Components of Physical Fitness

There are more components of physical fitness than you might realize. Improve any one of those components and you'll improve how your body looks and feels.

Fitness used to be defined as the ability to carry out daily activities without becoming overly tired and fatigued. That definition has changed as our world has changed. Today, the definition of physical fitness is "a measure of the body’s ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist diseases, and to meet emergency situations."

Physical fitness is about you and your body. How well you take care of it. How you train it. How you make it move.

If you don't take care of it, don't train it, and don't make it move - TODAY! - you WILL suffer the consequences. Maybe not tomorrow, or next year. But one day you'll wake up with a stiff back...you're legs won't carry you as far as they used to...and you get winded walking up a flight of stairs.

So read through the 5 components of physical fitness listed below and decide which ones you need to start working on TODAY!

Body Composition: Relative percentage of body fat compared to lean body mass (muscle, bone, water, etc.). Do you know what your body fat percentage is?

Flexibility: The range of movement possible at various joints. I never thought it would be difficult and painful to put on a pair of pants at the age of 42, but my lack of attention to my flexiblity has made that a reality. But it can be corrected!

Muscular Strength: The amount of force you can produce with a single contraction of a muscle. How strong are you? Increase your muscle strength and everyday activities - hauling grocery bags, picking up your kids - gets easier.

Muscular Endurance: The ability of a muscle group to continue muscle movement over a period of time. How long will your muscles hold out on a ten mile run?

Some other components of personal fitness to consider are:

Agility: Your body's ability to change direction quickly. Strengthening your core gives you a stronger center of balance, which will improve your overall agility.

Balance: The ability to stay upright while still or moving. Yoga classes are great for improving balance and coordination.

Coordination: The harmonious movements of your hands and feet. Can you walk and chew gum at the same time?

Reaction Time: Amount of time it takes to get moving. Think dodgeball.

Power: The ability to do strength work at an explosive pace.

Which components of physical fitness do you need to focus on?

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