Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Part 4

Benefits of Physical Fitness

• Retards aging process. Continued participation in regular exercises of the proper amount and severity is of considerable value in postponing deterioration as a person grows old.
• Physical fitness and ability to meet emergencies. The body that is accustomed to sedentary living habits can usually operate ineffectively even though it is operating at near maximum effort.
• Neuromuscular skill. The smooth, efficient coordination of the muscular system is improved as a result of regular participation in physical activity.
• Relaxation. Overactive minds in underactive bodies often need physical outlets of accumulated emotional and muscular tensions that seem to be relieved by the action of the skeletal muscles.
• Improvement of personality and social skills. Participation in games and sports aids in improving the personality and in developing the desirable social skills.
• Mental Fitness.  Because of the mental and physical relaxation that often results from physical activity, regular exercise is thought by many to be valuable in aiding the mental processes to function with increased efficiency.
• General Health.  The physically-fit person usually possesses a high degree of general appearance, which enables him to avoid minor illness.

Characteristics of a Physically-Fit Person:

• Is able to withstand fatigue for longer periods of time than the unfit.
• Is better equipped to tolerate physical stress.
• Has a stronger and more efficient heart.
• Overall, a fit person has a better relationship between good mental health, mental alertness, absence of tension, and physical fitness.   

(We are grateful to Dr. Nelba O. Olaso, Ph.D. for allowing us to quote passages from her book, Innovative Schemes for Physical Fitness.  She is a professor of Physical Education and consultant on Sports Development Program at Naga College Foundation, Naga City, Philippines.)

Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Part 3

The six components of skill-related physical fitness are as follows:

• Agility – the ability to rapidly and accurately change the direction of the movement of the body in space.  Shuttle run is one example of agility.
• Balance – the maintenance of equilibrium while stationary or while moving.  Performing on the balance beam is one example that requires balance.
• Coordination – the ability to use senses with the body parts to perform motor task smoothly and accurately.  Jogging or kicking a ball are examples of activities requiring good coordination.
• Power – the ability to transfer energy into force at a fast rate.  Throwing the discus and putting the shot are activities that require considerable power.
• Reaction time – the time elapsed between stimulation and the beginning of reaction to that simulation.  Driving a racing car and starting a sprint race require good reaction time.
• Speed – the ability to perform a movement in a short period of time.  A runner on a track team or a wide receiver on a football team needs good foot and leg speed.

Benefits of Physical Fitness:

·      Vitality. Muscles are basic for all body action.  They increase in strength with activity and deterioration from lack of it.  Fit muscles use less energy to perform the same tasks, leading to an increase in vitality.

·      Posture. A physically-fit person is able to maintain his general postural alignment better than one with weak musculature.  Good fitness as a program stresses the development of anti-gravity muscles which maintains good abdominal wall and the arm and shoulder girdle.

·      Relieves low-back pain. – A lack of physical activity has been found to be the major cause for some cases of pain in the lower back.  Most adults who suffer from low- back pain are relieved from this pain by exercises that strengthen their back and abdominal muscles.  

Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Part 2

The components of physical fitness is the extent or levels of each acquired attribute that determines the physical condition of a person.  The five components are:

• Body composition - the relative percentage of muscle, fat, bone and other tissues that comprise the body.  A fit person has a relatively low percentage of body fat.  Body composition is measured by a height-and-weight formula, called body mass index (BMI), which is based on the metric system.
• Cardiorespiratory fitness – the ability of the heart, blood and respiratory system to supply oxygen to the muscles to sustain exercise.  The benefits of cardiovascular exercise are: 1) decreased resting heart rate; 2) decreased recovery time from exercise; 3) increased blood volume and red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the body; 4) stronger heart muscle allowing it to eject more blood with each heartbeat; 5) increased number of capillaries for efficient exchange of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nutrients between blood and body cells; 6) decreased rate of respiration; 7) increased aerobic capacity which allows the body cells to utilize oxygen for better work efficiency; 8) prevents and/or reduces the risk of developing coronary heart diseases.
• Flexibility – the range of motion available in a joint.  It is affected by muscle length, joint structure, and other factors.  A fit person can move the body joints through a full range of motion in work and play.
• Muscular endurance – the ability of the muscles to exert themselves repeatedly without undue fatigue.  Performing push-ups, sit-ups, or half-squats are examples of muscular endurance.
• Strength – the ability of the muscles to exert an external force or to lift a heavy weight.  A fit person can do work or play that involves exerting force or controlling his body weight.  There are three discrete components of strength: 1) explosive strength, requiring movement, speed, and sudden changes in direction such as running through an obstacle course or throwing an object for distance; 2) static or isometric strength, requiring little muscle shortening and is necessary in overcoming a heavy resistance; 3) dynamic strength, which is the component found in repeated muscle contraction.

(Skill-Related Physical Fitness (Motor Fitness Components). The six skill-related components of physical fitness are more associated with performance than good health, which will be discussed on Monday, January 14, 2013.)