Principles of Physical Fitness

Chapter Two

Physical Activity and Exercise for Health and Fitness

Levels of physical activity have declined in recent years and remain low for all Americans

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the following:

62% participate in some leisure activity

38% are physically inactive

Of those that exercise, only 12% exercise at least 5 times per week at an intense level

80% of Americans with graduate degrees exercise compared to only 40% of high school dropouts

What is Physical Activity?

Physical activity is any body movement carried out by the skeletal muscles and requiring energy

Exercise refers to a subset of physical activity: a planned, structured, repetitive movement of the body designed to improve or maintain physical fitness

Levels of fitness depend on the following:

Heart’s ability to pump blood

Size of muscle fibers

2005 Guidelines for Americans

The U.S. Dept. of Health and Humans Services recommend the following:

30 mins. of moderate intense physical activity beyond usual activity already peformed at work/home on most days of the week

Moderate physical activity consist of these types:

Latest Modifications to the Physical Activity Guidelines

Since the release of the 2005 report by the CDC, Surgeon General, and ACSM, other organizations have also made recommendations

These guidelines do not conflict with the 2005 release, but they do have a different emphasis on weight loss

30 minutes per day may not be enough to perform this, so the latest change is recommending 45-90 minutes/day of physical activity

People can improve their health by becoming more active

Current levels of physical activity among American adults

Components of Health-related Fitness

There are 5 areas of fitness which help establish health benefits

Health-related fitness helps you withstand physical challenges and protects you from diseases

The 5 components are:

Cardiorespiratory Fitness

Muscular Strength

Muscular Endurance

Flexibility

Body Composition

Cardiorespiratory Fitness

Ability to perform prolonged, large muscle, dynamic exercise at moderate to high levels of intensity

Benefits include:

Improved extraction of oxygen from blood to muscles

Improved cardiac functioning

Decreased resting heart rate and blood pressure

You can develop cardiorespiratory endurance through the following activities:

Walking

Jogging

Cycling

Aerobic dancing

Activities should be continuous, rhythmic, including large muscle groups, such as the legs

Muscle Strength and Endurance

Muscular Strength is the capacity of the muscle to exert force  with a single maximum effort

Muscular Endurance is the capacity of the muscle to exert force repeatedly over a period of time, while resisting fatigue

Benefits include:

Increased body mass

Increased bone density

Improved 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, as well as manage stress

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

Reduces stiffness as one ages

Flexibility is affected by many factors such as joint structure, length and elasticity of connective tissue, and nervous system activity

Body Composition

The proportion of fat and fat-free mass (muscle, bone, water) 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

Back pain

By becoming more physically active, the reduction of body fat can be achieved, resulting in health improvements

Skill-Related Components of Fitness

Speed

Power

Agility

Balance

Coordination

Reaction and Movement time

Principles of Physical Training: Adaptation to Stress

The human body is very adaptable

Over time, immediate, short-term adjustments translate into long-term changes and improvements

The goal of physical training is to produce these long-term changes and improvements in the body’s functioning

These principles include:

Specificity

Progressive overload

Reversibility

Individual differences

Specificity-Adapting to Type of Training

To develop a particular fitness or skill component, you must perform exercises specifically designed for that activity

Weight training will develop muscular strength but will not be very effective to improve cardiorespiratory endurance or flexibility

A well-rounded exercise program includes all components of fitness designed to improve different parts of the body or towards specific sport activities

Progressive Overload—Adapting to Amount of Training and the FITT Principle

Progressive overload is placing increasing amounts of stress on the body causes adaptations that improve fitness

The amount of overload is important since too little will not have much effect upon fitness levels

Progression is critical since exercising at the same levels will not provide adaptations

FITT, a principle for overload represents:

Reversibility-Adapting to a Reduction in Training

Fitness is a reversible adaptation

If you stop exercising, up to 50% of fitness improvements are lost within 2 months

Not all fitness improvements are lost within 2 months

Strength fitness can be maintained as infrequently as once a week compared to cardiovascular or cellular fitness levels

Individual Differences- Limits on Adaptability

There are large individual differences in ability to improve fitness, body composition, perform, and learn sports skills

Each person responds to training at different rates

Physical training improves fitness regardless of heredity and should be enough for the average person to achieve fitness goals

Designing Your Own Exercise Program

Medical clearance

Assessment

Setting goals

Choosing activities for a balanced program

Physical Activity Pyramid

Guidelines for Training

Train the Way You Want Your Body to Change

Train regularly

Start Slowly, and Get in Shape Gradually

Warm Up Before Exercise

Cool Down After exercise

Exercise Safely

Listen to Your Body, and Get Adequate Rest

Cycle the Volume and Intensity of Your Workouts

Try Training With a Partner

Vary your activities

Train Your Mind

Fuel Your Activity Appropriately

Have Fun

Track Your Progress

Keep Your Exercise Program in Perspective