The Top 5 Physical Fitness Components

 Physical fitness is the condition of health and well being and, more importantly, the capacity to do specific parts of physical activities, jobs and sports. It is necessary for healthy living and is an essential element of sport and recreation. In today's culture, the term physical fitness has been stretched to include things like endurance, agility, strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination. These terms are often used interchangeably, but in fact, each of these components can be measured on its own. Therefore, physical fitness includes several components including the three following:

Endurance - This refers to the amount of time that an individual can continue an activity without becoming exhausted. In terms of physical fitness, endurance means the maximum amount of time that an individual can do any activity without the need to rest or recovery. An individual with high levels of physical fitness has high endurance. The ability of the body to sustain endurance is reflected by muscular power, velocity, acceleration, and body composition. High levels of physical fitness also reflect a high level of physical endurance.

Flexibility - The ability to move comfortably and independently without pain is termed flexibility. Many individuals are not aware of the full health benefits of flexibility. Research has shown that physical fitness helps prevent and reduce the development of many chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, stroke, osteoporosis, and some forms of cancer. Although physical activity plays an important role in maintaining optimal flexibility, it is also important to note that poor physical function can increase the risk of developing chronic diseases.

Muscle Strength - This refers to the ability of a muscle to contract against gravity. Optimally forming muscles has been shown to reduce back pain, decrease the risk of developing osteoporosis, prevent the development of some cancers, and increase overall physical fitness. Research has also revealed that muscle strength is influenced by gender, but is largely independent of genetic factors. In addition to the obvious health benefits, muscle strength has many other benefits in the workplace and in daily life. For example, a physically fit individual can help prevent workplace injuries such as repetitive motion injury and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Cardiovascular endurance - Examples would be someone who has high cardiovascular endurance or someone who does a regular exercise routine that includes running regularly. Examples would be someone who performs weight training on a weekly basis. Examples would also include someone who is involved in swimming or water aerobics. Although, muscle strength does not directly impact cardiovascular endurance, muscle mass does play an important role in improving overall fitness.

All of these components are important when it comes to staying active and healthy. If you're not currently doing a regular exercise program or if you haven't been doing much physical fitness in the past, there are many other ways to improve your health. You simply need to find the activity or sport that best meets your needs and interests.