FITNESS General Definition

What is fitness and who is fit?Since the concept of fitness is not easy to define, there are a lot of different definitions, even though some of them are very similar to each other.Here are some examples:

•Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines "fitness" and being "fit" as “the ability to transmit genes and being healthy ”( fig.1);•Microsoft Encarta Reference Library sais that “Physical Fitness isthe ability of the human body to function with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to engage in leisure activities, and to meet physical stresses”;

Fig.1

• Physical fitness is defined as "a set of attributes that people have or achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity" (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 1996).

• Fitness means being able to perform physical activity. It also means having the energy and strength to feel as good as possible.

• Fitness generally refers to the idea of your body being in good shape. It can mean a number of different things: eating a healthy diet (fig.2), exercising (fig.3), not being overweight, taking care of yourself, getting enough sleep, and otherwise being in good condition.

Fig.3Fig.2

So, we can see that fitness is not about being thin, having a small waist or having bulging muscles. It is a combination of qualities that enable us to be at our full potential in performing vigorous physical activities.

Physical Fitness involves the performance of the heart, lungs, and the muscles of the body. Specifically, and according to some experts, it takes into account our Cardio Respiratory Endurance, Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, Body Composition and Flexibility.

To some extent, Fitness also influences our mental and emotional development, since what we do with our bodies also affects what we can do with our minds.

So, let’s look to all of these five components separately and understand what they are and how we can improve them:

Cardio Respiratory EnduranceIt is the ability of the body’s circulatory and respiratory systems to supply fuel during sustained physical activity. To improve your cardio respiratory endurance, try activities that keep your heart rate elevated at a safe level for a sustained length of time such as walking, swimming (fig.4), or bicycling. The activity you choose does not have to be strenuous to improve your cardio respiratory endurance. Start slowly with an activity you enjoy, and gradually work up to a more intense pace.

Fig.4

Muscular StrengthMuscular strength is the ability of the muscle to exert force during an activity. The key to making your muscles stronger is working them against resistance, whether that is from weights or gravity.

If you want to gain muscle strength (fig.5), try exercises such as lifting weights or quickly climbing the stairs.

Fig.5

Muscular enduranceMuscular endurance is the ability of the muscle to continue to perform without fatigue. To improve your muscle endurance, try cardio respiratory activities such as walking, jogging, bicycling, or dancing (fig.6).

Fig.6

Body Composition Body composition refers to the relative amount of muscle, fat, bone, and other vital parts of the body (fig.7). A person's total body weight (what you see on the bathroom scale) may not change over time. But the bathroom scale does not assess how much of that body weight is fat and how much is lean mass (muscle, bone, tendons, and ligaments). Body composition is important to consider for health and managing your weight.

Fig.7

Flexibility Flexibility is the range of motion around a joint. Good flexibility in the joints can help prevent injuries through all stages of life. If you want to improve your flexibility, try activities that lengthen the muscles such as swimming or a basic stretching program (fig.8).

Fig.8

What’s your definition of fitness?When we made a small inquiry and asked people what they thought fitness was, we heard several ideas, some of them completely different from each other. Since being some sort of activity in which we play cards or watch television, to having a body without cellulite…

Generally, young people say that it is a dynamic sport which is mostly practiced by women and helps them to lose weight. Other teens say that is a sport or activity which improves our ability to perform physical activity and, together with a healthy diet, makes us feel and look better and live a healthier life. A boy also answered that fitness consists of keeping yourself in a good physical shape.

Older people, usually older than 40 years old, didn’t have, in general, a clear idea about the definition of fitness and some of them answered that they didn’t know what is was. However, some people guessed that it was probably a sport, a physical game or a hobby. Others even added that a healthy diet was also important and sport or physical activity wasn’t the only thing that mattered when we talk about fitness.

Exercise means muscle activity!Exercise means muscle activity!

Any type of exercise uses your muscles.Any type of exercise uses your muscles.

In running and swimming, your muscles are In running and swimming, your muscles are working to accelerate your body and keep working to accelerate your body and keep

it moving. In weightlifting, your muscles it moving. In weightlifting, your muscles are working to move a weight.are working to move a weight.

In strenuous exercise, just about In strenuous exercise, just about every system in every system in your bodyyour body either either focuses its efforts on helping focuses its efforts on helping

the muscles do their work the muscles do their work or it shuts down.or it shuts down.

For example, your heart beats faster during For example, your heart beats faster during strenuous exercise so that it can pump more strenuous exercise so that it can pump more

blood to the muscles, and your stomach shuts blood to the muscles, and your stomach shuts down during strenuous exercise so that it does down during strenuous exercise so that it does

not waste energy that the muscles can use.not waste energy that the muscles can use.

When you exercise, your muscles act like When you exercise, your muscles act like electric motors.electric motors.

An electric motor uses electricity to supply An electric motor uses electricity to supply its energy. Your its energy. Your musclesmuscles are biochemical are biochemical motors, and they use a chemical called motors, and they use a chemical called

adenosine triphosphate (ATP) their energy adenosine triphosphate (ATP) their energy sourcesource..

During the process of "burning" ATP, your During the process of "burning" ATP, your muscles need three thingsmuscles need three things::

• They need They need oxygenoxygen because chemical because chemical reactions require ATP and oxygen is reactions require ATP and oxygen is consumed to produce ATP;consumed to produce ATP;

• They need They need to eliminate metabolic wastes to eliminate metabolic wastes (carbon dioxide, lactic acid) that the (carbon dioxide, lactic acid) that the chemical reactions generate;chemical reactions generate;

• They need They need to get rid of heatto get rid of heat. Just like an . Just like an electric motor, a working muscle generates electric motor, a working muscle generates heat that it needs to get rid of.heat that it needs to get rid of.

In order to continue exercising, In order to continue exercising, your your muscles must continuously produce ATPmuscles must continuously produce ATP..

To make this happen, your body must supply To make this happen, your body must supply oxygen to the muscles and eliminate the oxygen to the muscles and eliminate the

waste products and heat.waste products and heat.

If these needs are not met, then exercise will If these needs are not met, then exercise will ceasecease – that is, you become exhausted – that is, you become exhausted and you won't be able to keep going.and you won't be able to keep going.

How to be in shape?

It’s designated as an area of activity within the gyms and clubs;

The basic function is to trace a pattern of training so as to allow a person to attain a good fitness;

For that it uses several components, and it applies certain principles of training in order to achieve a good and balanced body composition.

Flexibility Strength Cardiovascular efficiency Aerobic resistance Muscular resistance

Objectives:

Aerobic endurance and cardiovascular efficiency;

Strength and muscular endurance; Flexibility; Good body composition, without

excess fat in terms of percentage.

Strengt training includes exercises done individually, with free weights and specific equipment, with the main objective of improving strength, endurance and increase muscle mass;

The cardiovascular part is held on a treadmill, on an ‘elliptical’, a bike and others that help lose weight and maintain fitness.

There is also the possibility of hiring a Personal Trainer

Fitness can also include gym and weight training. However, it is also possible to be in shape through swimming, dancing, martial arts and other activities.

The gym includes group lessons in classrooms, such as localized abdominals, cycling, step, etc.

The most frequent are: Not enough stretching; More weight-lifting; Skipping warm-up; ‘Over training’; Forgetting to hydrate; Poorly supplemented training.

Thus, the true concept of fitness encourages the search for a balance between pleasure and dedication, giving us a sense of wellbeing which includes our mental and emotional health. This helps us control the feelings and anxieties which are part of the agitated life of modern society.

Escola Secundária do Restelo2010/2011

Núcleo de Intercâmbios Europeus