Fitness, health, and self-care are more important now than ever before. People are feeling overwhelmed and overburdened as the pandemic lingers. To help fight the negative effects of our current situation, we need movement.
We should all prioritize health-related fitness, but how can you start working to achieve it and do it the right way?
This is where the components of health-related fitness come into play.
What is Health-Related Fitness?
Health-related fitness has everything to do with activities that aim to prevent diseases and promote healthy bodily functions. The goal is to incorporate activities that will help you manage your weight, strengthen your body and immune system, enhance your mood, and increase your energy levels.
Its importance goes beyond physical health; it helps you maintain mental health, too. Exercise not only helps strengthen the body and improve body coordination, but it also helps eliminate depression.
An effective workout can help you think clearer and faster, enabling you to solve problems and handle stressful situations better.
What is the Significance of Assessing Health-Related Fitness?
Before starting a new habit or taking on a new fitness routine, you have to assess your current fitness level. This will act as a benchmark and starting point for any activity that you’re planning to take on.
You’ll refer to the assessment to determine your priorities and activities. Your improvement will also be based on this assessment, which will help make your development trackable.
What are the 5 Components of Health-Related Fitness?
Having a fitness plan is good. But creating a fitness plan that can address every need of your body is so much better. Knowing what the five components of health-related fitness are will give you regular exercise that can effectively reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and help fight cancer. Additionally, you get to take care of your mental health and enhance your quality of life as you age.
Here are the five components of health-related fitness.
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Cardiovascular Fitness or Endurance
Cardiovascular endurance or cardiorespiratory endurance involves strengthening your heart and lungs, so they can provide oxygen to your body’s tissues and muscles. Benefits of such activities include improved delivery and intake of oxygen and improved cellular metabolism. It also enables your body to easily take on physical challenges.
What are the health-related fitness activities involving cardiovascular endurance?
- Jumping Rope
- Squat Jumps
- Burpees
- Running in Place
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
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Muscular Strength
This refers to the amount of energy you can put into your muscles. Having adequate muscle strength will help your body become more durable, reduce injury, and increase productivity in any activity. Muscle strength specifically focuses on muscles, this means that you have to create a routine that hones every part of your body from your glutes, deltoid, pecs, to your hamstrings.
Your training program will be determined by your fitness goals. To improve muscle strength, exercise with heavier weights and fewer reps.
What are the health-related fitness activities involving muscular strength?
- Lunges
- Squats
- Planks
- Pushups
- Weight Training
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Muscular Stamina
Muscle stamina or endurance is another component that focuses solely on your muscles, but instead of strength, it focuses on resistance. Although strength training focuses on how much weight you can lift, stamina refers to how long you can keep on lifting the weight without getting tired.
What are the health-related fitness activities involving muscular stamina?
- Cycling
- Running
- Planking
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Versatility or Flexibility
Versatility or flexibility involves activities focusing on the bones, joints, and the range of motion your body can accommodate. People who are flexible tend to have good posture, superior mobility and experience fewer joint pains as they age.
What are the health-related fitness activities involving flexibility?
- Yoga
- Stretching
- Pilates
- Tai Chi
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Body Shape or Composition
Body composition involves your BMI as well as your “fat mass to fat-free mass” ratio. Fat mass is linked to health issues like diabetes and heart diseases so it’s important to maintain healthy body composition.
It’s important to go see your doctor first to make sure that you’re working out well within your body’s limitations and to have a fair starting point. A professional trainer or your physician will be able to provide you with important data like your Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat ratio, waist-hip ratio, and others.
What are the health-related fitness activities involving body composition?
When it comes to body composition, all the other four components will contribute to its improvement and maintenance. The important thing to remember is to exercise regularly.
Exercise with a Purpose
Being active is now very important as we continue to experience the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exercise with a goal in mind. It’s not just about losing weight and looking good, it’s about feeling good and being healthy. Do cardio, strength training, endurance, flexibility exercises, accordingly. Despite spending most of the time indoors, there are exercises you can do that will fit your lifestyle and situation.
Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. Be consistent, get enough sleep, and always have a balanced diet. Good health-related physical fitness will help you in winning daily battles, no matter what life decides to throw at you.
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