Physical Fitness and Wellness

Physical fitness - is an important part of life. It is an indicator which shows whether you have the ability to
perform and enjoy day to day physical activities with ease.

 Physical fitness is generally achieved through:

1. Physical activity and exercise,
2. Correct nutrition,
3. Enough rest (good quality sleep),
4. Stress management and relaxation.

 Physical fitness can be classified into following categories:

1. Health related fitness components
2. Skill related components of physical fitness
3. Physiological components of fitness
4. Sports related components of fitness

Health Related Fitness Components:

 It is best defined as activity aimed to improve your health. The goal of health related fitness is
prevention of or rehabilitation from disease as well as the development of a high level of functional
capacity for daily tasks.

Health related physical fitness is further divided into 5 parts:

1. Balanced BODY COMPOSITION - In other words the ratio of fat to muscle. Minimum of fat and
maximum of lean mass is a sign of a healthy and fit body.
2. CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS or ENDURANCE - Cardiovascular endurance can be defined as the
component which helps to determine if the heart and lungs are working in coordination. It shows the
ability of the body to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues and to remove wastes.
3. FLEXIBILITY - Flexibility can be defined as the component which checks the ability of the joints in
the body to move to their full range of motion.
4. MUSCULAR ENDURANCE - Muscular endurance is defined as the ability of the body to perform
repeated exercises without getting tired. If a person can perform more number of repetitions of a
particular strength training exercise, then it can be said that he/she has good muscular endurance.
5. MUSCULAR STRENGTH - can be defined as the capability of the muscles to lift weight. By doing
weight training exercises every alternate day increases the muscle mass of the body.
 Skill Related Components of Physical Fitness:
1. AGILITY - It is a skill-related component of physical fitness. Agility relates to the ability of a person to
rapidly change the position or directions of the entire body in space with speed and accuracy.
2. BALANCE - is the ability of a person to control human body or to maintain equilibrium while stationary
or moving (static and dynamic conditions). E.g. hand stand, skating, skiing, catching a fly in baseball,
etc.
3. COORDINATION - relates to the ability of the person to use the senses, such as sight and hearing,
together with body parts in performing motor tasks smoothly and accurately.
4. POWER
 Power is a skill-related component of physical fitness that relates to the ability to the rate at which
one can perform work.
 Power is considered to be a combination of strength and speed. It has also been defined as the ability
to exert muscle force quickly. For this reason some consider it to be a combination of skill and
health-related physical fitness. It is the ability of muscle to release maximum force in the shortest
period of time.
 Power = Force X Speed
 Speed and force must be combined for effective performance in activities like baseball throw, jumps
for height, football kick, boxing punch etc.
5. SPEED
 Is the ability of a person to execute motor movements with high speed in the shortest period of time.
It is equal to the distance covered per unit of time.
 Speed is an integral part of every sport and can be expressed as - maximum speed, elastic strength
(power) and speed endurance. Speed is influenced by the athlete's mobility, special strength, strength
endurance and technique. There are many different types of speed such as running speed, swimming
speed, speed of hand or foot movement, etc.
 The element of speed is involved in most of the athletic skills such as in sprint running, some skills
of soccer, basketball, etc.
6. REACTION TIME
 A skill-related component of physical fitness that relates to the time elapsed between stimulation and
the beginning of the reaction to it.
 Total response time includes stimulus to beginning of movement (reaction time) to end of movement
(movement time). Like speed, reaction time is also greatly influenced by heredity.

Physiological Components of Physical Fitness

 PHYSIOLOGICAL FITNESS
 Includes non-performance components of physical fitness that relate to biological systems that are
influenced by one's level of habitual physical activity.
  It differentiates health-related measures (primarily performance measures) from non-performance
measures. Some of the sub-components of physiological fitness that have gained acceptance are
metabolic fitness, morphological fitness, and bone integrity.

1. METABOLIC FITNESS
 The state of metabolic systems and variables predictive of the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular
disease which can be favorably altered by increased physical activity or regular endurance exercise.
 Metabolic fitness included sub-components such as blood sugar levels, blood lipid levels, and blood
hormone levels. It is now clear that lower levels of physical activity (particularly intensity) than
recommended (by this position stand) may reduce the risk for certain chronic degenerative diseases
and improve metabolic fitness.
2. MORPHOLOGICAL FITNESS
 A non-performance component of physical fitness related to body composition factors such as body
circumferences, body fat content and regional body fat distribution.
 Morphological fitness measures are often related to metabolic fitness components. Body
composition included in health related fitness is also considered a morphological fitness component.
3. BONE INTEGRITY (Bone Strength)
 A non-performance component of fitness related to bone mineral density. Bone integrity is related to
habitual physical activity.

Sports Related Components of Physical Fitness

There are:

 Team sport
 Individual sport
 Sports Related Physical fitness is directed towards optimizing athletic performance, recreational activity,
increasing ability to work, and avoidance of injury. It is directly related to performance in games and
sports.

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS:

 Reduce risk of disease
 Develop physical fitness components
 Lower your cholesterol level
 Build stronger bones, joints, and ligaments
 Maintain optimal body weight
 Improves sleeping habits
 Boosts energy level
 Improved appearance
  Relaxation and Stress relief
 Fights Depression
 Delayed Aging
 Makes you feel happier
 Postpones fatigue
 Boosts confidence
 Utilization of time
 Improves overall health
 Healthier and longer life

WELLNESS
 Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling
life. Wellness is more than being free from illness; it is a dynamic process of change and growth.
 Maintaining an optimal level of wellness is absolutely crucial to live a higher quality life. Wellness matters.
Wellness matters because everything we do and every emotion we feel relates to our well-being. In turn, our
well-being directly affects our actions and emotions. It’s an ongoing circle. Therefore, it is important for
everyone to achieve optimal wellness in order to subdue stress, reduce the risk of illness and ensure positive
interactions.
Eight Dimensions of Wellness
1. Occupational
2. Emotional
3. Spiritual
4. Environmental
5. Financial
6. Physical
7. Social
8. Intellectual
 Each dimension of wellness is interrelated with another. Each dimension is equally vital in the pursuit of
optimum health. One can reach an optimal level of wellness by understanding how to maintain and
optimize each of the dimensions of wellness.

EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

 Inspires self-care, relaxation, stress reduction and the development of inner strength. It is important to be
attentive to both positive and negative feelings and be able to understand how to handle these emotions.
 Emotional wellness also includes the ability to learn and grow from experiences. Emotional well-being
encourages autonomy and proper decision making skills. It is an important part of overall wellness.
ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS

 Inspires us to live a lifestyle that is respectful of our surroundings. This realm encourages us to live in
harmony with the Earth by taking action to protect it.
 Environmental well-being promotes interaction with nature and your personal environment. Everyone
can have a strong environmental conscious simply by raising their awareness.

FINANCIAL WELLNESS

 Involves the process of learning how to successfully manage financial expenses. Money plays a critical
role in our lives and not having enough of it impacts health as well as academic performance.
 Financial stress is repeatedly found to be a common source of stress, anxiety and fear for college
students. Keeping track of expenses, making a budget, and sticking to it are important skills to have in
order to be finically responsible and independent.
 Learning how to maximize your financial wellness now will help you feel prepared to handle potentially
stressful financial situations in the future.

INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS

 Encourages us to engage in creative and mentally-stimulating activities. These activities should expand
your knowledge and skills while allowing you to share your knowledge and skills with others.
 Intellectual wellness can be developed through academics, cultural involvement, community
involvement and personal hobbies. As intellectual wellness develops, you are able to develop personal
resources that work together with the other realms of wellness in order to be achieve a more balanced
life.

OCCUPATIONAL WELLNESS

 Inspires us to prepare for work in which we will gain personal satisfaction and find enrichment in our
life. Your attitude about work is a crucial influence for occupational development.
 Occupational wellness allows you to explore various career options and encourages you to pursue the
opportunities you enjoy the most. This dimension of wellness recognizes the importance of satisfaction,
enrichment and meaning through work.
PHYSICAL WELLNESS

 promotes proper care of our bodies for optimal health and functioning. There are many elements of
physical wellness that all must be cared for together.
 Overall physical wellness encourages the balance of physical activity, nutrition and mental well-being to
keep your body in top condition. Obtaining an optimal level of physical wellness allows you to nurture
personal responsibility for your own health.
 As you become conscious of your physical health, you are able to identify elements you are successful
in as well as elements you would like to improve.

SOCIAL WELLNESS

 Refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others. Our relationships can offer support
during difficult times. Social wellness involves building healthy, nurturing and supportive relationships
as well as fostering a genuine connection with those around you.
 Conscious actions are important in learning how to balance your social life with your academic and
professional lives. Social wellness also includes balancing the unique needs of romantic relationships
with other parts of your life.

SPIRITUAL WELLNESS

 Allows us to be in tune with our spiritual selves. This realm of wellness lets us find meaning in life
events and define our individual purpose. Spiritual wellness can be defined through various factors
including religious faith, values, ethics and morals.
 Regardless of whether you believe in a particular religious faith, there is always something to be learned
about how you see yourself in the world.

 Physical fitness and wellness is far more attainable than commonly perceived. A good physical fitness
and wellness can be described as a condition that helps individuals look, feel and do their best. Physical
fitness is not just about having a thin lean body frame, but it is about having cardiovascular and
muscular endurance, strong immunity system, and most importantly, a satisfied, happy and well balanced
state of mind.