Five Health-Related Components of Fitness

 

Five Health-Related Components of Fitness

Each of these fitness factors is important for health and being

Five fitness factors contribute to physical fitness and help guide the fitness process. You already know the benefits of prioritizing physical activity. The trick is understanding what "fitness" is and how to achieve it. This is where her five elements of fitness come into play. They are a blueprint for physical activity guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and serve as useful tools for organizing and following a balanced exercise routine. A fitness plan that includes these elements helps you maximize the health benefits of your routine.

Five elements of fitness cardiopulmonary endurance muscle strength muscle endurance Flexibility body composition The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that regular physical activity can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, improve bone health, improve mental health, and live well in old age. 2 Read more in 5 Elements of Fitness with Examples.

Cardiovascular Endurance

Cardiorespiratory endurance, or aerobic fitness, refers to the body's ability to efficiently and effectively take up and deliver oxygen to body tissues via the heart, lungs, arteries, blood vessels, and veins. .3 maintain or improve the efficient supply and absorption of oxygen to body tissues through regular exercise that stresses the heart4 improve cell metabolism Alleviate the physical challenges of everyday life Heart disease kills about 630,000 people in the United States each year, so it's especially important to start an exercise program that improves your cardiovascular health to help keep your heart healthy. ACSM physical activity guidelines call for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week. Of course, consistency is key. That may sound like a lot, but 150 minutes is just 20-30 minutes of exercise a day, 5-7 days a week.

Muscular Endurance

Muscle endurance is one of two factors that contribute to overall muscle health (the other being strength). Think of muscle endurance as the ability of a specific muscle group to continuously contract against a specific resistance. Long Distance Cycling provides a clear example. Cycling long distances and often climbing steep climbs requires cyclists to develop fatigue-resistant muscles in the legs and hips. These demonstrate a high level of muscle endurance. Similarly, holding a plank to strengthen the core is another example of muscular endurance with isometric exercises. The longer you can hold your body in a stable position with your abs engaged, the more endurance you will have in your hips, abs, and shoulders. ACSM physical activity guidelines call for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week. Of course, consistency is key. It may sound like a lot, but 150 minutes is just 20-30 minutes of exercise for him 5-7 days a week.

How much you focus on muscle endurance should be directly related to your health or fitness goals. It is important to recognize that muscle endurance is muscle group-specific. This means that high levels of endurance can be developed in some muscle groups if desired (cyclists can develop more strength in their legs). for Everyday Health For your overall health, you may want to have enough stamina to climb stairs many times or to lift and carry groceries from your car to your house. Bodyweight or low-intensity strength training sessions can help build endurance. fitness-related goals Suppose you want to be an endurance athlete who can compete in sports that require constant muscle contraction, such as running. B. Obstacle Course, CrossFit or Cycling. In this case, a higher level of muscle endurance is required. We encourage you to focus more on your training plan to become a better athlete using high-rep strength training and sport-specific activities.

Muscular Strength

Muscular endurance refers to how well a particular muscle group withstands fatigue, and strength refers to the amount of force a particular muscle group can produce in one effort. In strength training terms, that's a maximum of 7 repetitions. Like muscle endurance, strength varies by muscle group. In other words, you may have strong glutes but relatively weak deltoids. Or strong pecs but relatively weak hamstrings. For this reason, a balanced strength training program that targets all major muscle groups is essential. think about goals Again, the degree of strength training is determined by your health and fitness goals.

For example, if you care about your health, you need to be strong enough to lift heavy boxes or get up from a chair easily. However, if your goal is to increase muscle mass or lift heavier weights in the gym, your training program should focus on lifting heavier weights. To improve strength: Use heavier weights, fewer repetitions, and fatigue your muscles with each set. To improve muscle endurance: Lighten weights and increase reps to build endurance over time. It is possible to improve strength and endurance at the same time. This can be done in combination with aerobic exercise. For example, a circuit training routine that combines strength training and cardio into one session can make your exercise program more efficient. Targets all large muscle groups.

Flexibility

Flexibility refers to the pain-free range of motion around a particular joint.10 Like strength and endurance, flexibility is joint-specific. For example, the shoulders are very flexible, but the hamstrings and hips are stiff and inflexible. Flexibility is essential at any age. It plays a role in free movement and can affect balance, coordination and agility. Maintaining full range of motion in major joints can reduce the chance of injury and improve athletic performance.11 ​​ As we age, the importance of flexibility becomes even more apparent. increase. Think of older individuals: Many may walk with a shuffle or have difficulty reaching their arms over their heads. This may affect the quality of life, making it more challenging to perform activities of daily living, such as reaching items on high shelves, picking up things off the floor, or simply catching their balance if they start to fall.

While completely stopping the aging process isn`t possible, protecting your joints and maintaining mobility can help keep you spry well into your later years.12 The ACSM's physical activity guidelines call for adults to engage in flexibility exercises at least two or three days each week. How to Increase Flexibility There are simple ways you can work flexibility exercises into your day: Static stretching, where you hold a stretch for 10 to 30 seconds at a time Workouts that take you through dynamic stretching exercises, such as barre, yoga, tai chi, or Pilates Active stretching, such as lifting your leg and holding it there, uses the contraction of the opposing muscle to relax the muscle being stretched. Passive stretching also called relaxed stretching, is where you assume a stretch position and hold it with the assistance of another part of your body, a partner, or an apparatus, like a strap. A type of static stretching, isometric stretching uses resistance to alternate between relaxing and contracting muscles.

Body Composition

Body composition, or the ratio of body fat mass to lean mass, is the final factor in health-related fitness. Achieving and maintaining a healthy body composition is the goal of almost any regular exercise routine, as high fat mass is associated with adverse health effects such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.13 Measurement of body composition To see any improvement in body composition, you need to know your starting point. 

Weight alone doesn't tell you the composition of your internal tissues, so weighing yourself on a scale doesn't work.13 Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA): Some gyms offer this type of test. Alternatively, you can purchase a portable scale that uses bioelectrical impedance analysis to estimate body fat percentage. Hydrostatic Underwater Weighing: Hydrostatic testing involves weighing on dry land followed by an underwater balance. These testing facilities are located in laboratories and some fitness centers. DEXA scans (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry): These are typically used to measure bone density, but can also give an accurate measurement of body composition. DEXA scans are typically performed at a radiology center and may or may not be covered by insurance. Body Fat Calculator Tools: These tools aren't as accurate as DEXA scans or hydrostatic pressure tests, but they're readily available and easy to use. Results are typically within 3-4 percent of your actual body fat percentage, so use these results to monitor changes and see improvements over time.