Fitness is the key to an active life. A person who does not have good fitness levels is one who is not living life to its fullest. It may mean he is not working hard at his job or enjoying his life. In fact, most people who do not exercise regularly or have no access to regular exercise are still living a lethargic life as they have no time to be themselves and have neglected their personal grooming. It is in order to achieve optimum fitness that we need to know the factors that affect our fitness levels.
Fitness is a condition of health and well being and, more specifically, the capacity to do regular physical activity, tasks and sports. Physical fitness means different things to different people. For example, running a 10K is the equivalent of a sprint race or Crossfit, while a long run means you are running endurance. Good health is measured by various factors like the body’s resistance to disease, ability to heal and the resistance to aging.
Staying active means doing something physical. You have to remember that the term “staying active” covers all kinds of activities that make you move your body; it can also mean participating in a team sport. Most experts agree that a healthy way of living includes having at least moderate levels of physical fitness. Some experts feel that total participation in sport, exercise, or other activity is the best way to remain active and fit.
To stay active and physically fit, you need to have both good endurance and good mental fitness. Exhaustion should be managed by means of rest and physical challenges. However, mental challenges such as stress can prevent you from staying active and stimulating your body to maintain its optimal level of fitness.
Physical fitness includes both general fitness and cardiovascular endurance. General fitness means your ability to do activities independently. Cardiovascular endurance is measured by your capacity to exercise for a long period of time without taking a rest. Examples of exercises for Cardiovascular endurance include running, swimming, walking, bicycling, playing sports such as tennis or soccer, or lifting weights. General fitness and cardiovascular endurance are two important components of your total fitness package.
Your muscular strength is important when you engage in activities that involve using your body weight and involves using your muscles. Examples of activities that involve using your muscles include lifting weights, sprinting, or other activities that require you to lift or push your own body weight against the resistance of other people or objects. Muscular strength is also related to endurance. Therefore, you may want to consider including measures of muscular endurance in your fitness plan. For example, if you plan to run a marathon, you may want to include anaerobic endurance in your fitness plan so that you can maximize your chances of reaching your goal.