Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

Chapter 8
Basic Concepts of
Fitness
Importance of Physical Activity
(U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 2002)

• Regular physical activity is

critically important for all ages
• Research demonstrates all
individuals can receive benefits
from exercise
• Regular activity has been shown
to reduce morbidity and mortality
Hypokinetic diseases: illnesses related to the
lack of physical activity
 Types of Fitness

• Health fitness
– Important for prevention and
remediation of disease and illness
• Motor-performance fitness
– Important in sport performance and
job performance
Wellness is about achieving a high
quality of life and a continuing sense of
physical and psychological well-being
Components of Health Fitness

1. Body composition
2. Cardiovascular endurance and
capacity
3. Flexibility
4. Muscular endurance
5. Strength
Components of Motor
Performance Fitness

1. Agility 5. Reaction time

2. Balance 6. Speed
3. Coordination 7. Strength
4. Power
Dose-Response Debate on
Aerobic Exercise
• What “dose” of exercise is necessary
to achieve benefits?
1. Intensity in an aerobic sense; target
heart rate (Example: 220 – age x 70% =
target heart rate zone)
2. Duration refers to the amount of time
spent performing aerobic work; 20-30
minutes is recommended
3. Frequency refers to how often you
should exercise; 3-5 times a week is
recommended
Health Benefits Associated
with Physical Activity
• Reduction of blood • Decreased risk of
pressure cancer
• Decreased risk of • Gains in cognitive
CHD function
• Boosted immune • Reduction of
system depression
• Controls body fat • Reduction of
gains osteoarthritis
• Reduction in • Lowers mortality
osteoporosis
 Social Gradient in
Health and Fitness
• Refers to the socioeconomic impact on
health and fitness
• Hypothesis states that relative social and
economic deprivation within societies
accounts for higher or lower health
• Wilkerson (1994) states where income
inequality is less, life expectancy is higher
• People in lower socioeconomic groups have
less access to nutritious food and information
about food
• Unhealthful settings cannot support physical
activity involvement
Fitness Training Concepts

• Specificity: to produce a desired effect

• Progressive overload: load creates a
conditioning effect
• Recovery time: muscles need a period
of time for recovery
• Intensity: refers to the load of exercise
bout
• Duration: length of an exercise bout
 Health Fitness
Training Concepts

• Interval training
• Anaerobic exercise
• Strength training
– Amount of resistance
– Number of reps
– Number of sets
– Number of workouts per week
Strength Training Principles

• Range of motion around a joint

• Two types:
1. Static
2. Dynamic
• Should be performed three times per
week after moderate or vigorous
activity and held of 30 seconds with
low levels of force
 Measuring Fitness
• Two approaches
1. Fitness tests
2. Direct measure of cardiovascular fitness
and body composition
• Criterion Referenced Health
Standards (CRH) have two
advantages:
1. Assess fitness against absolute
standards that indicate minimum levels
of fitness
2. Provide immediate diagnostic feedback
 Informal Methods of
Measuring Fitness

• Checking resting pulse rate

• Checking recovery pulse rate
• Keep distance and time
recordings