Well, fitness means more than just being able to run without stopping to catch your breath. Physical fitness means getting all parts of your body in great working order so you can study and work and play as much as you want and still have energy to spare. It means your heart, lungs, circulation and muscles are all healthy and strong. Importantly, being physically fit means you can do things you can't do if you're unfit!
Physical fitness involves four main areas:
1. 'Cardiorespiratory' endurance
This is the ability of the heart and lungs to move blood carrying oxygen and energy around the body over a long period of time. Running, cycling or swimming for long distances can be used to test cardiorespiratory endurance. Endurance means 'staying power' or the ability to keep on going.
2. Strength
Strength involves your ability to push or pull or lift. It means your muscles can generate 'force' when you need to. Lifting weights is a way to measure body strength.
3. Muscular endurance
This refers to your muscles generating force not just once but over a long period of time. Counting how many push ups you can do is one way to measure muscular staying power. Why? Because your arms, chest, back and leg muscles need to work together to lift your body up and down.
4. Flexibility
This is your ability to bend, stretch and move your muscles and joints. Can you touch your toes while standing, without bending your knees? This is a test of flexibility.
Getting physically fit
To improve your fitness, you need to work on all four of these areas. Being physically active for at least one hour a day is a great way to start.
Better cardiorespiratory endurance comes from any activities that make you puff – such as walking, jogging, running, cycling or swimming.
Muscle strength and endurance can be boosted by doing exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups and more. Weight lifting, under adult supervision, can also help. Ballet and gymnastics can also help improve muscle strength and endurance.
Improved flexibility comes from doing stretches often.
Reference:
Baechle TR. & Earle RW. (2000). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Human Kinetics, Champaign Illinois.
Related reading:
Smart Cycling
Why Exercise?
Fast Cars, Fit Bodies
Perfect Timing
