Fitness can be defined in many different ways. To some people fitness might mean a slim waistline. To others it could be the ability to bench-press their body weight. And to others it might be a general feeling of wellness.
When you think of fitness, it's important to look at the big picture. It's not just about strength, endurance or fat content, but a combination of all these. You might be strong but have no endurance. You might have endurance but have little flexibility.
What you want to strive for is balance. Listed below are five key components important to a good definition of fitness. Investigate each one. Consider areas where you are strong and the areas where you are weak. Strive to improve in all these areas, because the results will permeate your overall well-being.
Aerobic Endurance
Aerobic Endurance is the body's ability to exercise whole muscle groups over an extended period of time at moderate intensity, utilizing aerobic energy. Your aerobic system uses oxygen to break down carbohydrates and convert them into lasting energy. Since it's a prolonged need, fats and proteins are also broken down, making aerobic workouts ideal for fat loss.
Aerobic exercise also increases heart rate, strengthening the organ's ability to contract. Stronger contractions mean an improved, stronger blood flow, in turn making a body better equipped for exercise.
Muscular strength
Muscular strength is the capacity of your body's muscles to generate extreme amounts of force in a short period of time utilizing anaerobic energy.
Anaerobic energy produces short term bursts of energy, and does not require oxygen. Instead anaerobic energy comes from the burning of carbohydrates, and can be sustained for several minutes, after which a short rest time is needed to replenish the system. Anaerobic energy is used for everything from weight lifting and sprinting, to the low impact sports of tennis and golf. Anaerobic energy is also used within aerobic-centered workouts when additional spurts of energy are needed.
Enhanced muscular strength often increases muscle and connective tissue size and density by enlarging cells, or "building" muscles. Apart from their aesthetic value, larger muscles and connective tissues are less prone to accidents and aid long term weight control, since muscle tissue burns more calories than fat, even while resting.
Muscle Endurance
Muscle Endurance is the measure of how well muscles can repeatedly generate force, and the amount of time they can maintain activity. Muscular Endurance is the practical use of raw strength. It is crucial for every fitness activity, from the mostly anaerobic weight lifting repetitions (or "reps") to intense aerobic activities like jogging (where specific muscles in the legs are used repeatedly.) Muscular endurance combines both aerobic and anaerobic energy.
Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability to stretch your
muscles and the tendons and ligaments that connect them to your bones. You
increase flexibility by stretching the elastic fibers beyond their usual limits
and maintaining that stretch for a few moments. The fibers will eventually
adjust to these new limits.
Rate your current flexibility.
Increased flexibility decreases the risk of injury while exercising, and increases your exercise performance. Certain activities, such as swimming and yoga, require greater flexibility than others.
Body composition
Body composition describes the percentages of fat, bone and muscle in your body. These percentages provide an overall view of your health and fitness in relation to your weight, health, and age. Weight and fat are often used together, but they are not interchangeable. Being overweight does not imply obesity -- in fact, many physically fit people are overweight due to muscle gain. However, being "overfat" poses health risks ranging from heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
It's difficult to determine your body composition accurately. However, less precise and less demanding methods involving water displacement or skin fold measurement (where a special caliper is used to measure fat beneath the skin) can give good estimations.