness.html
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/conditon.htm
http://www.fitness.gov/digest_mar2000.htm

Images

Logo
http://recursostic.educacion.es//bancoimagenes/contenidos/senales01/act-deportivas/thum
bs/p008ant.gif
http://www.google.es/imghp?hl=es&tab=wi
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=physical%20fitness
Image 2: http://media.merchantcircle.com/4338941/Physical%20Fitness
%20Logo_medium.jpeg
Image 3:
Image 4: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/Dd6QzkzOOsc/TcF8MpmrNGI/AAAAAAAAAD8/aq9JiYmwEGY/s400/fitnesssilhouettes.jpg
composi:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DHqGp13VpV0/TJyyiWuY4qI/AAAAAAAADL8/BaMlDBZhjyM/s1
600/body-composition-5-components-of-physical-fitness.jpg
Pyramide
http://www.gymmotivators.com/posters/thumbnails/individualPosters/pages/images/TheAct
ivityPyramid.jpg
Get Fit
http://www.gymmotivators.com/posters/thumbnails/individualPosters/pages/images/10Grea
tReasons2GetFit.jpg

Note: This material was prepared by Victor E. Rodrguez Rodrguez for the
Bilingual Section of Physical Education (English) of the IES. A Gua, Vigo. I
used images from of http://www.flickr.com/ and http://www.google.es/imghp?
hl=es&tab=wi sites, and in all the images I have added their reference. In this
work, I have also included portions of the text of the different sites, which are
reflected in the bibliography at the end of the text . This material was
elaborated for exclusively educational purposes and non-commercial uses.

Nota: Este material foi elaborado por Vctor E. Rodrguez Rodrguez para a
Seccin Bilinge de Educacin Fsica (ingls) do IES. A Gua de Vigo.
Utilice imxenes de lugares web (http://www.flickr.com/ e
http://www.google.es/imghp?hl=es&tab=wi ) e en todas elas engadn a sa
referencia. Neste traballo, tamn inclun porcins de texto de diferentes
pxinas web, reflectidas na bibliografa ao final do texto. Este material foi
elaborado con fins exclusivamente didcticos e sen uso comercial.