Components of Fitness (Part 1) :

Fitness, itself, is composed of four different elements: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular fitness, flexibility, and body composition.

Cardiorespiratory endurance, or aerobic fitness, relates to the body's capacity to absorb, transport, and use oxygen during work or exercise. As the body is trained to endure a greater cardiovascular workload, the heart and lungs become stronger thereby increasing an individual's endurance. A marathon runner would be a prime example of an athlete with a high level of aerobic conditioning.

Muscular fitness can be best described as a balance of strength and endurance. Muscular strength is the body's ability to generate force at a given speed of movement. Muscular endurance refers to the ability of the body to repeat movements and resist muscular fatigue. A better way to distinguish between muscular strength and endurance would to imagine lifting a fifty-pound weight just one time-strength-versus lifting a five-pound weight ten times-endurance.

Flexibility is often the most overlooked component of physical fitness. Flexibility is the range of motion around a joint or a group of joints. Range of motion is limited primarily by the amount of soft tissue, including muscle and the joint capsule, surrounding the joint. A gymnast would rely on his or her flexibility as well as strength to complete a strenuous tumbling routine without injury.

👉 Components of Fitness (Part 2)