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Chapter 3 FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS. COMING UP IN THIS CHAPTER. Define physical activity, physical fitness, and exercise Identify the benefits of physical activity and fitness Become familiar with the various components of health and skill fitness
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COMING UP IN THIS CHAPTER • Define physical activity, physical fitness, and exercise • Identify the benefits of physical activity and fitness • Become familiar with the various components of health and skill fitness • Survey methods of assessing fitness and assess your own fitness level • Apply key training principles • Adapt a fitness program to different environmental conditions
Physical Fitness, PhysicalActivity, and Exercise Does all activity count as exercise? • Not exactly • Physical fitness: ability to carry out tasks with vigor and alertness • Physical activity: any movement of the body • Exercise: a subset of physical activity • Repetitive body movement that has been planned and structured
Physical Fitness, PhysicalActivity, and Exercise Will I really lose years of my life if I’m unfit? • Yes, both physical activity and physical fitness are linked to longer and healthier lives
Physical Fitness, PhysicalActivity, and Exercise Is there any point in exercising if I can’t become super-fit? • Absolutely • Any increase in physical activity will increase your health and fitness
Figure 3-1 Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness
Physical Fitness, PhysicalActivity, and Exercise Isn’t the “couch potato” thing overblown? I seem to see more people exercising all the time. • More than half of all American adults don’t engage in much activity during their leisure time
Figure 3-2 Rates of regular leisure-time physical activity among Americans
Types of Fitness • Fitness components are typically divided into two major categories: • Health-related fitness: components have a direct effect on health status, disease risk, and day-to-day functioning • Skill-related fitness: components or attributes influence performance level in various activities and are less directly related to health
Skill-Related Fitness How is skill related to fitness? • Agility—change direction in quick and precise manner • Balance—maintain equilibrium • Coordination—synchronize multiple movement patterns in a sequenced, controlled movement • Power—exert maximum force in minimum time • Reaction time—time between stimulus and response • Speed—perform a movement in a short period of time
Health-Related Fitness I’m terrible at sports and have no interest in them. Are there other ways to be fit and healthy? • Cardiorespiratory endurance • Muscular strength • Muscular endurance • Flexibility • Body composition
Health-Related Fitness • Cardiorespiratory Endurance • Ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to sustain physical activity by supplying oxygen to working muscles • Developed through aerobic activities • Brisk walking • Jogging • Swimming • Cycling
Health-Related Fitness • Muscular Strength • Ability of a muscle or group of muscles to generate or apply force • Developed through activities that increase muscular strength and endurance • Weight training • Muscular Endurance • Ability of a muscle or group of muscles to sustain an effort for an extended period of time • Like strength, it requires resistance exercises
Health-Related Fitness • Flexibility • The ability of a joint to move through its full range of motion • Best maintained through stretching • Body Composition • The makeup of your body • Relative amounts of muscle, fat, bone, and other vital tissues • Affected by diet and various types of physical activity
Assessing Physical Activityand Fitness Is it safe for anyone to exercise? • It is important to know your current fitness status before beginning a fitness program • Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) (Lab Activity 3-1) • Check with your doctor if: • You answered yes to any of the PAR-Q questions • You are not used to being very active • You are outside the age-range listed (15–69)
Medical Clearance My mother-in-law has arthritis in her knees. Is she supposed to do any exercise? • Yes, although it may need to be modified • Physical activity can be beneficial to those with arthritis • She should check with health care provider
Assessing General Physical Activity Levels What do sedentary and active actually mean? I’m busy all the time, so I feel really active. • There is no technique that is both simple and precise to judge your overall level of physical activity • Pedometers can provide an approximate measure • Useful for checking your activity level • People who use pedometers tend to have an increase in activity level; they can be a good motivational tool
Table 3-2 Physical activity level based on pedometer tracking
Figure 3-3 A basic pedometer-based stepping program for increasing physical activity
Principles of Training How do I improve my fitness level? • Progressive overload: over time, performance is increased by gradually increasing the overload • Gradual application of increasing amounts of stress on the body during exercise • Overload must be increased gradually
Principles of Training Is there a limit on how fit a person can be? • Yes, human physiology has limits that are influenced by genetics and training
Reversibility If I stop exercising for a while, will I lose fitness? • Reversibility: Use it or lose it! • You can lose all your gains within 2 months
Recovery Is it harmful to my fitness if I work out every day? • With increase in activity comes the need for rest and recovery • Recovery: the time needed by the body to rebuild and improve tissues weakened from increased activity (overload)
Specificity What kinds of activities do I need to do to increase fitness? • The effects of training are directly related to the type of activities in which you participate • Specificity: the body will adapt to the specific types and amounts of stress placed on it
Individuality Could everyone be as fit as an Olympic athlete , if they worked hard enough? • We all respond to training differently • Our response depends on overall health, body type, genes, and other factors
The FITT Formula • The FITT formula principles can form a foundation for any exercise program • Frequency • Intensity • Time • Type
Frequency: How Often How many times per week should I work out? • Depends on the component you are training, your goals, and your current fitness level • Affected by other aspects of the FITT formula • ACSM guidelines: • Cardiorespiratory endurance training: 3–5 days/week • Muscle-fitness training: 2–3 days/week • Flexibility training: 2–3 days/week
Intensity: How Hard How do I know if my workout is hard enough for me? • You must do more than you’re used to doing—trying to reach your target zone and threshold • Target zone: the ideal intensity for achieving maximum benefit from the activity • Threshold: the minimum intensity for achieving specific fitness benefits • Intensity is measured differently for various fitness components
Time: How Long How long should I exercise, per day and per week? • This depends on the fitness components and intensity you choose, the design of your program, and your goals
Type: Choice of Activities What is the best kind of exercise? What is the best fitness program? • In FITT, type refers to the kind of activity • The best type of exercise for you is based on the fitness component and the goals related to that component • The best fitness program for you depends on what you want to accomplish
Putting Together a Complete Workout What does a complete workout look like? • Phases of a workout: • Warm-up (5–10 minutes) • Low-intensity activity • Conditioning • Endurance—cardiorespiratory • Resistance—muscular strength and endurance • Cool-down (5–10minutes) • Slower-paced activity • Stretching, after warm-up or cool-down
Warm-Up and Cool-Down Why do I sometimes feel a bit dizzy after exercise? • This is related to shifts in blood flow and changes in blood vessels that occur during exercise • You must properly warm up and cool down • Warm-up: 5–10 minutes of low-intensity activity that prepares the body for exercise • Cool-down: 5–10 minutes of slower-paced activity that helps the body transition to a normal resting state
Putting Together a Complete Program What is the best weekly exercise routine for health? • Investigate the different ways to plan a routine • Examples are given in Figure 3-6
Putting Together a Complete Program I don’t exercise at all, and I’m crazy busy. Does any amount of activity help, even five minutes? • Yes, any activity is better than none • Be active during your daily routine • Park far away from your destination • Take the stairs • Walk during your lunch or breaks • Stretch while you watch TV • Walk short distances instead of driving • Do active chores
Other Considerations When You’re Starting a Fitness Program • Clothes and safety gear • Exercise equipment and facilities • Weather • Heat • Cold • Air quality
Clothing and Safety Gear Are some kinds of clothes really better for exercising than others, or is it all just a sales gimmick? • Loose-fitting, comfortable clothing is probably sufficient • Wicking properties • Light-colored/reflective clothes at night
Clothing and Safety Gear Do I need different shoes for different activities? That’s way too expensive. • Probably not • Get a good shoe that will meet your needs
Clothing and Safety Gear Do knee pads help that much? I think they look goofy. • Yes, for some activities safety equipment is necessary • Common safety equipment includes: • Elbow and wrist guards, and knee pads • Helmets • Eye protection • Mouth guards • Athletic supporters/cups • Sports bras
Exercise Equipment and Facilities What’s the best type of home exercise equipment? • Equipment that you will use • Research your options • Consider your personal preferences
Exercise Equipment and Facilities Should I join a gym? • Things to consider: • Location and hours • Environment • Equipment and classes • Staff • Amenities • Cost and policies • Trials offered