CONCEPTS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS

1. Health Related Components

 Cardiovascular endurance: the ability to perform exercises at moderate-to-vigorous

intensities for a prolonged period.

 Muscular strength: how much force your muscles can exert or how heavy weights they
can lift.

 Muscular endurance: the ability of your muscles to sustain exercise for a period.

 Flexibility: the ability to move muscles and joints through a full range of motion.

 Body composition: your body’s ratio of fat mass to fat-free mass like muscle and bone.

2. Skill Related Components

 Speed is defined as the ability to move a body part quickly.
 Reaction Time is how quickly your brain can respond to a stimulus and initiate
a response.
 Agility is all about being able to change your direction and the speed at which
you are travelling, quickly and efficiently. 
 Balance is the ability to maintain equilibrium whilst stationary or moving.
Balance whilst moving is often called dynamic balance. 
 Coordination is the ability to use the body parts and senses together to produce
smooth efficient movements.
 Power is the product of strength and speed. When we perform a task as quickly
and as forcefully as we can, the result is powerful.

FITNESS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (PA) ASSESSMENT

Fitness assessments 

These are assessments consist of different types of tests and exercises used to determine your
overall health and physical fitness level. These tests typically assess your strength, endurance,
and flexibility.
Types 

1. Body composition testing

 Body fat tests are ideal for people who want to lose excess weight or check for any health
risks.
 Common ways to test your body composition.
Type of test What it measures

body mass index A body mass index (BMI) testTrusted Source can indicate if you have a
(BMI) healthy body weight, but it doesn’t tell how much body fat you have.

You can measure your waist to see if it’s more than 37 inches for men or
waist circumference
31.5 inches for women, or if it’s greater than your hip measurement. If so,
measurement
you could be at higher risk for stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

skinfold A skinfold measurement test uses calipers to measure the amount of body
measurement fat present in a skinfold.

bioelectrical This method uses a body fat scale to measure your body fat percentage by
impedance analysis running small electrical currents through your body and testing for
(BIA) resistance. Higher levels of resistance indicate more body fat.

2. Cardiorespiratory endurance testing 

Several types of cardiorespiratory endurance tests are available to calculate how effectively your heart
and lungs deliver oxygen throughout your body while you exercise.
VO2 tests

o VO2 tests show how much oxygen uptake (VO2 max) is used when you’re doing
intense exercise. Higher levels of oxygen uptake indicate that your
cardiorespiratory system is working effectively

o
 3. Submaximal tests
o These are tests with moderate or low-intensity exercise.

 A strand treadmill test

 2.4 kilometer (1.5 mile) run test

 multistage bleep test

 Cooper 12-minute walk-run test

 stationary bike, rowing machine, or elliptical trainer test

4. Maximal testing is reserved for assessing the capacity of individuals who participate
in vigorous exercise
5.  Muscular strength and endurance testing

Strength and endurance tests help determine which of your muscles and muscle groups have the
most strength, as well as which ones are weaker and at risk of injury.

A strength test measures the maximum load a muscle group can lift with one repetition. An
endurance test calculates for how long a muscle group can contract and release before you
become exhausted.

Examples of endurance tests include:

o squats
o pushups
o low plank holds
Exercise prescription is based on 5 principles: type, duration, frequency, intensity, and
volume.

1. Type refers to mode of exercise training, with the main forms being aerobic (i.e.

endurance training), resistance (i.e. strength training), flexibility, and balance. 
2. Duration is the length of performance within a given time
3. Frequency referes to the number of exercise sessions performed within a given
time frame.
4. Intensity is defined as the level of effort being exerted by the participant and can
be measured in a variety of ways. Common measures of aerobic intensity include
the following:
 5. Volume is a sum of the intensity, frequency, duration, and longevity of a physical
activity program.

Exercise Variables and Principles

1. Individualization
o Exercise should be specific to the individual completing the training.
o People respond differently to exercise so to maximize the benefits, therefore training
programs should be built around the person’s needs and capabilities.

2. Specificity
o Exercise should be specific to the client’s goals, needs and capabilities.
o Our bodies response to training is based on the specific stimulus (training) applied.  So,
to increase adaptation (results) exercise should be specific to an individual’s goals, tasks,
movements and capabilities.

3. Overload
o Exercise should overload the body in order for a positive adaptation to occur.
o For the body to adapt it needs to be overloaded.  This means it needs to be placed under
greater stress than it is accustomed to.
o This is accomplished by using the F.I.T.T principle to make the body do more than it has
done before.
o F = Frequency of training
o I = Intensity of training
o T = Type of training
o T = Time of training (duration)

4. Overload
o Exercise needs to continually overload the body if positive adaptations (change) are to
continue to take place.
o For the body to keep adapting to exercise the stress it is placed under should
progressively increase.  Therefore, the intensity and loads should continually increase
over time. 

5. Adaptation
o Over time, the body becomes accustomed to exercise to a given level. This is adaption
and results to improve efficiency, less effort and less muscle breakdown at that level. The
first time to do an activity makes our body sore or weak but with continuous repetitions
the activity becomes too easy.

6. Variety
o Exercise needs to be varied for optimal adaptation to occur, avoiding boredom, overuse,
injury or hitting a plateau.
o For optimal change to occur and to decrease the risk of an individual getting bored,
overtraining, getting injured or reaching a plateau, the training must constantly be varied.

7. Rest and Recovery

o Rest and recovery are required to allow the body time to adapt to exercise.
o Optimal adaptation requires recovery time.  It is only during the recovery phase (days
between workouts) that the body is able to change and adapt to the stress of the workout.
o Recovery can be improved in a variety of ways, such as effective nutrition and hydration,
light aerobic exercise and stretching sessions.  It is believed that 90%+ of an individual`s
time is spent recovering from exercise. If we get these wrong positive adaptations will
not occur as quickly.

8. Reversibility
o If you don’t use it, you lose it.
o Adaptations which occur through exercise are reversible, so when training is stopped for
prolonged periods the adaptations from previous exercise will be lost.

9. Maintenance
o Fitness can be maintained by altering the F.I.T.T principle.
o By maintaining the intensity of training and decreasing the volume or frequency of
training by 1/3 – 2/3 the current fitness levels of an individual can be maintained.

10. Ceiling
o Room for positive development decreases the fitter you become.
o As we get fitter, the amount of improvement possible decreases based on the client
getting closer to their genetic potential (ceiling).
 11. Interference
o Training contrasting fitness components at the same time can reduce adaptation (results)
in both.
o Training certain components of fitness at the same time can lead to interference.  For
example, training to increase muscle size and increase aerobic endurance at the same time
will lead to the client making slower progress to both goals, even though there will be
increases in both of the components being trained

WARMUPS AND COOL-DOWNS

o Begin by doing the activity and movement patterns of your chosen exercise, but at a low,
slow pace that gradually increases in speed and intensity. This is called a dynamic
warmup. A warmup may produce mild sweating, but generally won't leave you fatigued.

o Warm up or warming up helps prepare your body for aerobic activity. Warmup gradually
revs up your cardiovascular system by raising your body temperature and increasing
blood flow to your muscles. Warming up may also help reduce muscle soreness and
lessen your risk of injury
o Cooling down is similar to warming up. You generally continue your workout session for
five minutes or so, but at a slower pace and reduced intensity.
o Cool down or cooling down after your workout allows for a gradual recovery of
preexercise heart rate and blood pressure. Cooling down may be most important for
competitive endurance athletes, such as marathoners, because it helps regulate blood
flow.

**A word about stretching

If stretching exercises are part of your workout routine, it's best to do them after the warm-up or
cool-down phase, when your muscles are already warm.
Stretching can improve flexibility and range of motion about a joint. Stretching may also help
improve your performance in some activities by allowing your joints to move through their full
range of motion.
 ACTIVITY-SPECIFIC SKILLS
 Non-locomotor skills : Skills that can be done standing in one spot and prepare us to
keep our balance in between transitioning from shape to shape. For example, stretching,
balancing, twisting, bending, turning, and swinging.
 Bracing the core:

o Bracing is a form of voluntary core activation enabling you tighten up

on command.

o Bracing is the process of gently pushing out while contracting all of your abdominal
muscles. This process also forces your paraspinal muscles to tighten at the same time.
The process of bracing creates a belt or corset around the core of your body which
gives you a base of stabilization.

o Bracing is accomplished by gently “stiffening” your abdominal wall.

Image. Abdominal muscles and pelvic muscles

 Dead bug series:

o The Dead Bug exercise series is a progression that strengthens the core by
challenging the deep abdominal muscle, the transverse abdominis or TVA, to
stabilize the pelvis against the resistance of the moving arms and legs. As the
movements become increasingly difficult, the TVA gets stronger to keep the
low back from arching and the pelvis from tilting.
 o The exercises that target the TVA are performed with the trunk in neutral spine
alignment. If you have osteoporosis or osteopenia, these exercises provide an
excellent alternative to crunches and sit ups, which round the upper back in
spinal flexion and can place stress on the vertebrae.
 Rolling:
o Rolling is a movement pattern seldom used by physical therapists for assessment and
intervention with adult clientele with normal neurologic function. Rolling, as an adult
motor skill, combines the use of the upper extremities, core, and lower extremities in
a coordinated manner to move from one posture to another. Rolling is accomplished
from prone to supine and supine to prone
 Bird dog series:
o The bird dog is a bodyweight exercise that strengthens the core—more specifically,
the abdominal muscles, lower back, butt, and thighs.
 Press up, scapular protraction and retraction:
o Scapular retractions are those exercises that require you to pull the shoulder
blades together toward the spine. 
o Scapular protraction also called abduction of the scapula, this is when the
scapulae move laterally away from the spine.

 
Image. Muscles involve in Scapular protraction and retractions

 Plank series
o The plank exercise is an isometric core exercise that involves maintaining a
position similar to a push-up  for the maximum possible time.
 o The plank exercise works the entire core, especially the rectus abdominis. It also
works the abdominal muscles that run from the pelvis along the spine and up to
the shoulder girdle.
o The plank activates the core muscles including:

 Transversus abdominis
 Rectus abdominis
 Internal oblique
 External oblique muscles 
The first muscle activated is the transversus abdomini which increases the spine stiffness,
increasing the spine stability.

Image:Overview of the muscles of the abdominal wall - anterior view

 Squat series
o The squat is a dynamic movement and mimics daily living movements as well as sport
movements.
o "The squat movement pattern is arguably one of the most primal and critical
fundamental movements necessary to improve sport performance, to reduce
injury risk and to support lifelong physical activity" (Meyer et al)
o When performed correctly, the squat exercise also increases metabolism, helps
prevent injuries, strengthens the core, and improves balance and posture

Image. Squat

ADDITIONAL IMAGES
Image.Rolling series Image.Rolling series
Image. Sample Exercise Routine

Online references:

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