Physical fitness

Physical fitness is used in two close meanings.

General fitness

Physical fitness is the result of regular physical activity, proper diet and nutrition, and proper rest for physical recovery within the parameters allowed by the genome.

Physical fitness is often divided into the following types (in alphabetical order):

• Agility
• Balance
• Body Composition
• Cardiovascular endurance
• Coordination
• Flexibility
• Muscular strength & endurance
• Speed

Many sources also cite mental and emotional health as an important part of overall fitness. This is often presented in textbooks as a triangle made up of three sub-sections which represent physical, emotional, and mental fitness. Hence, one may be physically fit but may still suffer from a mental illness or have emotional problems. The "ideal triangle" is balanced in all areas.

Workout equipment is something that all people can use. More than half of all Americans are overweight because of a lack of exercise. Two of the most commonly cited reasons for not exercising are that gyms are so far away and embarrassment at initial workout attempts. By having a home workout center, people will eliminate both barriers to working out.

Physical fitness provides more than just the ability to do something. People who are fitter are healthier and lead better lives. Many of the leading causes of death are lifestyle diseases that can be cured by simply exercise. For example, both heart disease, the number one killer last year, and Type 2 diabetes are directly related to lack of exercise. So while a home fitness center may appear to be expensive, it is actually very cheap compared to a lifetime of medication to treat the illnesses that accompany a lack of exercise.

Specific fitness

Specific or task-oriented fitness is a person's ability to perform in a specific activity with a reasonable efficiency, for example, sports or military service. Specific training prepares athletes to perform well in their sports.

Examples are:

• 100m sprint - in a sprint the athlete must be trained to work anaerobically throughout the race.
• Marathon - in this case the athlete must be trained to work aerobically and their endurance must be built-up to a maximum.

Fitness testing is also conducted for fire fighters and police officers to determine if they are capable of the physically demanding tasks required for the job before they are employed.

Military-style

Notable fitness instructors

• Charles Atlas
• John Basedow
• Billy Blanks (Creator of Tae Bo)
• Matt Furey
• Bob Harper (personal trainer in the U.S television series The Biggest Loser)
• Tony Horton
• Friedrich Ludwig Jahn ("father of gymnastics", inventor)
• Jack LaLanne
• Tony Little
• John Peterson (Creator of Transformetrics)
• Susan Powter
• Richard Simmons
• Stew Smith

See also

• Core muscle training
• Exercise
• Health
• National Physical Fitness Award
• Personal trainer
• Physical Fitness Badge
• President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
• Recruit training
• Social influences on fitness behavior

Wikipedia information about Physical fitness This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Physical fitness". It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer). Help contribute to Americola and edit this article.