Considering the total body, there are six elements of fitness: aerobic capacity, body structure,

body composition, balance, muscular flexibility and strength. Let’s consider each one of these.

Aerobic capacity is your cardiovascular system’s ability to transport oxygen to working

muscles to serve as fuel for energy. Aerobic capacity improves with cardiovascular exercises,
like walking, running, bicycling, jumping rope, and swimming, hiking, and dancing. Performing
any of these types of activities at an intensity of approximately 60-80% of your total maximum
heart rate (220 minus your age) for 30-60 minutes daily will provide you with the first element
of fitness.

The second element of fitness is body structure. This is your overall posture, looking for any
misalignments of the arms, legs and trunk. Even a small imbalance in the way you regularly
stand or sit may lead to pain or injury. Ideal posture aligns your ears over your shoulders,
shoulders over your hips, equal leg lengths, pelvic symmetry and neutral joints throughout the
body, creating equal pressure on both feet. Any deviations from good posture need to be
corrected with the proper stretching, strengthening and muscle releasing exercises.
Body composition is the third element of fitness. This is the ratio of body fat to lean body mass
(bones and muscles). Weight alone does not tell us about body composition. Body composition
measurements are taken with calipers at specific parts of the body to determine the percent of
total body fat. There are also scales and devices that measure body fat. In general, the ideal
range of body fat is 10-15 percent of total body mass for males and 15-22 percent for females.
Your body functions most efficiently at the ideal fat-to-lean ratio.

Balance makes up the fourth element of total body fitness. There are simple balance tests that
can be administered to determine your balance level. For example, standing on one leg with
eyes open versus eyes closed. Depending on your age, there are set values of time for this test
to determine if your balance is good. 30 seconds is the goal for younger, healthy individuals.
Even minor balance problems place you at risk for injuries like ankle sprains, muscle strains, falls
and fractures.

The fifth element of fitness is muscular flexibility. Your muscles should be flexible enough to
allow for the full range of motion required by life’s many activities. Muscles can become
shortened if not purposefully stretched and by completing the same sport or lifting routine
without enough variation. Inactivity also causes muscles to shorten, become inflexible and more
susceptible to stress and injury. Muscle imbalances lead to many of the most common injuries
in people who have strong, but tight muscles in some areas and weaker, unstable muscles/joints
in others.

The sixth element of fitness is muscular strength. In addition to being flexible, your muscles
should be able to exert force and control movement. Strength is improved with weight-
resistance exercises. Strengthening programs can be designed using body weight, machines,
free weights, kettle bells, TRX, etc. based on individual preferences and goals. In general,
strengthening muscles appropriately uses resistance heavy enough to allow 8-15 slow and
controlled repetitions with good form completed in 1-3 sets.
A person who is physically fit has a properly aligned and balanced body, flexible yet strong
muscles, an efficient heart and healthy lungs, and a good ratio of body fat to lean mass. Being
physically fit, according to the true definition, does not come easy. It is something we all should
continually work towards in our daily routines.
 5 Components of Physical Fitness

 The 5 components of physical fitness are often used in our school systems, health clubs
and fitness centers to gauge how good a shape we are truly in. The 5 components that make up
total fitness are:

o Cardiovascular Endurance
o Muscular Strength
o Muscular endurance
o Flexibility
o Body Composition

Total fitness can be defined by how well the body performs in each one of the components of
physical fitness as a whole. It is not enough to be able to bench press your body weight. You
also need to determine how well you can handle running a mile etc.

A closer look at the individual components:

Cardiovascular endurance is the ability of the heart and lungs to work together to provide the
needed oxygen and fuel to the body during sustained workloads. Examples would be jogging,
cycling and swimming. The Cooper Run is used most often to test cardiovascular endurance.

Muscular strength is the amount of force a muscle can produce. Examples would be the bench
press, leg press or bicep curl. The push up test is most often used to test muscular strength.

Muscular endurance is the ability of the muscles to perform continuous without fatiguing.
Examples would be cycling, step machines and elliptical machines. The sit up test is most often
used to test muscular endurance.
Flexibility is the ability of each joint to move through the available range of motion for a specific
joint. Examples would be stretching individual muscles or the ability to perform certain
functional movements such as the lunge. The sit and reach test is most often used to test
flexibility.

Body composition is the amount of fat mass compared to lean muscle mass, bone and organs.
This can be measured using underwater weighing, Skinfold readings, and bioelectrical
impedance. Underwater weighing is considered the “gold standard” for body fat measurement,
however because of the size and expense of the equipment needed very few places are set up
to do this kind of measurement.

Kinds of Exercise

 Strength Training
 Flexibility
 Endurance: Aerobic Exercise

Strength Training

Strength training keeps your muscles toned. It can also build them up (bodybuilding). To
become stronger, your muscles need to work against some kind of resistance. This causes them
to contract, and the more they work by contracting, the stronger you get.

Resistance Training

If practiced safely, weight training is a great way to build strength and endurance. Unlike aerobic
training, resistance training helps build more muscle mass by creating small micro tears in the
muscle. New muscle grows back over the tears, and the muscle becomes stronger. Consult a
doctor before starting weight training.

There are two main types of weight training: free weights and weight machines.
1. Free-Weights
You can use free weights such as hand weights and bar bells to work a group of
muscles. Free weights sometimes require more strength than weight machines,
so you should make sure you choose a weight you can handle, and use a spotter.
2. Weight-Machines
Weight machines usually work a single muscle or a smaller group of muscles. Be
sure to use extreme caution when using weight machines – make sure that your
hands and legs do not get caught in the machine. Have a fitness trainer show you
how to use the machine.
Safety
Be sure to talk to a fitness trainer before starting weight training. Here are some basic rules for
beginners:
 Jog for five to ten minutes before you begin to warm up.
 Stretch after you warm up.
 Train at most two to three times a week for the first few weeks.
 Don't lift weights that you have to strain to lift. You will feel very sore after the
first few weight-lifting sessions.
 Only work one or two different muscle groups each workout.
 Allow a day of rest for each muscle group after each workout.
 Stretch and cool down after each workout to reduce soreness afterwards.
 Pay attention to nutrition and make sure you're eating right.

Important! If you feel a sharp pain or a "pop" while exercising, stop immediately and consult a
trainer or coach before continuing.

Flexibility

While strong muscles are important for movement, flexibility allows you to move your muscles
and joints through the full range of motion. Being flexible also helps reduce the chance of
muscle injury. Ideally, stretching should be done before and after other types of exercise.
Stretching can feel great, but as with other physical activity, if you do it incorrectly you can hurt
yourself. Other activities that can help increase your flexibility include yoga and tai chi.

Aerobic Exercise
Endurance refers to how long you can keep performing an activity without tiring. Aerobic
exercise strengthens your heart and lungs, which in turn increases your endurance. It is also the
best type of activity for burning calories and fat, and can help reduce your risk for diabetes,
heart disease, and high blood pressure.

On the days you take a break from weight training, focus on aerobic exercise such as running,
biking, swimming, or rowing. Teens should engage in 60 minutes of vigorous physical exercise
each day.
Good activities for building aerobic fitness include:
 Walking
 Slide and step aerobics
 Water aerobics
 Running or jogging
 Bicycling
 Cross-country skiing
 Swimming

Physical
Education
Physical Fitness
 Prepared by:
Ralph B. Redoquerio

Submitted to;
Mr. Jose R. Paloma