1. Fitness: Physical Activity for Life
Chapter Eight
Fitness:
Physical Activity for Life
© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

2. © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Fitness Terms
Physical Activity: activity that requires any type of movement
Exercise: structured, planned physical activity, often used to improve fitness levels
Physical Fitness: ability of the body to respond to physical demands
Skill-related Fitness: ability to perform specific leisure or sport skills
Health-related Fitness: ability to perform daily living activities with vigor
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Benefits of Exercise
People who are active are healthier than those who are do not exercise.
Benefits from exercise include:
Physical benefits of improved functioning of body systems
Cognitive benefits of processing information more quickly
Psychological and emotional benefits by reducing stress levels and influencing mood
Spiritual benefits by connecting with yourself, with others, and with nature.
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4. Health Risks and Physical Inactivity
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5. Guidelines for Physical Activity and Exercise
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) issued updated guidelines for promoting and maintaining health and preventing chronic diseases.
Recommendations include:
Minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic (endurance) activity 5 days per week for all healthy adults aged 18 – 65 or
20 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity 3 days a week
Guidelines also include recommendations for improving muscle strength and endurance.
See Metabolic equivalents (MET) of Common Physical Activities, Table 8.1
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6. Components of Health-Related Fitness
There are five components of fitness that help establish health benefits:
Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Muscular Strength
Muscular Endurance
Flexibility
Body Composition
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7. Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Ability of the heart and lungs to efficiently deliver oxygen and nutrients to the body’s muscles and cells via the bloodstream
Benefits include:
Increase in oxygen –carrying capacity of the blood
Improved extraction of oxygen from blood to muscles
Increase in the amount of blood the heart pumps with each heart beat
Increased speed of recovery to resting heart rate
Decreased resting heart rate, heart rate at any work level, and blood pressure
Improved muscle and liver function
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FITT
The FITT acronym provides a basis for a fitness workout plan.
Frequency: ideally 3 times per week
Intensity: reaching target heart rate (THR) zone
Time: minutes; 30 minutes is a good average
Type of activity: 2 types of aerobic exercise
Those that require sustained intensity with little variability in heart rate response, such as running and rowing
Those that involve “stop and go” activities and do not maintain continuous exercise intensity, such as basketball, soccer, and tennis
See Highlight on Health, Calculate Your Target Heart Rate Zone Using the Heart Rate Reserve Method
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Muscle Strength
Muscular Strength: the capacity of the muscle to exert force against resistance
Benefits include:
Increased body mass
Increased bone density
Improved glucose metabolism
Decreased anxiety and depression
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Muscle Endurance
Muscular Endurance: the capacity of the muscle to exert force repeatedly over a period of time
Benefits include:
Improved posture
Reduction of low back pain
Ability to perform your daily routines with greater ease
Allows you to look and feel better
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11. Developing a Strength Training Program
ACSM and AHA recommend training 2-3 times each week and 8-10 exercises using 8-12 repetitions for each exercise.
Warm up
Breathe rhythmically
Protect your back
Pay attention to safety
Lift with slow, steady cadence through full range of motion
Use a spotter
Allow 48 hours between sessions
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Flexibility
Ability of joints to move through the full range of motion
Benefits include:
Maintains posture and balance
Makes movement easier and more fluid
Lowers the risk of back injuries
Much of the loss of flexibility that results from aging can be reduced by stretching programs.
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Stretching Programs
There are four types of stretching programs
Passive Stretching (partner applies pressure, producing a stretch beyond what you could do on your own)
Static Stretching (stretching until your feel tightness and holding stretch for seconds)
Ballistic Stretching (stretching the muscle by bouncing rapidly; recommended for experienced athletes only)
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (therapeutic exercise causing a stretch and used for rehabilitation of injured muscle)
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Body Composition
The relative amounts of fat and fat-free mass in the body
The relative amount of body fat has an impact on overall health and fitness
Too much body fat could have the following effects:
Obesity
Heart disease
Diabetes
Different forms of cancer
More physical activity can help you control body weight, trim body fat, and build muscle tissue.
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15. How Can You Improve Your Health Through Moderate Physical Activity?
Make your daily activities more active
Walk more
Take the stairs
Try exercise gaming
Incorporate the 10,000 Steps Program
10,000 steps is equivalent to 5 miles
Walking 10,000 steps expends calories
Use a pedometer to count your steps
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© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

16. Health and Safety Precautions to Consider Before Exercising
Begin with proper ‘warm up’ and ‘cool-down’ activities
Recognize forms of ‘fatigue’ and overexertion
Know how to treat ‘soft tissue injuries’ by using the acronym: R-I-C-E
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
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17. Effects of Environmental Conditions
Environmental conditions require an adjustment of physical activity.
Altitude (less intense activity and shorter duration, increase fluid intake, add carbohydrates to small frequent meals)
Heat (wet head or body with cold water, take in extra fluids before activity)
Cold (dress in several thin layers, take in extra fluids before activity)
Air pollution (exercise early in the morning, avoid areas near vehicle traffic, pay attention to smog alerts, move exercise indoors during severe conditions)
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18. Exercise for Special Populations
Exercise for Children and Adolescents
The Surgeon General recommends that children get 60 minutes of exercise everyday
Exercise for Persons with Disabilities
Immobility or inactivity may aggravate the original disability and increase secondary health problems
Exercise for Older Adults
Regular supervised physical activities can improve physical functioning and enhance the quality of life for older adults
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19. Physical Activity for Life
Several key factors help people make physical activity a lifetime event.
Make a commitment to change.
Assess yourself
Set achievable and sustainable goals
Use social and community support.
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See Highlight on Health, Strategies for Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity
See Public Health in Action, Creating Activity-Friendly Communities
© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

20. Fitness: Physical Activity for Life
Chapter Eight
Fitness:
Physical Activity for Life
© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.