Foundations of Fitness

Target Heart Rate Formula

208-(age x 0.7)= MHR MHR - RHR = HRR HRR x 0.60 + RHR = Low end of THR HRR x 0.85 + RHR = High end of THR

WORKOUT

A complete exercise session, ideally consisting of warm-up, intense aerobic and/or strength exercises, and cool down.

WARM-UP

A gradual increase in the intensity of exercise to allow physiological processes to prepare for greater energy outputs.

COOL DOWN

A gradual reduction of the intensity of exercise to allow physiological processes to return to normal. Helps avoid blood pooling in the legs and may reduce muscular soreness.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching means a stretch is performed by moving through a challenging but comfortable range of motion repeatedly, usually 10 to 12 times. Although dynamic stretching requires more thoughtful coordination than static stretching (because of the movement involved), it is gaining favor among athletes, coaches, trainers, and physical therapists because of its apparent benefits in improving functional range of motion and mobility in sports and activities for daily living. This is often done in a form of line running. Note that dynamic stretching should not be confused with old-fashioned ballistic stretching (remember the bouncing toe touches from PE classes?). Dynamic stretching is controlled, smooth, and deliberate, whereas ballistic stretching is uncontrolled, erratic, and jerky. Although there are unique benefits to ballistic stretches, they should be done only under the supervision of a professional because, for most people, the risks of ballistic stretching far outweigh the benefits.

CARDIOVASCULAR RESPIRATION

Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the cells of the body.

PROGRESSION

Exercise in which the amount of resistance is increased to further stress the muscle after it has become accustomed to handling a lesser resistance.

FITT

F - Frequency of exercise (Beginners 3-5 days/week; Experienced 5-7 days/week) I - Intensity of exercise (Beginners less than 145 BPM; Experienced 145-186 BPM) T - Time of exercise (Beginners 20-30 min; Experienced 30-60 min) T - Type of exercise (Aerobic or anaerobic)

Flexibility

Flexibility is the range of motion around a joint

FREQUENCY

How often a person repeats a complete exercise session.

STRETCHING

Lengthening a muscle to its maximum extension; moving a joint to the limits of extension. There are two common types of stretches, Static and Dynamic. Static stretching is one without movement. Dynamic stretching is one with a variety of movements to stretch body.

FITNESS TESTING

Measuring the indicators of the various aspects of fitness.

ABDUCTION

Movement away from the center or midline of the body.

Passive Stretching

Passive stretching means you're using some sort of outside assistance to help you achieve a stretch. This assistance could be your body weight, a strap, leverage, gravity, another person, or a stretching device. With passive stretching, you relax the muscle you're trying to stretch and rely on the external force to hold you in place. You don't usually have to work very hard to do a passive stretch, but there is always the risk that the external force will be stronger than you are flexible, which could cause injury.

EXERCISE

Physical exertion of sufficient intensity, duration and frequency to achieve or maintain fitness, or other health or athletic objectives.

ATROPHY

Reduction in size, or wasting away, of a body part, organ, tissue or cell.

Static Stretching

Static stretching means a stretch is held in a challenging but comfortable position for a period of time, usually somewhere between 10 to 30 seconds. Static stretching is the most common form of stretching found in general fitness and is considered safe and effective for improving overall flexibility. However, many experts consider static stretching much less beneficial than dynamic stretching for improving range of motion for functional movement, including sports and activities for daily living.

OVERLOAD

Subjecting a part of the body to efforts greater than it is accustomed to, in order to elicit a training response. Increases may be in intensity or duration.

ANAEROBIC ENDURANCE

The ability to continue anaerobic activity over a period of time (much shorter time than with aerobic activity).

AEROBIC ENDURANCE

The ability to continue anaerobic activity over a period of time.

STRENGTH

The amount of muscular force that can be exerted.

ENDURANCE

The capacity to continue a physical performance over a period of time.

Cool Down

The cool down will help your body move from the exercise state to a resting state. It brings your heart rate and blood pressure back to normal ranges decreasing the possibility of cardiovascular complications. A cool down returns your body to a normal temperature, gets rid of lactic acid from the muscle and decreases the risk of dizziness. This is vital step and should not be skipped by anyone just because it burns fewer calories. These three stages shouldn't be something you have to write down and constantly think about. The transition from one stage to the next, over time, will become more automatic for you.

FITNESS

The state of well-being consisting of optimum levels of strength, flexibility, weight control, cardiovascular capacity and positive physical and mental health behaviors, that prepare a person to participate fully in life, to be free from controllable health-risk factors and to achieve physical objectives consistent with his/her potential.

Main Activity (Stimulus or Workout)

The stimulus (or conditioning) phase can be considered the main part of the workout. It can include endurance, resistance and flexibility training. A well rounded program will include a combination of all three of these. This phase can last anywhere from 20-60 minutes depending on your goals.

Carlorie Expenditure

The total number of calories that a person uses in activities during one day.

TYPE

The type of exercise used in an exercise program.

AEROBIC

Using oxygen.

Aerobic Activities

Walking, bicycling, swimming

Anaerobic Activities

Weight lifting, push-ups, sit-ups

POWER

Work performed per unit of time. Measured by the formula: work equal force times distance divided by time. A combination of strength and speed.

6 skill related components of physical fitness

agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, speed

agility

change position of your body quickly

Specificity

he Specificity Principle simply states that exercising a certain body part or component of the body primarily develops that part. The Principle of Specificity implies that, to become better at a particular exercise or skill, you must perform that exercise or skill.

balance

the ability to keep an upright posture while standing still or moving

speed

the ability to perform a movement or cover a distance in a short period of time

SET

A group of repetitions of an exercise movement done consecutively, without rest, until a given number, or momentary exhaustion, is reached.

EXTENSION

A movement which moves the two ends of a jointed body part away from each other, as in strengthening of the arm.

FLEXION

A movement which moves the two ends of a jointed body part closer to each other, as in bending the arm.

CREATINE

A supplement that increases muscle size while enhancing the body's ability to use protein.

Active Stretching

Active stretching means you're stretching a muscle by actively contracting the muscle in opposition to the one you're stretching. You do not use your body weight, a strap, leverage, gravity, another person, or a stretching device. With active stretching, you relax the muscle you're trying to stretch and rely on the opposing muscle to initiate the stretch. Active stretching can be challenging because of the muscular force required to generate the stretch but is generally considered lower risk because you are controlling the stretch force with your own strength rather than an external force.

AEROBIC ACTIVITIES

Activities using large muscle groups at moderate intensities that permit the body to use oxygen to supply energy to maintain a steady state for more than a few minutes. See steady state.

ANAEROBIC ACTIVITIES

Activities using muscle groups at high intensities that exceed the body's capacity to use oxygen to supply energy and create and oxygen debt by using energy produced without oxygen.

INTERVAL TRAINING

An exercise session in which the intensity and duration of exercise are consciously alternated between harder and easier work. Often used to improve aerobic capacity and/or anaerobic endurance in exercisers who already have a base of endurance training.

REPETITION

An individual completed exercise movement. Repetitions are usually done in multiples.

PRONATION

Assuming a face-down position. Of the hand, turning the palm backward or downward. O the foot, lowering the inner side of the foot so as to flatten the arch. The opposite of supination.

SUPINATION

Assuming a horizontal position facing upward. In the case of the hand, it also means turning the palm to face forward. The opposite of pronation.

BMI

Body Mass Index. Ratio of body fat to muscle composition.

Body Composition

Body composition refers to the relative amount of muscle, fat, bone, and other vital parts of the body

Cardio Respiratory Endurance

Cardio-respiratory endurance is the ability of the body's circulatory and respiratory systems to supply fuel during sustained physical activity

ADDUCTION

Movement towards the center or midline of the body.

HYPERTROPHY

Muscle enlargement due to the thickening of each existing muscle fiber.

Anaerobic Exercise

Muscle movement that does not require oxygen and only burns carbohydrates to produce energy

Aerobic Exercise

Muscle movement that uses oxygen to burn both carbohydrates and fats to produce energy

Muscular Endurance

Muscular endurance is the ability of the muscle to continue to perform without fatigue

Muscular Strength

Muscular strength is the ability of the muscle to exert force during an activity

ANAEROBIC

Not using oxygen.

TIME

The amount of time involved in your target heart zone or in exercise.

LACTIC ACID

The end product of the metabolism of glucose for the anaerobic production of energy

Overload

The exercise science principle of overload states that a greater than normal stress or load on the body is required for training adaptation to take place. What this means is that in order to improve our fitness, strength or endurance, we need to increase the workload accordingly.

TARGET HEART RATE (THR)

The heart rate at which one aims to exercise.

PRE-EVENT MEAL

The last full meal consumed prior to a practice session or a competitive event.

Body Fat

The percent of lean muscle tissue versus fat on the body.

Progression

The principle of progression implies that there is an optimal level of overload that should be achieved, and an optimal time frame for this overload to occur. A gradual and systematic increase of the workload over a period of time will result in improvements in fitness without risk of injury.

SPECIFICITY

The principle that the body adapts very specifically to the training stimuli it is required to deal with. The body will perform best at the specific speed, type of contraction, muscle-group usage and energy source usage it has become accustomed to in training.

FLEXIBILITY

The range of motion around a joint

INTENSITY

The rate of performing work; power. A function of energy output per unit of time.

Warm up

The warm-up nourishes the muscles and prepares the body for the more rigorous activity to follow. It consists of a cardiovascular warm-up and stretching. The cardiovascular warm-up entails several minutes of slow aerobic activity. A light jog or swim will suit just fine. The stretching follows the cardiovascular warm-up. You'll want stretch all parts of the body, and you'll want to begin with a static stretch, which means no bouncing or movement - just a continuous stretch.

power

the ability to use strength quickly

reaction time

the amount of time it takes to move once you realize the need to act

coordination

to be able to use two or more body parts together