We often read about Physical Fitness, ways of improving fitness levels and tips/methods about physical training. However, not many people seem to have a clear idea about what ‘Physical Fitness’ represents. In very simple terms, Physical Fitness is about achieving a certain level of physical conditioning that helps us to use our physical and mental reserves to the maximum potential, which directly contributes towards making us feel and look better.
Understand Physical Fitness
Taking this definition further, if an individual can perform tasks that are a part of his daily life with enthusiasm and alertness and isn’t susceptible to repeatedly suffering from injuries or illnesses, he has achieved an appreciable level of fitness. Please understand that Physical Fitness is very different from having large muscles or being gym-fit. The kind of training that dedicated gym enthusiasts take upon is actually a part of power training or developing extensive musculature for cosmetic reasons. Achieving basic fitness is not the primary objective for such seasoned gym-worshippers. Physical Fitness in its true forms refers to achieving a level of fitness wherein an individual can take upon any emergency conditions that involve laborious physical activities. This means that apart from having strong muscles and ligaments, the heart and lungs too should be able to sustain the extra pressure. Since physical well-being and psychological health of an individual are closely related, a physically fit individual is more likely to have emotional stability.
Understand Fitness Training Objectives
Complete Physical Fitness is achieved when an individual is able to establish a reasonable amount of performance in each of the following:
- Cardio-respiratory Endurance—this refers to the ability of the human body to deliver oxygen to the tissues and tired muscles and a healthy state of the bodily mechanism involved in removing toxic byproducts over a sustained period. This is why endurance training is recommended to most people, irrespective of their age or their gym-training objectives. Cardio exercises such as skipping, running and swimming are regarded as the easiest exercises to boost the cardio-respiratory performance.
- Muscle Strength—this refers to the ability of different groups of muscle to exert force or endure stress which is typically required when lifting weights. Strength training is largely divided into lower-body and upper-body strength training. This training essentially compromises of weight-lifting exercises.
- Flexibility—this is perhaps the least understood of fitness training components. Many gym-goers, particularly those who are starting an exercise regimen, often suffer serious injuries. Many times, the reason is the lack of flexibility in their body. Flexibility refers to the ability of muscles, joints and ligaments to sustain various degrees of bending, contractions and movements performed across a full range of motion. This is why many gym trainers insist upon a dedicated, warm-up period before starting weight-training, since its helps to invigorate the passive muscles of the body and make the joints suppler, helping to prevent gym injuries.
- Muscular Endurance—while muscle strength refers to overall stress-handling ability of a muscle or group of muscles, muscle endurance refers to the ability of various muscle groups to support repeated muscular movements or contractions. Please note that people with seemingly less muscle strength can have a greater level of muscular endurance. For instance, an individual might not be able to deadlift 100 lbs off the floor but better endurance training ensures that he can do hundreds of free-hand squats. A common example of testing shoulder/arm muscle endurance is executing multiple sets of push-ups.