1
Physical Fitness
Physical fitness is one’s ability to execute daily activities with optimal
performance, endurance, and strength with the management of disease, fatigue,
and stress and reduced sedentary behavior.
Physical fitness has multiple components and is conceptualized as either
performance- or health-related. The specificity of performance-related fitness
regarding one’s athletic skill best relates to an individual’s athletic performance.
Conversely, health-related fitness is generalized to health status and is affected
positively or negatively by one’s habitual physical activity habits. Given the
complexity of physical fitness and the epidemiological analysis taken presently,
health-related fitness will be the focus of this discussion
HEALTH RELATED FITNESS
Health-related fitness is characterized by moderate to vigorous physical
activity. Health-related fitness is a better match for people who are generally
unwilling to exercise at high intensities. Health-related fitness activities can be
integrated into everyday activities that are often characterized as lifetime
activities.
Body Composition
Body composition is a universal term used in the health and fitness industry.
Doctors use body composition to find what percentage of your body weight is fat.
This helps them find out your level of health. Body composition is important because
someone else can be the same height and weight as you, but they might have more
body fat and less muscle. This could lead to different health issues in them.
Classification:
Example: 30 kg = 30kg = 20.83
1.20m2 1.44
Cardiovascular Fitness
Cardiovascular fitness is the ability to handle aerobically challenging
situations of varying duration. The leading cause of death in the United States is
heart disease. Improving cardiovascular fitness can reduce your risk of developing
heart disease by increasing the efficiency of your heart, lungs, and blood vessels.
The easier it is to pump blood through your body, the less taxing it is on your
heart. Your heart’s contraction strength, the elasticity of your blood vessels, and
the efficiency of your blood to carry oxygen all improve if cardiovascular training
is effectively executed. The 3 minutes step test indicates a person's
cardiovascular fitness. The cardiovascular fitness level is indicated by the heart
rate measured for one minute after the completion of the three minutes of
stepping. The step test is performed using a 30 cm high bench. The person steps
on and off the bench for three minutes , at the end of 3 minutes the person
remains standing while the heart rate is checked by taking the pulse for one
minute
3 Minute Step Test (Men). (The figures are heart rate in beats per minute)
Age 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 >65+
Well above average 79-89 81-89 83-96 87-97 86-97 88-96
Above average 90-99 90-99 97-103 98-105 98-103 97-103
Average 100-105 100-107 104-112 106-116 104-112 104-113
Below average 106-116 108-117 113-119 117-122 113-120 114-120
Well below average 117-128 118-128 120-130 123-132 121-129 121-130
3 Minute Step Test (Women). (The figures are heart rate in beats per minute. )
Age 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 65+
Well above average 85-98 88-99 90-102 94-104 95-104 90-102
Above average 99-108 100-111 103-110 105-115 105-112 103-115
Average 109-117 112-119 111-118 116-120 113-118 116-122
Below average 118-126 120-126 119-128 121-129 119-128 123-128
Well below average 127-140 127-138 129-140 130-135 129-139 129-134
Flexibility
Flexibility training is stretching—lengthening and loosening muscles and
connective tissues to improve flexibility. You probably know what it means when
someone says they are flexible. It usually means that they can reach down and
touch their toes or bend deeply into a squat. But the definition of flexibility is
more complicated than simply being able to do a single stretch. True flexibility is
the ability to move through a range of motion without pain. An example exercise is
the sit and reach. Use your finger tips to touch the farthest point that they can
reach. Make sure that your knees are not flexed. this is the basis for getting your
score.
Muscular Strength
Muscular strength relates to your
ability to move and lift objects. It’s
measured by how much force you can
exert and how much weight you can lift
for a short period of time. Examples of
exercises that develop muscular strength
and power include resistance training, such
as weightlifting, bodyweight exercises,
and resistance band exercises. Running,
cycling, and climbing hills are also options.
The best example exercise is the push up
Muscular Endurance
Muscular endurance refers to the ability of a given muscle to exert force,
consistently and repetitively, over a period of time. It plays a big role in almost
every athletic endeavor. You might
think of muscular endurance as
stamina. Long-distance running is a
sport that requires muscular
endurance. During a race, a marathon
runner’s body performs the same
movement and stride, over and over
again. This requires their muscles to
have an advanced level of endurance
to avoid injury or extreme fatigue.
Example exercise is Curl-ups
Curl Ups Boys Girls
Exceeds 51-80 51-80
Healthy Fitness Zone 30-50 30-50
Needs Improvement 0-29 0-29
SKILL RELATED FITNESS
Skill-related physical fitness consists of those components of fitness that
have a relationship with enhanced performance in athletic activities
SPEED
This measures the capacity of the body to move from one point to another
following straight line. An example exercise is the 30-meter sprint. Run as fast as
you can to finish line when the GO signal is given. Record the exact time when you
crossed the end line.
AGILITY
Agility refers to a person’s
ability to move their body quickly and
easily. This also includes their ability to
quickly change their direction while
maintaining their balance. An example
exercise is the hexagon agility test.
Stand in the middle of the line in the
middle of hexagon line. On the GO
signal jump with your both legs on the
line and jump back to the middle.
BALANCE
Balance refers to a person’s
ability to maintain their equilibrium
when moving or when they are in a
stationary position. The best example
exercise is the stork stand test. Stand
with your one leg on the floor and the
other leg flexed toward your knees. On
the Go signal start the timer, and tip
toe that is on the floor, stop the timer
when you lose the balance
COORDINATION
Coordination refers to a person’s ability to perform complex movements due
to the working together of the nervous system and the muscles of the body. This
is also referred to as a person’s ability to do two things at the same time. Example
exercise is the paper juggling. Prepare a crumpled paper like a size of bond paper.
On the GO signal, juggle it from one palm to another. Record the number of times
you touch the paper without dropping it.
POWER
Power refers to a person’s ability to transfer energy into force at a rapid
pace also known as explosive body movement. Power is considered to be a
combination of strength and speed. It has also been defined as the ability to exert
muscle force quickly for this reason some consider it to be a combination of skill
and health-related physical fitness. Example exercise is the Standing Long Jump.
REACTION TIME
Reaction time is a skill-related component of physical fitness that relates to
the time between one of your senses recognizing a stimulus and your body moving in
response. Example exercise is the stick drop test. Sit on the arm chair with your
arm and elbow rested. Leaving the fingers extended beyond the edge of the
armrest. The tester will drop the meter stick and should catch it with your thumb
and index finger as fast as you can without moving your arms. This should be done
3 times. Record the average score.
BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS
Being physically fit is one of the most important factors to enjoy life. It
makes you feel good and energetic. It has a deep impact on the body and mind.
a. Develop a healthy mind
Exercise regenerates your sense and regains energy. It keeps a
healthy mind and makes you feel fresh for the whole day.
b. Manages Stress
Exercise acts as a coping mechanism against stress.
c. Prevents lifestyle diseases
One of the advantages of physical fitness is preventing you from
having lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure diabetic etc.
d. Builds confidence and self-esteem
Exercise boosts confidence and helps in building self-esteem that
shapes your personality and forms right attitude and behavior at all
times.
Right after you performed any activities, you might observe and feel the
changes on the beat of your heart, your pulses and even the temperature of your
body. Every time you perform a physical activity, make sure to test your heart rate
or pulse rate by checking it using your index and middle finger and place it in a part
of your body where you can easily feel the pulse like on the inner part of your
wrist, upper part of your neck and more.
Pulse Rate is the number of heart beats per minute based on the number of
contractions of the ventricle. To record your pulse, use a watch with a second hand
then count the number of beats felt in one (1) minute. The normal heart rate at
rest for children ages 6-17 is 70-100 beats per minute. Adult age 18 years old and
above have a normal heart rate at rest of 60-100bpm.
HEALTH
Human sexuality plays a vital role to one's life regardless of age, race, gender,
Land religious affiliation. It is an integral part of what we do and who we are.
Human sexuality is the way in which we experience and express ourselves as sexual
beings. Sexuality is a quality of being human, it is a powerful and purposeful aspect
of human nature and it is an important dimension of our humanness. It is a natural
and healthy part of life. It is everything about a male or female.
A healthy or positively developed sense of sexuality manifests the following:
Characteristics of a Healthy Sexuality
Self-love-acceptance of yourself
Self-knowledge - understanding of your feelings and character
Self-confidence -awareness of the things that you can do well
Self-respect-regard for yourself as a worthwhile person
Self-expression-way of showing your individuality in expressing yourself as a man
or as a woman
Sexual Identity
You are a sexual being from birth, but you are not born knowing your sexuality. Learning
about and becoming comfortable with your sexual self is a lifelong process. Taboos, laws,
and sexual myths abound. In addition, family members, friends, the media, popular music,
religion, and educational institutions all provide you with information about your sexuality
and how you should or should not express it. In the end, it is up to you to gather this
information with your personal experiences and values to create your own sexual identity.
Your sexual identity is determined by a complex interaction of genetic, physiological, and
environmental factors. The beginning of your sexual identity occurs at conception with the
combination of chromosomes that determine your sex.
Gender Identity
We have described sexual identity only in terms of a person's sex. Sex simply
refers to the biological condition of being male and female based on physiological
and hormonal difference, while gender refers to your sense of masculinity or
femininity as defined by the society in which we live. Each of us expresses our
maleness or femaleness to others on a daily basis by the gender roles we play.
Gender identity refers to your personal sense of awareness of being masculine or
feminine, a male or a female. It may sometimes be difficult for you to express your
true sexual identity because you feel bound by existing gender role stereotypes.
Gender roles are shaped or defined by our parents, peers, school, and many forms
of media including television, music, and movies. Defining your sexual identity is a
simple matter. It is a lifelong process of growing and learning. Your sexual identity
is made up of the unique combination of your sex, gender identity, chosen gender
roles, sexual orientation, and personal experiences. No other person on this earth
is exactly like you, and it is up to you to take every opportunity to get to know,
appreciate, and like yourself so that you may enjoy your life to the fullest.
