Health and fitness are a critical part of maintaining good health. They reduce the risk of chronic diseases, improve mental wellbeing, and help you maintain a healthy body weight.
What are the 5 components of fitness?
Fitness refers to your ability to perform different types of physical activity for a prolonged period. It consists of five key areas: cardio, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, balance, and co-ordination.
Cardiovascular, or cardio, fitness is your heart and lungs’ ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your muscles while they work. Exercises that increase your cardiovascular fitness include brisk walking, running, swimming, and biking.
Muscular strength, or resistance training, can be done using equipment like weights, a resistance band, and your own body weight. Squats, lunges, push-ups and other exercises that lift your body against external resistance, such as barbells or weight plates, build and keep your muscle mass strong. They also help prevent falls, lower blood sugar levels, and increase bone strength.
Increasing your muscular strength through strength training can increase your body’s ability to lift heavier weights without fatigue or injury. It also increases your endurance and helps you burn more calories during and after an exercise session.
Stretching, or flexibility, can improve your range of motion by making your muscles, tendons, and ligaments more supple and elastic. It can help you move more freely and lessen pain from arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other conditions.
Flexibility can be improved by incorporating various stretches into your workout routine. These may include yoga, Pilates, and tai chi.
Balance, or co-ordination, exercises make it easier to walk on uneven surfaces and improve your balance. They can also help you avoid falling and injury by improving your sense of balance.
You should try to do these exercises two or three times a week for best results. It’s important to incorporate a mix of isometric and isotonic exercises.
If you’re unsure what type of exercise is right for you, consult with an Exercise Physiologist/physical therapist to ensure you meet your recommended guidelines and are taking care of your overall health and fitness.
To achieve your fitness goals, set goals that are relevant to your life and attainable by a certain time frame. “A goal that is realistic, measurable, and has an emotional component will motivate you to reach it,” Lindsay Ogden, NASM-certified personal trainer at Life Time, tells Health.
When creating a program, consider your current fitness level, goals, schedule, and preferences. Pick one day a week for each component and make sure to give yourself adequate rest and recovery days.
If you’re new to exercise, start with a simple routine that includes a few days of each of these components and gradually add them to your training schedule. Over time, you’ll build up your fitness level and be able to modify your workout based on your own progress.