This document discusses the basic principles of physical fitness. It notes that physical activity levels have declined in the U.S., with over half of adults not meeting recommended activity levels. Physical activity is any body movement requiring energy, while exercise is planned physical activity designed to improve fitness. Physical fitness includes cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition. The document provides guidelines for developing an exercise program, including medical clearance, fitness assessments, goal-setting, and choosing balanced activities. It stresses the importance of training regularly and progressively overloading the body to improve fitness over time.

1. Basic Principles of
Physical Fitness
HEALTH Chapt. 4

2. Physical Activity and Exercise
for Health and Fitness
Physical activity levels have declined
Healthy People 2010:
More than 55% of U.S. adults do not engage
in recommended amounts of activity
25% are not active at all

3. Levels of Physical Activity

4. Physical Activity on a
Continuum
Physical activity:
any body movement carried out by the skeletal muscles
and requiring energy
Exercise:
planned, structured, repetitive movement of the body
designed to improve or maintain physical fitness
Physical fitness:
a set of physical attributes that allows the body to respond
or adapt to the demands and stress of physical effort

5. Lifestyle Physical Activity
For health promotion:
Expend about 150 calories—equivalent to 30
minutes of brisk walking—on most days
For health promotion and weight
management:
Engage in 60 or more daily minutes of
activity to prevent unhealthy weight gain
Engage in 60-90 daily minutes of activity to
sustain weight loss

6. Moderate Amounts of
Physical Activity

7. Exercise to Develop Physical Fitness
Lifestyle physical activity improves health
but may not improve fitness
A structured, formal exercise program
improves physical fitness and provides
even greater health improvements

8. How Much Physical
Activity Is Enough?
Moderate-intensity versus high-intensity
exercise
Continuous versus intermittent exercise
Low-intensity exercise improves health
but may not be very beneficial for
improving physical fitness

9. How Much Physical Activity
Is Enough?

10. Health-Related Components
of Physical Fitness
Health-related fitness = physical
capacities that contribute to health
Five components:
1. Cardiorespiratory endurance = the ability of the
body to perform prolonged, large-muscle,
dynamic exercise at moderate-to-high levels of
intensity

11. Health-Related Components of
Physical Fitness
2. Muscular strength = the amount of force
a muscle can produce with a single
maximum effort
3. Muscular endurance = the ability of a
muscle or group of muscles to remain
contracted or to contract repeatedly
4. Flexibility = the range of motion in a joint
or group of joints

12. Health-Related Components of
Physical Fitness
5. Body composition = the proportion of fat and
fat-free mass (muscle, bone, and water) in the
body

13. Skill-Related Components of
Fitness
Speed
Power
Agility
Balance
Coordination
Reaction time

14. Specificity—Adapting to
Type of Training
The body adapts to the particular type and
amount of stress placed on it
To develop a particular fitness component,
perform exercises specifically designed for
that component

15. Progressive Overload—Adapting
to Amount of Training
Placing increasing amounts of stress on
the body causes adaptations that improve
fitness; progression is critical
FITT principle for overload:
Frequency—How often
Intensity—How hard
Time—How long (duration)
Type—Mode of activity

16. Reversibility—Adapting to a
Reduction in Training
Fitness improvements are lost when
demands on the body are lowered
If you stop exercising, up to 50% of
fitness improvements are lost within 2
months

17. Individual Differences—
Limits on Adaptability
Everyone is NOT created equal from a
physical standpoint
There are large individual differences in
ability to improve fitness, body
composition, and sports skills

18. Designing Your Own
Exercise Program
Medical clearance
Fitness assessment
Setting goals
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time frame specific

19. Designing Your Own
Exercise Program
Choosing activities for a balanced
program
Include activities to develop health-related
components of physical fitness

20. Physical Activity Pyramid

21. Benefits of Different Types
of Programs

22. Guidelines for Training
Train the way you want your body to
change
Train regularly
Start slowly, and get in shape gradually;
do not overtrain
Warm up before exercise
Cool down after exercise
Exercise safely

23. Guidelines for Training
Listen to your body, and get adequate rest
Cycle the volume and intensity of your workouts
Try training with a partner
Vary your activities
Train your mind
Fuel your activity appropriately
Have fun
Track your progress
Keep your exercise program in perspective

24. Progression of an Exercise
Program: Get in Shape Gradually

25. Amount of Exercise for
Fitness Benefits

26. Choosing a Fitness Center
Convenience
Atmosphere
Safety
Trained personnel
Cost
Effectiveness
http://video.pbs.org/video/1785416952

27. Fahey/Insel/Roth, Fit & Well: Core Concepts and Labs in Physical Fitness and Wellness, Chapter 1
© 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Wellness Worksheet
Assignment
Wellness Worksheets can be accessed online at
www.mhhe.com/fahey8e
1. From the website above, click on “student edition” at the bottom
left column.
2. Click on “wellness worksheets”
3. Click on “126 Wellness Worksheets are available online” in the
middle of the page.
4. Click on “69: Your Physical Activity Profile” and complete the
worksheet.
5. Print out the completed worksheet and submit on Monday, January
30th.