Physical fitness is defined as an individual's ability to perform everyday activities without becoming overly fatigued. A dose response relationship exists between exercise frequency, duration and intensity for significantly improving any aspect of fitness. The four primary components of fitness are cardiorespiratory endurance, musculoskeletal fitness, body weight, and composition and flexibility. Understanding the primary components of fitness is critical for developing goals to sustain a healthy lifestyle, thereby reducing risk factors associated with chronic disease, including high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels.
Cardiorespiratory Endurance
According to "Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription," cardiorespiratory endurance is one of the most critical components of fitness due to the established link between poor cardiovascular health, obesity and heart disease. Cardiorespiratory endurance refers to the efficiency of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system to supply oxygen and nutrients to working muscles. To measure cardiorespiratory endurance, exercise physiologists determine maximum oxygen consumption, or VO2 max, which reflects the ability of an individual's muscles to utilize oxygen throughout aerobic exercise.
Musculoskeletal Fitness
Musculoskeletal fitness involves the bones and muscles working together to perform work. Muscular strength and endurance, as well as bone strength, are all aspects of musculoskeletal fitness. Muscular strength represents the maximal force or level of tension produced by a single muscle group, whereas muscular endurance involves sustaining submaximal levels of force for a longer period. Resistance training has been shown to positively impact functionality and quality of life across all age groups. The "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription" notes that the incidence of fractures and osteoporosis can be decreased by improving bone strength and bone density through resistance training.
Body Weight and Composition
Body weight and composition simply refer to an individual's weight in terms of percentage of muscle, bone and fat tissue. Obtaining these measurements can accurately predict one's risk for developing cardiovascular disease. "Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription" says excess fat stored around the abdomen is considered a risk factor for developing serious cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic diseases. Maintaining a healthy body weight is key to living a healthy, longer life.
Flexibility
Flexibility is one key component of fitness that is often overlooked. Flexibility is the ability of a joint to move fluidly through a full range of motion without injury. "Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription" notes that individuals with too much flexibility or too little flexibility are at a heightened risk for developing musculoskeletal injuries.
References
- "Exercise Physiology"; Scott Powers and Edward Howley; 2007
- "Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription"; Vivian Heyward; 2006
- ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (eighth edition)"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2009
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