What Is Fitness?

WHAT IS FITNESS?
"Fitness" is a broad term that means something different to each person, but it refers to
your own optimal health and overall well-being. Being fit not only means physical health,
but emotional and mental health, too. It defines every aspect of your health. Smart
eating and active living are fundamental to fitness.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Complete Food and Nutrition
Guide (3rd ed.), when you are fit, you have:
 Energy to do what's important to you and to be more productive

 Stamina and a positive outlook to handle the mental challenges and emotional
ups and downs of everyday life and to deal with stress
 Reduced risk for many health problems, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes
and osteoporosis
 The chance to look and feel your best
 Physical strength and endurance to accomplish physical challenges
 A better chance for a higher quality of life and perhaps a longer life, too
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE AND FUNCTION OF FITNESS?

People who are physically fit are also healthier, are able to maintain their most optimum
weight, and are also not prone to cardiac and other health problems. In order to
maintain a relaxed state of mind, a person should be physically active. A person who is
fit both physically and mentally is strong enough to face the ups and downs of life, and
is not affected by drastic changes if they take place.
Becoming physically fit requires a change in life style as well. You will have to
incorporate a regular exercise routine in your life and also eat healthier. By avoiding
junk foods, fizzy drinks, bad habits like smoking and alcohol and by getting adequate
amount of rest, you will be able to become physically and mentally fit. Just by
eliminating all these food substances from your life, no matter how temporarily, you will
allow your body to detox and become stronger. Make sure that you spend more time
outdoors in the sun, and fresh air and take part in more healthy activities. Fishing,
bicycling, swimming, hiking, and even playing foo ball with your kids should be a part of
your physically fit lifestyle.
By becoming more active you can increase your body’s fitness levels and also avoid
health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure from developing. Exercise is also
good for your joints and makes your body stronger overall.
(healthstatus.com, 2018)
WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF FITNESS?
Primary Components of Fitness
The four primary components (also known as the components of health related fitness)
that are important to improved physical health are as follows:
• Cardiorespiratory capacity is the ability of the body to take in oxygen (respiration),

deliver it to the cells (circulation), and use it at the cellular level to create energy
(bioenergetics) for physical work (activity). In fitness, we also refer to cardiorespiratory
capacity as aerobic capacity. This capacity includes aerobic endurance (how long),
aerobic strength (how hard), and aerobic power (how fast). Some of the long-term
adaptations of cardiorespiratory training are: decreased resting heart rate, decreased
risk of cardiovascular disease, improved endurance, increased stroke volume and
cardiac output.
• Muscular capacity refers to the spectrum of muscular capability. This includes

muscular endurance (i.e., the ability to apply force over a long period of time or to
complete repeated muscle contractions); muscular strength (i.e., the ability to generate
force, or the maximum amount of force that a muscle can exert in a single contraction);
and muscular power (i.e., the ability to generate strength in an explosive way). Some of
the long-term adaptations of improving muscular capacity are increased strength,
improved muscular endurance, increased basal metabolic rate, improved joint strength,
and overall posture.
• Flexibility is the range of movement or amount of motion that a joint is capable of

performing. Each joint has a different amount of flexibility. Some of the long-term
adaptations of improved flexibility are decreased risk of injury, improved range of
motion, improved bodily movements, and improved posture.
• Body composition is the proportion of fat-free mass (muscle, bone, blood, organs, and
fluids) to fat mass (adipose tissue deposited under the skin and around organs). Some
of the long-term adaptations of improving body composition are decreased risk of
cardiovascular disease, improved basal metabolic rate, improved bodily function, and
improved BMI.
Secondary Components of Fitness

The secondary components of fitness (also known as the components of performance
based fitness) are involved in all physical activity and are necessary for daily
functioning. Athletes experience different levels of success depending on how well
these secondary fitness components are developed. Although the primary components
of fitness are thought to be the most important, we should not ignore the secondary
components because of their importance in the completion of daily tasks. The
secondary components include the following.
• Balance is the ability to maintain a specific body position in either a stationary or

dynamic (moving) situation.
• Coordination is the ability to use all body parts together to produce smooth and fluid
motion.
• Agility is the ability to change direction quickly.
• Reaction time is the time required to respond to a specific stimulus.
• Speed is the ability to move rapidly. Speed is also known as velocity (rate of motion).
• Power is the product of strength and speed. Power is also known as explosive
strength.
• Mental capability is the ability to concentrate during exercise to improve training effects
as well as the ability to relax and enjoy the psychological benefits of activity
(endorphins). (humankinetics.com, 2018)
WHAT ARE 5 PHYSICAL FITNESS ACTIVITIES THAT I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN?
1. I usually ride my bicycle from my house to the gate of our subdivision (about 200
meters away) everyday back and forth to reach home early.
2. I have joined my class’ cheerleading squad and hip-hop troupe when I was a
grade 10, 11, and 12 student on my previous school. We won the championship
when I was in grade 10.
3. We also held a fitness festival on my 11th grade and we performed a dance full of
acrobatics.
4. I regularly do yoga at home.
5. I swim at our subdivision’s pool almost twice a month.

What Is Fitness?

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WHAT IS FITNESS?

 Energy to do what's important to you and to be more productive

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE AND FUNCTION OF FITNESS?

• Cardiorespiratory capacity is the ability of the body to take in oxygen (respiration),

• Muscular capacity refers to the spectrum of muscular capability. This includes

• Flexibility is the range of movement or amount of motion that a joint is capable of

Secondary Components of Fitness

• Balance is the ability to maintain a specific body position in either a stationary or

• Agility is the ability to change direction quickly.

• Reaction time is the time required to respond to a specific stimulus.

WHAT ARE 5 PHYSICAL FITNESS ACTIVITIES THAT I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN?

4. I regularly do yoga at home.

5. I swim at our subdivision’s pool almost twice a month.

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