Chapter 2: Principles of Physical Fitness

Basic Principles of Physical training include:

-Specificity -Progressive overload -Reversibility -Individual differences

More vigorous physical activity

Causes rapid breathing and substantial increase in heart rate. Running 1 1/2 miles, jumping rope, bicycling 4 miles, basketball games.

If you train too much or too intensely, you are more likely to suffer injuries or experience

overtraining.

Amount of overload needed to maintain or improve particular level of fitness for particular component is determined through six dimensions, represented by the acronym FITT-VP

-Frequency-how often -Intensity-how hard or how fast -Time-how long (duration) -Type-mode of activity -Volume-how much (frequency x intensity x time) -Progression-how a program advances over time

Resistance training

1 or more sets of 8-12 repetitions of 8-10 different exercises that work major muscle groups. Older people should do 10-15 reps with lighter weight.

More than 800 genes are associated with endurance performance,

100 of those determine individual differences in exercise capacity.

The relative risk of death from all causes and risk of heart disease decrease by as much as

65% when comparing the least and most active men and women.

Vary Your Activities

Change your program from time to time to keep things fresh and develop higher degree of fitness. Body adapts quickly to different exercises like walking and swimming. Gains in fitness in a particular activity become more difficult with time. Changing up exercises lets your body adapt to many types of exercises and develops fitness in a variety of activities. Changing activities also helps reduce risk of injury.

Physical Activity

Movement that is carried out by skeletal muscles and requires energy.

Medical Clearance Recommendations

People of any age who are not at high risk for serious health problems can safely exercise at a moderate intensity (60% or less of maximum heart rate) without a prior medical evaluation.

Distinction between physical activity and exercise.

Physical activity: improves health and wellness. Exercise: improves fitness.

Health-related fitness

Physical capacities that contribute to health cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

Ability to perform a particular sport or activity may depend on (skill neuromuscular related fitness)

Physical capacities that contribute to performance in a sport or an activity including speed, power, agility, balance, coordination and reaction time.

Volume

Product of frequency, intensity, and time. For endurance exercise, average adults should strive to expend about 1,000 calories per week in exercise, which is the equivalent of about 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise.

Listen to Your Body and Get Adequate Rest

Rest is as important as exercise. You need exercise stresses, recuperation, and adaptation. Build rest into your training program and don't exercise if it doesn't feel right. Get enough sleep is important to recover.

Warm-ups

Should include low-intensity, whole-body movements similar to those used in the activity. Runners may walk or jog slowly prior to running full speed. Tennis player might hit forehands and backhands at a low intensity before playing a vigorous set of tennis. It is best to stretch after an endurance or strength training workout, when muscles are warm-and not as part of a warm-up.

Reversibility- Adapting to a Reduction in Training

The body adjusts to lower levels of physical activity the same way it adjusts to higher levels.

Reversibility

The training principle that fitness improvements are lost when demands on the body are lowered. When a person stops exercising, up to 50% of fitness improvements are lost within two months.

Exercise Safety

To avoid injury or even death, you must always do the following to be safe: -Wear a helmet when biking, skiing, or rock climbing -Wear eye protection when playing racquetball or squash. -Wear bright clothing or safety lights when exercising on a public street. -Walk or run with a partner when exercising on a deserted track or in a park. -Give vehicles plenty of leeway, even when you have the right of way. -In the weight room, be aware of people exercising near you, use spotters and collars when appropriate, and don't use broken equipment. -Always use good technique. Don't put your back or joints at risk trying to lift weights or perform physical skills beyond your ability.

Specificity-Adapting to Type of Training

To develop a particular fitness component you need to focus on exercises designed for that component.

2/3 of Americans are overweight. True or False.

True.

Type

Type of exercise you should do varies with each fitness component and fitness goals.

Progressive overload

When amount of exercise is increased progressively, fitness continues to improve.

If you are currently sedentary, your goal should be to focus on activities at the bottom of the pyramid

and gradually increase the amount of moderate-intensity physical activity in your daily life. Appropriate activities include walking briskly, climbing stairs, doing yard work, and washing your car. You don't have to exercise vigorously, but you should experience a moderate increase in your heart and breathing rates.

Not all fitness levels reverse at the same rate. Strength is resilient so a person can maintain strength fitness

by doing resistance exercise as infrequently as once a week.

Same volume of exercise can be done

in a shorter or longer time frame depending on the FIT variables.

As you progress

increase duration and frequency before increasing intensity.

A person with excess body fat (in abdomen)

is more likely to experience health problems like heart disease, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, stroke, joint problems, type 2 diabetes, gallbladder disease, blood vessel inflammation, some types of cancer, back pain, and premature death.

Physical fitness

set of physical attributes that allows the body to respond or adapt to the demands and stress of physical effort. To perform moderate to vigorous levels of physical activity without becoming overly tired.

Short periods of intense exercise do not compensate for hours of inactivity, so

try to get up and move around each hour while on computer, watching tv, or studying. MOVE MORE, SIT LESS.

Exercise

Planned, structured, repetitive movement intended to improve or maintain physical fitness.

Body Composition

Proportion of fat and fat free mass (muscle, bone, and water) in the body.

Greater muscle mass means faster energy use and a higher rate of metabolism.

Reduces markers of oxidative stress and maintains mitochondria: both of these benefits are important for metabolic health and long life.

Have Fun

Sports are a good choice to keep you entertained and motivated to work out. Competition can boost motivation. Some may like swimming and running better (isolation sports). Others like high skill sports like surfing or skateboarding. Choose the activities that you enjoy. By building your social support network with friends and family you can also boost your enjoyment.

The beginning of a program

Start slowly to give your body time to adapt to the stress of exercise. Choose activities according to your fitness status. If you have been sedentary or are overweight, try activity such as walking or swimming that won't jar the body or strain the joints.

Train the Way You Want Your Body to Change

Stress your body so that it adapts in the desired manner. More muscular=more weights. More flexibility=more stretching exercises.

Physical training improves fitness regardless of heredity.

The average person's body can improve enough to achieve reasonable fitness goals.

Specificity

The training principle that developing a particular fitness component requires performing exercises specifically designed for that component.

Start Slowly and get in Shape Gradually

Three phases: Beginning phase: Body adjusts to the new type and level of activity. Progress Phase: Fitness increases. Maintenance phase: The targeted level of fitness is sustained over the long term.

To improve at tennis, you must practice tennis.

To develop stronger arms, you must exercise your arms.

Cycle the Volume and Intensity of Your Workouts

Train intensely some days then light in others to add variety. Manage workout intensity well to improve physical fitness. Use cycle training, also known as periodization, to provide enough recover for intense training. By training lightly one workout, you can train harder the next.

Setting Goals

Whatever your specific goals, they must be important enough to you to keep you motivated. Most sports psychologists believe that setting and achieving goals is the most effective way to stay motivated about exercise.

Keep Your Exercise Program In Perspective

You need time for work, school, and family and friends, and relaxation and hobbies aside from exercise. Balance and moderation are key ingredients of a fit and well life.

Overtraining

a condition characterized by lack of energy, aching muscles and joints, depressed immune function, and decreased physical performance. Injuries and overtraining slow down an exercise program and impede motivation.

Exercise stress test

a method of testing the ability of the heart to respond to stress by having the patient perform a carefully controlled amount of exercise.

Physical fitness (pros) people

also contributes to quality of life. Freedom to move body the way you want. More energy and better body control.

Graded exercise test

an exercise test that starts at an easy intensity and progresses to maximum capacity

Moderate physical activity

brisk walking, dancing, swimming, cycling, and yard work. About 150 calories, noticeable increase in heart rate. You can burn same number of calories by doing a lower-intensity activity for a longer time or higher-intensity activity for a shorter time.

You can develop cardiorespiratory endurance through activities that involve

continuous, rhythmic movements of large-muscle groups, such as the legs. Such activities include walking, jogging, cycling and group aerobics.

A well-rounded exercise program includes

exercises geared to each component of fitness, to different parts of the body, and to specific activities or sports.

For most people,

frequency of 3-5 days per week for cardiorespiratory endurance exercise and two or more days per week for resistance and flexibility training are appropriate for general fitness.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is linked with

heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, stroke, depression, and anxiety.

Viral, bacterial, and fungal infections can also cause

heart muscle inflammation and sudden death, so don't exercise when you have a fever or flu.

If you temporarily reduce the frequent duration of training, you can maintain much of your fitness improvement by

keeping intensity of workouts constant.

Exercise alone will seldom promote

long-term weight loss.

Health-related fitness helps you withstand

physical challenges and protects you from disease.

US Department of Health and Human Services

publishes guidelines for weight management. Weight gain, lose weight, or maintain weight. Recommend up to 90 minutes of physical activity per day.

Best way to add muscle mass is through

strength training.

Best way to lose fat is through lifestyle

that includes sensible diet and exercise.

Flexibility

the ability to move the joints through their full ranges of motion. Important for good health and well-being. Inactivity causes joints to become stiffer with age. Stiffness causes people to assume unnatural body postures that can stress joints and muscles. Stretching helps.

If cardiorespiratory fitness is low,

the heart has to work hard during normal daily activities and may not be able to work hard enough to sustain high-intensity physical activity in an emergency.

For every type of exercise,

there is a training threshold at which fitness benefits begin to occur, a zone within which maximum fitness benefits occur, and an upper limit of safe training.

Much of the increased health benefits from exercise occurs when going from no activity (sedentary)

to some moderate-intensity activity. Further health benefits occur when exercising harder or longer.

To build muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility, similar amounts of time are advisable. But

training for these components is more organized in specific number of repetitions or an exercise.

Non-Sport leisure activities

visit museum, play with children, and gardening.

According to U.S. Surgeon General's Office

"Engaging in regular physical activity is one of the most important things that people of all ages can do to improve their health."

Cool Down after Exercise

90% of blood during exercise is directed to muscles and skin. This is up from 20% during rest. If you stop moving suddenly after exercise, the amount of blood returning to your heart and brain may be insufficient, and you may experience dizziness, a drop in blood pressure, or other problems. Cooling down at the end of a workout helps safely restore circulation to its normal resting condition.

For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous intensity aerobic activity.

Activity should preferably be spread in 30 minute segments throughout the week.

Assessing Yourself

Assess your current level of physical activity and fitness for each of the five health-related fitness components. The results of these assessments tests will help you set specific fitness goals and plan your fitness program. These help you evaluate your cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

Warm Up before Exercise

Can decrease your chances of injury by helping your body gradually progress from rest to activity, increase muscle temperature, reduce joint stiffness, bathe the joint surfaces in lubricating fluid, and increase blood flow to the muscles, including the heart. May enhance muscle metabolism and mentally prepare you for a workout.

Train with a partner

Encourage each other and motivate. Make exercise seem more fun and keeps you on track and committed to your friend or buddy.

Fuel Your Activity Appropriately

Good nutrition can help you recover from a bout of exercise and get you ready for your next workout. Consume adequate fluids to stay hydrated as well as enough calories to support your exercise program without gaining body fat.

Choosing Activities for a Balanced Program

Ideal fitness program combines a physically active lifestyle with systematic exercise to develop and maintain physical fitness.

Track Your Progress

Monitor the progress of your program as it can help keep you motivated and on track. You can measure minutes of jogging, miles cycling, laps in swimming, number of push-ups, etc.

Standing up or walking down a hallway requires little energy or effort, but have higher level of activity than sitting or lying down.

More intense sustained activities, such as cycling five miles or running in a race, require considerably more effort.

Somatotype

(body build) affects a person's choice of exercise.

This depends on such factors as the ability of the lungs to deliver oxygen., the capacity of heart to pump blood, and ability of the nervous system and blood vessels to regulate blood flow, and capacity of cell's chemical systems to use oxygen and process fuels for exercise and rest.

An element that makes up 20.8% of the atmosphere that is bound to a second oxygen atom in the environment. It is critical for generating usable energy in the body and is an important component of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Time (Duration)

Benefits occur when you exercise for an extended period of time. Cardiorespiratory endurance: 20-60 minutes per session is recommended. High-intensity (running): 20-30 minutes. Moderate-intensity (walking): 45-60 minutes.

Progressive Overload-Adapting to the Amount of Training

Body adapts to demands of exercise by improving its functioning. When amount of exercise is increased progressively, fitness continues to improve. This is principle of progressive overload.

There are limits on adaptability of any human body.

Body's ability to transport and use oxygen can be improved by only about 5-30% through training.

Physically fit people also have healthier, more resilient genes.

Exercise preserves gene structures called telomeres, which form the ends of the DNA strands and hold them together. Over time the telomeres shorten, reducing their effectiveness, which triggers illness and death. Exercise helps to keep them from getting too short.

Intensity

Fitness benefits occur when a person exercises harder than his or her normal level of activity. Appropriate intensity varies with each fitness component. For cardiorespiratory endurance, you must raise heart rate above normal by walking, swimming, or cycling faster. To develop muscular strength, you must lift a heavier weight than normal. To develop flexibility, you must stretch muscles beyond normal length.

Progression

Gradually increase overload over time to improve fitness. Depends on genetic makeup and effort you put into training. To avoid injury, progress by slowly increasing volume of exercise. Ex: add minutes to your jogging workout or add 10 pounds for a weight training exercise. DO NOT INCREASE FREQUENCY, INTENSITY, AND TIME ALL AT ONCE.

75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise will also burn about 1,000 calories.

In weight training lifting 10 pounds for 3 sets of 10 reps produces a volume of 300 pounds (10x3x10); lifting 20 pounds in the same workout increases the volume to 600 pounds.

Mesomorphs are lean and muscular

Often excel at almost any kind of physical activity or sport.

Endomorphs are round and pear-shaped.

Often excel at weight lifting and weight-supported aerobic exercises such as swimming or cycling. However they may find distance running difficult and painful.

Exercise, particularly intense exercise, may trigger a heart attack in someone with underlying heart disease.

Riskiest scenario may involve the middle-aged or older individual who suddenly begins participating in a vigorous sport or activity after being sedentary for a long time. Engaging in very vigorous exercise over the long term can also be risky for some individuals, due to the stress on the cardiovascular system.

Components of skill-related fitness include

Speed: ability to perform movement in short period of time. Power: ability to exert force rapidly, based on a combination of strength and speed Agility: the ability to change the position of the body quickly and accurately Balance: the ability to maintain equilibrium while moving or while stationary Coordination: the ability to maintain equilibrium while moving or stationary. Reaction and movement time: the ability to respond and react quickly to a stimulus.

Cardiorespiratory endurance

The ability of the body to perform prolonged, large-muscle, dynamic exercise at moderate to high levels of intensity.

Muscular strength

The amount of force a muscle can produce with a single maximum effort. Depends on factors like the size of muscle cells and ability of nerves to activate muscle cells.

As cardiorespiratory fitness improves, related physical functions also improve:

The heart pumps more blood per heartbeat. The ability to consume oxygen due to adaptations in the heart, circulation, and tissues improves. Breathing volume decreases during daily activities and sub-maximal exercising-that is, when exercising at less than full intensity. Resting heart slows. Blood volume increases. Blood supply to tissues improves. The body can cool itself better. Blood vessels become more pliable. Resting blood pressure decreases. Metabolism in skeletal muscle is enhanced, which improves fuel use. Level of antioxidant chemicals in the body increases and oxidative stress decreases. Exercise training increases the production of antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals that cause cell damage.

Relative strength

The maximum force exerted, relative to body weight, body size, and and muscle size.

Fat-free mass

The non-fat component of the human body, consisting of skeletal muscle, bone, and water.

Ectomorphs are thin and linear

Their light frame helps them succeed in activities such as distance running and ballet.

Individual Differences-Limits on Adaptability

There are large individual differences in our ability to improve fitness, achieve a desirable body composition, and learn and perform sports skills. Some people are more skilled than others will ever be able to, no matter how much they train.

Frequency

To get fitness you need regular exercise. What you need to do and how frequently depends on your fitness goals and on the component being developed.

Older people suffer from sarcopenia

a decrease in both number and size of muscle cells. Many of the remaining muscle cells become slower, and some become nonfunctional because they lose their attachment to the nervous system.

Muscular endurance

ability to resist fatigue and sustain a given level of muscle tension. This is good for posture and injury prevention. Helps people cope with daily physical demands and enhances performance in sports and work.

Healthy body composition involves a high proportion of fat-free mass and acceptably low level of body fat

adjusted for age and gender.

For additional and more intensive benefits

adults should increase their aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes a week of moderate intensity, or 150 of vigorous intensity, or an equivalent combination of both. They can also exceed these amounts.

Reports state:

all people of all ages and racial and ethnic groups benefit from physical activity including people with disabilities. Lowers risk of high blood pressure, strokes, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and osteoporosis.

Specificity also applies to the skill-related fitness components

and to the different parts of the body.

In people under age 35, congenital heart defects (heart abnormalities present at birth)

are the most common cause of exercise-related sudden death.

Performing the same amount of exercise during every training session will maintain fitness

but will not increase it because the training stress is below the threshold required to produce adaption. Fitness increases only if overload increases.

In nearly all other cases,

coronary artery disease is responsible. In this condition, fat and other substances build up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Death can result if an artery becomes blocked or if the heart's rhythm and pumping actions are disrupted.

To set personal goal for physical activity and exercise, consider

current activity level, health status, and overall goals. Strive to become more active and do at least 30 minutes at least five days awake.

Weight training

develops muscular strength but is less effective for developing cardiorespiratory endurance or flexibility.

Beginners should start at the lower end of the fitness benefit zone:

fitter individuals will make more rapid gains by exercising at the higher end of the fitness benefit zone.

Level of fitness depend on physiological factors such as

heart's ability to pump blood and the energy-generating capacity of the cells. These factors depend on genetics and behavior.

Strong muscles

help keep skeleton in proper alignment, preventing back and leg pain and good posture.

If you have health problems like

high blood pressure, heart disease, muscle or joint problems, or obesity see your physician before starting a vigorous exercise program.

Strength training also known as resistance training or weight training

increases antioxidant enzymes and lowers oxidative stress. Helps maintain muscle mass and function and possibly decrease the risk of osteoporosis in older people, greatly enhancing their quality of life and preventing life-threatening injuries.

Training to build muscular strength can also help people

manage stress and boost their self-confidence. Vital for healthy aging.

Benefits of activity...

outweigh the dangers.

An endurance athlete must therefore inherit a large metabolic capacity to

reach a competitive performance levels.

Neuromuscular

refers to the complex control of muscles and movement by the brain and spinal column.

People respond to training at different rates,

so a program that works for one person may not be right for another person.

Everyone should avoid inactivity and

spend less time in front of a tv or a computer screen because this decreases metabolic health, contributes to sedentary lifestyle, and increases risk of obesity.

The greater the intensity of exercise,

the less time needed to obtain fitness benefits.

Too little will have no effect while

too much can cause injury and problems with body's immune or endocrine systems.

If your are a male under 40 or female under 50 and in good health,

vigorous exercise is probably safe for you.

Adults should do muscle-strengthening activities like

weight training and calisthenics. Moderate or high intensity that involve major muscle groups 2 or more days a week.

Cardiovascular and cellular fitness reverse themselves more quickly

within just a few days or weeks.