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The Fitness Principles

A brief description of the standards of physical fitness and what you may do about your current fitness level.

By: Donita Riplez

Your body is designed to move. If you don’t use it, you lose it. It is just that simple.

Almost everywhere you go today, you are approached in some manner about health and physical fitness. The fact that a large percentage of Americans are considered obese has helped increase the marketing of diet, physical fitness, and health products. You’ll be reminded of health and fitness on TV, in magazines, on the radio, the news, at work, almost everywhere you go you’ll see something about physical fitness.

With all this commotion about fitness, have you joined the team and started your path to total fitness? If not here is a brief description of the standards of physical fitness and what you may do about your current fitness level.

Most experts agree there are five basic components of fitness. They are:

1. Aerobic Endurance

Your level of aerobic endurance measures your ability to do moderately strenuous activity over a period of time. It’s a measurement of how efficiently your heart and lungs work together to supply oxygen to your body during exertion and exercise. This fitness component is also called aerobic fitness.

2. Muscular Endurance

Muscular Endurance measures your fitness level by your ability to hold a particular position for a sustained period of time or repeat a movement many times. One example might be to lift a five-pound weight 20 consecutive times.

Proper fitness requires multiple forms of exercise. Weight lifting is a beneficial way to improve muscular strength and muscular endurance -- not to mention increasing bone density in women.

3. Muscular Strength

The ability to exert maximum force. It is possible to have greater muscular strength in one area, than another. For example, you may have great strength in your arms, while lacking strength in your legs. One example might be lifting the heaviest weight you can possibly lift.

4. Flexibility

Flexibility fitness measures the ability to move a joint through its full range of motion or the elasticity of the muscle. This is how limber you are.

5. Body Composition

This fitness area measures the proportion of fat in your body as compared to your bone and muscle. It does not refer to your weight in pounds or your shape. If you are weak in any area or need to begin a general overall fitness plan, there are basically three areas of exercise you should concentrate upon to make improvements. They are stretching, aerobic activity, and strength training. Each of these areas is very important to your overall fitness level. Eating a healthy diet will also contribute greatly to your overall fitness level.

Remember, it is never too late to improve your fitness level. Regardless of your physical fitness level, your age, or the length of time it has been since you last exercised regularly, it’s never too late to start and maintain a good fitness routine. Your body is designed to move. If you don’t use it, you lose it. It is just that simple.

Donita Riplez is the owner of Fitness DC.

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