Friday, May 12, 2023

The Different Types Of Fitness

 In general, when most people discuss fitness, they are discussing it in a very general way.  In reality, the term fitness refers to many different aspects of physical health and fitness.  The type of exercise we choose is what focuses on a specific aspect of physical health. 

The first type is cardiovascular endurance.  This refers to the ability of the hearts and lungs to supply oxygen and other nutrients to the muscles during prolonged physical activity. Running, swimming, cycling, and rowing are all exercises that are good for developing cardiovascular endurance.

Next is muscular strength which refers to the amount of force that muscles generate in a single effort.  Exercises such as weightlifting, resistance band training, and bodyweight exercises are great for developing muscular strength.  This is important otherwise you may not develop the muscular strength you need to live a full life.

We mustn't forget muscular endurance which is different than muscular strength.  Muscular endurance refers the the muscles ability to perform repeated activities over a period of time without becoming fatigued. To encourage muscular endurance, look at doing high repetition weight training, circuit training, and endurance sports such as distance running or cycling.  One needs to develop both muscular endurance and strength so you can keep going.

 Another one is your body composition which is the ratio of body fat to lean muscle. To have the best ration, one needs to eat well and exercise.  An important one is flexibility. Flexibility refers to the range of motion around a person's joints. Yoga, Pilates, and dynamic stretching are wonderful for developing flexibility. Along with flexibility, it is important to work on balance and agility.  Balance refers to the ability to maintain ones body position whether stationary or while moving.  Yoga and Pilates are wonderful for developing great balance.  On the other hand agility refers to the ability to change direction quickly and efficiently.  Basketball, soccer, and football are great sports for developing agility.

As long as your fitness program contains components designed to work on each of these types of flexibility, you should reach a great level of fitness.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.




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