Physical fitness is a quality of life that enables you to work efficiently throughout the day, carry out your usual activities and still have a reserve of stamina left over to deal with extra workload, stress or unforeseen circumstances.
The elements of physical fitness are:
o Heart / lung endurance - the ability of the cardiorespiratory system to efficiently deliver oxygen and nourishment needed to fuel physical activity.
o Muscular intensity - the maximum amount of muscular force which can be exerted in a single action.
o Muscular endurance - the quality of a muscle or a group of muscles to carry out repetitious movements for a longer time period.
o Joint flexibility - the capability of joints to move through a whole, wide range of motion.
o Structural composition - the proportion of a person's body fat compared to their whole body mass.
Improving the quality of the first three elements above will beneficially affect the body's composition and lead to weight loss. The accumulation of body fat diminishes the effects of the five fitness elements , decreases performance, mars your figure and leads to various health risks.
Muscle strength, mental and physical coordination, speed, and agility all play a part in your motor capability. Your athletic abilities depend on these factors. Proper training and conditioning can enhance these factors and improve your physical potential. A practical fitness and weight loss program aims to strengthen or maintain the elements of physical and motor by engaging in regular and progressive physical regimen.
Principles of physical exercise
Knowledge of some simple exercise principles is paramount in building an effective health program. These basic principles apply to everyone at all degrees of physical training, whether they're world-class athletes or neighborhood joggers.
The basic principles of physical exercise are as follows:
It should be a regular thing
To succeed in your training goals, you need to exercise regularly and you must exercise for endurance, strength and agility at least three times a week. You have to take note that On and Off exercise schedules can only harm your system. As with all things Regularity should be practiced not only in sleeping, resting and good dieting but with exercise as well.
It should be progressive
The intensity and duration of each exercise should start from easy, and gradually moving on to moderate to hard in order to improve your physical fitness level.
It should be balanced
Don't over-exercise any one part of the body at the expense of other parts. To be successful, training should include exercises for all the different body parts and fitness elements.
It should be varied
A wide variety of physical exercises cuts boredom and motivates you to stick to the program as it progresses.
It should be specific
Your training should aim at specific goals. Training that stresses running produce people who are better runners. While Pilates is a terrific exercise, it does not improve a person's speed as much as a runner's regimen does.
It should have a recovery period
A muscle group or fitness component that has been trained hard should be followed by a rest day or lighter training in order for that muscle group to recover. Another method to promote recovery is by exercising certain muscle groups every other day, especially if you are training for strength and endurance.
It should push the body to exert more
The load of every exercise session should go beyond the usual demands put on the body in order to maximize its potential. Don't be afraid to go out of your body's comfort zone.
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