Fitness

fit·ness

/ˈfitnəs/

noun

the condition of being physically fit and healthy.

What is Fitness?

Physical fitness is an important pillar in our health that helps our body function optimally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines fitness as "the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and respond to emergencies" (CDC, 2021). This means that physical fitness is the ability to do anything from making your bed to running a marathon. To ensure that these tasks can be completed without an overwhelming amount of fatigue, fitness needs to be conditioned consistently through structured exercise and everyday activities.

It is important to note that fitness is more than just exercising everyday, as there are many more components to it. Each component requires a different combination of abilities that collectively make up our overall fitness status. The most common components are:

Muscular Strength- The amount of force in proportion to repetitions a muscle can produce during a muscle contraction. This is a result of the size of the muscle fibers and the ability of nerves to recruit them.
Muscular Endurance- The ability of a muscle to perform repetitive contractions that produce force, for an extended period of time. This is related to the ability to withstand, resist, and recover from muscle fatigue.
Muscular Power- The maximum amount of force that can be generated within a short period of time; explosive motor movements through quick, intense, maximal muscle fiber recruitment.
Cardiovascular Endurance- A measure of how efficient the heart and lungs can provide blood and oxygen to the working muscles during physical activity. This is also related to the ability to withstand, resist, and recover from muscle fatigue.
Speed- A measure of how quickly one can move part of the body or the whole body from point A to point B.
Balance- The ability to maintain body position during stationary or moving conditions; leads to harmony or evenness.
Flexibility- The ability of a joint or joints to move through their full range of motion without restraint; a measure of how far a muscle or muscles can be stretched.
Body Composition- A measure of the percentage of fat, bone, muscle, and water in the human body; ratio of body fat to non-fat mass.

What can we do to improve each component that contributes to our overall fitness status? Muscular strength can be improved through resistance training like weight lifting or bodyweight exercises. Muscular power can also be improved through resistance training in more of a powerlifting form, by lifting explosively at around 60 percent of our single-repetition maximum on each exercise. Muscular endurance can be improved through exercises being done to the point of exhaustion like long-distance running or circuit training. Cardiovascular endurance can also be improved through exercises being done to the point of exhaustion with the goal of increasing heart rate and breathing. Speed can be improved through repetitions of exercises like sprints, while also improving running posture and form. Balance can be improved by holding yoga poses and/or naturally by any activity that keeps you on your feet and moving, like walking. Flexibility can also be improved by holding yoga poses, pilates, tai chi, and stretching. Body composition is a unique component in our fitness status that can be improved by reducing body fat and increasing muscle mass. It is unique in that it is closely dependent on nutrition, where we need to be in a calorie deficit to reduce body fat and perform resistance training to increase muscle mass.

Overall, physical fitness is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Everyone can gain from regular exercise as it can have both immediate and long-term health benefits. Exercise can be a great tool to increase energy expenditure and control weight. It can also reduce the risk for a variety of negative health conditions and diseases that are common causes of death around the world. In addition, exercise improves mood, boost energy, and promotes better sleep. While it is beneficial to exercise, it is even more beneficial to be consistent, as success does not come from what you do occasionally, but from what you do consistently.