Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of sports, occupations, and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, moderate-vigorous physical exercise, and sufficient rest along with a formal recovery plan.
Before the Industrial Revolution, fitness was defined as the capacity to carry out the day's activities without undue fatigue or lethargy. However, with automation and changes in lifestyles, physical fitness is now considered a measure of the body's ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist hypokinetic diseases, to improve immune system function, and to meet emergency situations.
Overview
Fitness is defined as the quality or state of being fit and healthy. Around 1950, perhaps consistent with the Industrial Revolution and the treatise of World War II, the term "fitness" increased in western vernacular by a factor of ten. The modern definition of fitness describes either a person or machine's ability to perform a specific function or a holistic definition of human adaptability to cope with various situations. This has led to an interrelation of human fitness and physical attractiveness that has mobilized global fitness and fitness equipment industries. Regarding specific function, fitness is attributed to persons who possess significant aerobic or anaerobic ability (i.e., endurance or strength). A well-rounded fitness program improves a person in all aspects of fitness compared to practicing only one, such as only cardio/respiratory or only weight training.
A comprehensive fitness program tailored to an individual typically focuses on one or more specific skills, and on age- or health-related needs such as bone health. Many sources also cite mental, social and emotional health as an important part of overall fitness. This is often presented in textbooks as a triangle made up of three points, which represent physical, emotional, and mental fitness. Physical fitness has been shown to have benefits in preventing ill health and assisting recovery from injury or illness. Along with the physical health benefits of fitness, it has also been shown to have a positive impact on mental health as well by assisting in treating anxiety and depression. Physical fitness can also prevent or treat many other chronic health conditions brought on by unhealthy lifestyle or aging as well and has been listed frequently as one of the most popular and advantageous self-care therapies. Working out can also help some people sleep better by building up sleeping pressure and possibly alleviate some mood disorders in certain individuals.
Developing research has demonstrated that many of exercise's benefits are mediated through the role of skeletal muscle as an endocrine organ. That is, contracting muscles release multiple substances known as myokines, which promote the growth of new tissue, tissue repair, and various anti-inflammatory functions, which in turn reduce the risk of developing various inflammatory diseases.
Activity guidelines The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans were released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide science-based guidance for people ages 3 years and older to improve their health by participating in regular physical activity. These guidelines recommend that all adults should move more and sit less throughout the day to improve health-related quality of life including mental, emotional, and physical health. For substantial health benefits, adults should perform at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity, or 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both spread throughout the week. The recommendation for physical activity to occur in bouts of at least 10 minutes has been eliminated, as new research suggests that bouts of any length contribute to the health benefits linked to the accumulated volume of physical activity. Additional health benefits may be achieved by engaging in more than 300 minutes (5 hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that are of moderate or greater intensity and involve all major muscle groups on two or more days a week, as these activities provide additional health benefits.
Guidelines in the United Kingdom released in July 2011 include the following points: The intensity at which a person exercises is key, and light activity such as strolling and house work is unlikely to have much positive impact on the health of most people. For aerobic exercise to be beneficial, it must raise the heart rate and cause perspiration. A person should do a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. There are more health benefits gained if a person exercises beyond 150 minutes. Sedentary time (time spent not standing, such as when on a chair or in bed) is bad for a person's health, and no amount of exercise can negate the effects of sitting for too long. These guidelines are now much more in line with those used in the U.S., which also includes recommendations for muscle-building and bone-strengthening activities such as lifting weights and yoga.
Exercise
Aerobic exercise
Cardiorespiratory fitness can be measured using VO2 max, a measure of the amount of oxygen the body can uptake and utilize. Aerobic exercise, which improves cardiorespiratory fitness and increase stamina, involves movement that increases the heart rate to improve the body's oxygen consumption. This form of exercise is an important part of all training regiments, whether for professional athletes or for the everyday person.
Prominent examples of aerobic exercises include:
Jogging – Running at a steady and gentle pace. This form of exercise is great for maintaining weight and building a cardiovascular base to later perform more intense exercises. Working on elliptical trainer – This is a stationary exercise machine used to perform walking, or running without causing excessive stress on the joints. This form of exercise is perfect for people with achy hips, knees, and ankles. Walking – Moving at a fairly regular pace for a short, medium or long distance. Treadmill training – Many treadmills have programs set up that offer numerous different workout plans. One effective cardiovascular activity would be to switch between running and walking. Typically warm up first by walking and then switch off between walking for three minutes and running for three minutes. Swimming – Using the arms and legs to keep oneself afloat in water and moving either forwards or backward. This is a good full-body exercise for those who are looking to strengthen their core while improving cardiovascular endurance. Cycling – Riding a bicycle typically involves longer distances than walking or jogging. This is another low-impact exercise on the joints and is great for improving leg strength.
Anaerobic exercise
Anaerobic exercise features high-intensity movements performed in a short period of time. It is a fast, high-intensity exercise that does not require the body to utilize oxygen to produce energy. It helps to promote strength, endurance, speed, and power; and is used by bodybuilders to build workout intensity. Anaerobic exercises are thought to increase the metabolic rate, thereby allowing one to burn additional calories as the body recovers from exercise due to an increase in body temperature and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) after the exercise ended.
Prominent examples of anaerobic exercises include:
Weight training – A common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. Isometric exercise – Helps to maintain strength. A muscle action in which no visible movement occurs and the resistance matches the muscular tension. Sprinting – Running short distances as fast as possible, training for muscle explosiveness. Interval training – Alternating short bursts (lasting around 30 seconds) of intense activity with longer intervals (three to four minutes) of less intense activity. This type of activity also builds speed and endurance.
Recovery One of the most fundamentally important elements of physical fitness is the ability to recover. It can be immediate, short term or long term, and be more active or more passive.
Immediate active recovery involves attempting to regain energy, recover breathing and restore a general sense of balance after performing a physical act of exertion. For example, a runner immediately tries to recover after completing a step and a boxer after throwing a punch. Such recovery phases may be very quick but are essential in allowing the continuation of the activity as they prevent tiredness and an excessive loss of equilibrium. The measurement of successful recovery can be based upon the person's own personal sense of recovery and how they are feeling. The ability to recover in this manner during performance is considered to be one of the hallmarks of physical fitness.
Interval training also uses immediate active recovery but on a longer timescale. In interval training a more intense exercise is alternated with a less intense one or a rest break. In the former example, the reduced energy expenditure and increased energy recovery in the less intense exercise, means that the ratio between the two is more even and the person recovers more so than if they had just performed the high intensity exercise by itself. This allows them to go on and, over the course of a session, perform the high intensity exercise more than they would have been able to do otherwise.
Short term active recovery is whereby training sessions are interspersed with lighter activities which are conducted in a more relaxed way. For example, a runner may train on Monday, enjoy a leisurely bike ride on Wednesday, and then train again on Friday. This is also known as the hard/easy rule and when followed can help to prevent over training by reducing strain while also allowing the benefits of the light exercise such as clearing excess lactate acid from the body.
Long term recovery is when the body has significantly longer to recover and it is able to restore itself more fully. It may be over the course of days, weeks or even months and it is whereby muscles can heal and regrow to the extent that the body adapts to be better able to perform whatever activity has been practiced. The factors of sleep and diet are crucial in long term recovery. While these forms of recovery are more passive, as fitness improves the body's ability to recover in the long term also becomes more efficient.
In sport The ability to recover consciously and rapidly is one of the most important attributes that a sports person can develop. Their ability to immediately actively recover must be integrated with their sports specific skillset so that their performance is as efficient as possible. For example, a tennis player must learn to recover immediately after every stroke and a rugby player after every tackle. Successful sports people typically have the ability to recover faster and in a more controlled way.
In relation to the muscular system