Unit II

PHYSICAL FITNESS

INTRODUCTION Specific Objectives:

Physical fitness is but one part of the total 1. Define physical fitness;
fitness that includes the mental, emotional, and 2. Differentiate health-related fitness from
social aspects of the individual's total well- performance related fitness;
being. Physical fitness is the result of the 3. Discuss performance-related fitness;
following factors: 4. Enumerate the benefits and parameters of
Physical Fitness;
1. Good medical and dental care; 5. Make a general concept of physical fit
2. Proper nutrition; person; and
3. Adequate rest and relaxation; and 6. Execute the Physical Fitness Test properly.
4. Regular physical activity and or exercises
The Meaning, Concepts and Components
However, no single factor can suffice for of Physical Fitness
meeting the needs of our society. Physical
fitness is not permanent. The fitness level of an Physical Fitness is the ability to perform
individual deteriorates once he stops his regular one's daily task efficiently without undue
regimen of routinely exercises and physical fatigue but with extra "reserve" in case of
activities. Also, this activity will be useless emergency.
without the other factors contributory to the Being physically fit means being able to
total fitness of an individual. perform one's daily task efficiently without
General Objectives: undue fatigue and still have an extra energy
to enjoy leisure activities and / or meet
At the end of the unit, the students are emergency demands.
expected to:
Based on this definition, there are (3) three
• Define and explain Physical Fitness; important aspects that an individual should
• Differentiate the components/concepts of be able to meet in order to be considered
Physical Fitness; physically fit. These include:
• Make generalizations on the concepts of
1. Being able to perform one's daily tasks
Physical Fitness;
without getting too tired before the end of the
• Make general concepts of a physically fit
day. These daily activities include;
person; and
a) Waking up in the morning to prepare for
• Discuss the benefits derived in executing the
school or work.
Physical Fitness Test.
b) Going to school or office on time.
Physical Fitness Defined c) Attending classes regularly.
d) Doing assignments in the library.
The Meaning, Concepts and Components of e) Meeting other individual, classmates
Physical Fitness and peer groups.
A. Health-Related Fitness f) Going home.
B. Performance-Related Fitness g) Doing homework and household chores
C. Benefits and Parameters of Physical Fitness
2. Enjoying leisure time in some form of 7. Balance — is the ability to control
recreational activities. Leisure time is the organic equipment neuro-muscularly; a state
amount of time that is left after the daily of equilibrium.
routine activities of an individual have been 8. Speed — is the ability to make
accomplished. Recreation, on the other hand, successive movements of the same kind in the
refers to any activity that is participated in by shortest period of time.
the individual during leisure time on voluntary
Components of Physical Fitness
basis because it provides an immediate
satisfaction to the individual. Recreation takes The components of Physical Fitness are
place in the form of; divided into two categories the health —
a) Watching TV or movies related components (Flexibility,
b) Talking to friends over the phone Cardiovascular Endurance, Muscular
c) Reading books and magazines articles Strength, Muscular Endurance and Body
d) Doing arts and crafts Composition) and the performance related
e) Listening to radio components (Agility, Balance, Coordination,
f) Playing sports Power, and Speed).
3. Meeting emergency demands such as:
a) Doing important errands I. Health-Related Fitness
b) Performing social obligations Health-Related Fitness – Is a function of
c) Attending to visitors body's adaptation to exercise. It could be
d) Attending to household problems developed and maintain through the regular
and proper exercise program. There are at least
Concepts of Physical Fitness
five (5) components of Health — Related
1. Organic Vigor — Refers to the Fitness. They are as follows:
soundness of the heart and the lungs, which
contributes to the ability to resist diseases. A. Muscular Strength – Refers to the
2. Endurance — Is the ability to sustain ability of the muscle to exert maximum effort in
long-continued contractions where a number brief duration. It may be developed through
of muscle groups are used; the capacity to bear isotonic, isometric, or isokinetic contractions.
or last long in a certain task without undue Isotonic Contractions are voluntary
fatigue. contractions in which muscles shorten and
3. Strength — Is the capacity to sustain lengthen alternately. The muscle contracts at
the application of force without yielding or varying speed against a resistance. These
breaking; the ability of the muscle to exert contractions are of two types:
effort against the resistance. 1. Concentric Contraction — Refers to
muscles that shorten during exercise. There is no
4. Power — Refers to the ability of the
movement that occurs and the length of the
muscle to release maximum force in a shortest
period of time. muscle remains unchanged.
5. Flexibility — It is a quality of 2. Eccentric Contraction — Refers to the
plasticity, which gives the ability to do a wide muscle that lengthens during an exercise.
range of movement. Muscles exert force due to an outside resistance.
6. Agility — Is the ability of an individual The most common example of isotonic
to change direction or position in space with contraction is calisthenics exercise. This makes
the quickness and lightness of movement. use of a body segment or the entire body weight
as a form of resistance during an exercise. Some increased from the resting pulse rate to target
of the most traditional calisthenics exercises that heart rate that the individual has to sustain for a
are being performed to increase muscular period of 20 to 60 minutes. With high levels of
strength are push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups. endurance, an individual has more energy and
Another approach to develop muscular strength has the ability to sustain different types of
involving isotonic exercise is through the use of activities. It is also likely that coronary heart
weights. disease (CHO) is prevented
Isometric Contractions are another type There are important variables to consider when
of contractions in which the muscles are engaging in any cardiovascular endurance
contracted against an immovable resistance. The program. These are:
exercise provides maximum contraction of
1. Intensity which refers to how stressful the
muscle; however, there is no observed
exercise is.
movement during the exercise. This is done for
2. Duration which refers to how long will the
about 5 seconds.
exercise be performed.
Isokenetic Contractions are similar to 3. Frequency which refers to the number of
isotonic contractions but the muscles are times the individual will exercise each week.
exposed to fixed machines with variable degrees 4. Mode which refers to the kind of activity,
of resistance. Through the range of movement, selected such as brisk working or jogging.
resistance is equal to the force applied.
Physiological Benefits of Cardiovascular
Two physiological benefits derived from
Training Program
strength training:
1. Decreased resting heart rate;
1. Increase muscle strength by 10-25% 2. Decreased recovery time from a bout of
within 6-8 weeks; and exercise;
2. Increase muscle size or muscle hypertrophy 3. Increased blood volume and red blood cells
to transport oxygen throughout the body;
B. Muscular Endurance – Refers to the 4. Stronger heart muscle allowing it to eject
ability of the muscle to endure a sub maximal more blood (stroke volume) with each heartbeat.
effort for a prolonged period of time. If this occurs, the heart can rest longer between
Performing a strength exercise such as push-up beats;
over a long period of time or performing the 5. Increased number of capillaries for efficient
same exercise for many continuous repetitions exchange of oxygen, carbon dioxide and
is a demonstration of muscular endurance. One nutrients between blood and body cells;
basic requirement in achieving muscular 6. Decreased rate of respiration;
endurance is muscular strength. Muscle 7. Increased aerobic capacity which allows the
endurance is developed by employing the body cells to utilize oxygen for better work
different strength training exercises mentioned efficiency; and
above either for longer periods of time or an 8. Prevent and/or reduction of the risk of
increased number of exercise repetitions. developing coronary heart diseases.
C. Cardiovascular Endurance – Refers to
Activities that develop cardiovascular
the ability of the heart, blood vessels and the
endurance;
lungs to adapt to physical exertion for a
prolonged duration. Usually, the heart rate is
1. Prolonged brisk walking 6. Continuous Example: Ballistic stretching - forward
swimming bending done in rapid bouncing movement.
2. Prolonged jogging 7. Rowing
3. Stationary bicycling 8. Aerobic dancing 2. Static Stretching – This involves slowly
4. Prolonged skipping rope 9. Hiking stretching a segment of the body to the farthest
5. Playing basketball 10. Playing football point and holding that position for at least 15-30
seconds. This type of stretching is fairly
D. Flexibility – Is the ability of the muscles and endorsed by many physical educators and
joints to go through a full range motion. exercise psychologists because stretch is easy
Flexibility reduces the risk of injury, enhances and pain free and the risk of injury is very
performance and prevents muscle soreness. It is minimal.
achieved through stretching designed to It is performed without a partner and each
lengthen or elongate soft tissue structures and stretch is easy and pain-free. Once the stretcher
thereby increase the range of motion. Flexibility has achieved its full range of movement and
is influenced by three factors: begins to feel a mild discomfort (muscle
tension) in the body part being stretched, the
1. Structure of the joints; position is held statically.
Example: Static stretching — seated
2. Amount of tissues surrounding the joint;
hamstring stretch
3. Extensibility of the ligaments, tendons and
muscle tissue that connects the joints.
3. Dynamic Stretching – Is the use of a
It involves four basic movements, namely: muscle's own force production and the body's
flexion (bending of a body segment), extension momentum to take a joint through the full
(straightening a body segment), abduction available range of motion (Clark & Lucett,
(moving a limb away from the body), and 2010a). Dynamic stretching is beneficial for any
adduction (moving a limb toward the body). sport that involves dynamic movement,
especially in sports like athletics, Football etc.
Body flexibility is achieved through that prepare the body to move better specifically
stretching specific segments of the body. To before start of an exercise or competition.
achieve good flexibility, exercise should be Mason (201 la) suggested that in performing this
performed daily. For very tight muscle-joint stretching the movement should be in a slow,
area, it is highly recommended that flexibility controlled way, relaxed, and breath steadily to
exercises be done at least twice a day. execute properly.
Types of Stretching (Basic Methods Used to Example: Alternate lunges (right & left)
Develop Joint Flexibility)
4. Proprioceptive Neuromuscular
1. Ballistic Stretching – Uses muscle Facilitation (PNF) – It involves the contract-
contractions to force muscle elongation bobbing relax approach to stretching. During the
(i.e. up and down) movement quickly elongates contract-relax, the partner attempts to move the
the muscle with each repetition; the bobbing limb at its lengthened range of motion and
also activates the stretch reflex response (Nelson isometrically resists the partner's attempt to
& Kokkonen, 2007). Usually this type of move the limb into a deeper stretch. Then, the
stretching uses in sports like gymnastics and stretcher relaxes the limb and the partner slowly
performs in a controlled manner. moves the segment into a new range. This type
of stretching can be done active (i.e. w/o contributing to greater weight than the
partner) or passive (i.e. w/ partner). ectomorph body type.
Example: PNF hold-relax hamstring stretch 3. An endomorph body type is characterized
by a relative predominance of soft roundness
Fitness Benefits of Flexibility Exercise and large digestive viscera. There is a greater
percent of body fat when compared to lean body
1. Increased range of muscle joint motion; mass.
2. Reduced muscle stiffness and increased body
relaxation;
3. Improved blood circulation in specific body
segment;
4. Reduced incidence of injury during a major
sport event; and
5. Reduced risk of cardiovascular problems in
exercise.

E. Body Composition – Refers to the Somatotypes are of special interest to fitness

proportion of lean body mass to fat body mass. enthusiasts and athletes. It helps the individual
It stresses one's relative fatness or leanness in understand the extent of weight reduction or
relation to height. In recent years, body weight gain he/she expects to achieve given a
composition has gained wide acceptance in well-defined exercise program. Among athletes,
exercise science as one of the components of somatotype is highly correlated to excellent
health-related fitness. Its inclusion was earlier sport performance depending on the type of
opposed since supporters believe that fitness is sport event. For instance, it has been found that
for everyone, including the slim and overweight. among track and field athletes, physical
In addition, being fat has some genetic characteristics of those successful in shot put
predisposition that may be quite difficult to alter. differ from those successful in marathon. This
Somatotypes suggests that for one sport event, a specific body
Somatotyping or body typing is a system of type may dictate one's superior performance
classifying an individual according to the shape over another. However, some body type is not
of the body. It was developed by Sheldon during only limited to one particular shape but can be a
the 1940's and 1950's. He noted that the combination of two body types (e.g. ectomorph
physique of the body may be categorized into and mesomorph) for instance, a high jumper
three distinct types: a) Ectomorph, b) athlete in athletics.
Mesomorph, and c) Endomorph.
II. Performance Related Fitness
1. An ectomorph body type is characterized as
It refers to the quality of one's movement skill.
lean and small body build with greater surface
It includes 5 general components namely:
area to mass ratio. Bone size is relatively small
with slender limbs and low muscle mass. 1. Balance – Is the ability to maintain
2. A mesomorph body type has a relative equilibrium in relation to changes in body
predominance of muscles. The bones are usually position. Balance can be categorized into static
large and heavy with massive limbs, thus and dynamic balance. Static Balance is the
ability to maintain equilibrium in a fixed
position such as standing on one foot or on a abdominal wall and the arm and shoulder
balance beam. Dynamic Balance is the ability girdle.
to maintain one's equilibrium while the body is 3. Relieves Low back Pain – A lack of
in motion. Walking on a balance beam is one physical activity has been found to be major
example of this type of balance. cause for some cases of pain in the lower
2. Coordination – Is the harmonious back. Most adults who suffer from low-back
working relationship between the skeletal pain are relieved from this pain by exercises
muscle and nerves in one aspect of movement. that strengthen the back and abdominal
Hand-eye coordination is demonstrated in muscles.
certain sport skills such as catching, passing, 4. Retards Aging Process – Continued
dribbling or volleying a ball. participation in regular exercises of the
3. Agility – Is the ability of an individual proper amount and severity is of considerable
to quickly shift or change direction of the body value in postponing that usually takes place
from one point to another. as a person grows old.
4. Speed – Is the ability to perform a task 5. Physical fitness and Ability to Meet
or move from one point to another in the Emergencies – Body that is accustomed to
shortest possible time. It is also the time spent sedentary living habits can usually operate
finishing or completing a performance after the ineffectively even though it is operating at
initial movement has been made. Speed is near maximum effort.
influenced by the reaction time which is the 6. Neuromuscular Skill – The smooth,
time elapsed when the "go" signal has been efficient coordination of the muscular system
made by an official of the first motor response. is improved as a result of regular
5. Power – Is the ability to perform one participation in physical activity.
maximum effort in a short period of time. It is 7. Relaxation – Overactive minds in
a product of both strength and speed as seen in underactive bodies often need physical
many sport activities such as track and field outlets for accumulated emotional and
and weightlifting. muscular tensions that seem to be relieved by
6. Reaction Time – Is the ability to react actions of the skeletal 'Muscle.
to the interval of time between the signal to 8. Improvement of Personality and
respond (stimulus) and the beginning of the Social Skills – Participation in games and
response. sports aids in improving the personality and
in developing desirable social skills.
Benefits of Physical Fitness 9. Mental Fitness – Because of the
mental and physical relaxation that often
1. Vitality. Muscles – Are basic for all results from physical activity, regular
body action. They increase in strength with exercise is thought by many to be of
activity and deteriorate from lack of it. Fit considerable value in aiding the natural
muscles use less energy to perform the same mental processes to function with increased
task, leading to an increase in vitality. efficiency
2. Posture – A physically fit person is able 10. General Growth – The physically fit
to maintain his general postural alignment person usually possesses a high degree of
better than one weak musculature. Good general resistance, which enables him in
fitness as a program stresses the development successfully avoiding minor illness.
of antigravity muscles, which maintains good
The Parameters of Physical Fitness
Many proponents of physical education have
various ideas on how to measure physical
fitness. Educators on physical education today
separate the various disciplines into four
measurable parameters, which are:
1. Muscular Endurance
2. Muscular Strength
3. Cardio – Respiratory Endurance
4. Joint Flexibility
The above parameters are considered the
hard core of physical fitness. Without strength,
participation in physical activity is not
possible and the fitness of the individual is
limited. When muscles are weak or lack
endurance, all movements are curtailed, since
all movements depend on the strength of the
muscle or groups of muscles.
A fit individual can maintain a lower heart
rate during activity which can supply a greater
volume of blood with each contraction of the
heart and can recover more quickly after
exercise than a less fit individual.
As the late president John Fitzgerald
Kennedy said, "Physical Fitness" is not only
one of the most important keys to a healthy
body; it is the basis of dynamic, creative, and
intellectual activity in that intelligence and
skill can function at the peak of their capacity
when the body is healthy and strong."