STUDY-GUIDE IN PATHFIT 1: EXERCISE-

BASED FITNESS ACTIVITIES

EXERCISE is a physical activity with repetitive movements that

aim to improve one or more components of fitness.
General Classification of Exercise
Aerobic Exercise – it involves the large muscle groups that
perform rhythmic and continuous movement for a prolonged
period of time in order to improve aerobic capacity
Resistance Exercise – require the muscle to contract against an
external load in order to improve muscular strength, muscular
endurance, and bone strength
Stretching Exercise – increase the elasticity of muscles and
tendons surrounding the joint to improve flexibility

PRINCIPLES OF EXERCISE TRAINING

Principle of Overload – states that the body must work harder

that what it is used to in order for it to adapt. It implies that
exercise is a controlled form of stress that will stimulate the body
to become stronger. It is important to perform exercise on a
regular basis.

Principle of Progression – states that the body should

experience a gradual increase in workload. The body will get
injured if it experiences a workload that is too hard or too soon.
The body should be given an ample time to recover and get used
to the new workload. A reasonable time frame is to increase the
workload after two weeks.
Principle of Specificity – states that the body will adapt
specifically to the workload it experienced. It implies that
improvements in fitness level will be limited to the activities that
one is performing. The principle highlights the importance of
performing a variety of activities to improve overall fitness.

Principle of Individuality – states that no two persons are the

same and their rate of adaptation to the same workload differs.
This principle emphasizes the need to create an exercise program
that is individual-specific.

Principle of Reversibility – states that if an individual tops to

exercise, the body gradually returns to its initial level of fitness. It
indicates that inactivity results in loss of benefits achieved in
overloading.

Defining Body Composition

• Body composition is a combination of fat and tissues in your
body. The body is made up of two kinds of fat: body fat and
storage body fat.
• Your body fat can be found in muscle tissue, under the skin or
around the organ.
• Not all of the fats are bad for your body, such as essential body
fat, which helps shield internal organs, stocks fuel for energy, and
controls important body hormones.
Storage body fat, also known as lean tissue, includes bone, water,
muscle, organ, and tissue. Lean tissues are "metabolically active,
burning calories for energy, while body fat is not." (Scott, 2018)

Importance of Body Composition

 Body composition is used in health and fitness to
characterize the percentages of fat, bone, and muscle in human
bodies. The body fat percentage is of particular relevance
because it can be quite useful in determining health. Because
muscle tissue is thicker than fat tissue, analyzing one's body fat is
vital to evaluate one's overall body composition, especially when
making health recommendations. Because of differences in body
composition, two people of the same height and weight may have
distinct health difficulties.
Factors Affecting Body Composition
The following factors can influence your body composition:
(1) age (humans lose muscle mass as they age);
(2) sex (women have more body fat than men);
(3) genes (play a role in whether you are biologically lean or tend
to gain fat); and
(4) hormones (can impact on water retention and body
composition)

Defining Body Fat Percentage

The Body Fat Percentage (BFP) is a body composition
indicator that reflects how much bodyweight is fat. The
percentage of the body that is not fat is called lean mass. The
Body Fat Percentage (BFP) can be measured by computing the
"total mass of fat divided by total body mass, multiplied by 100.

Body Mass Index

Body mass index (BMI) is a value derived from the mass
(weight) and height of a person. The BMI is defined as the body
mass divided by the square of the body height. and is universally
expressed in units of kg/m2, resulting from mass in kilograms and
height in meters. BMI is sometimes misunderstood as a measured
indicator of body fat. BMI is just a weight-to-height ratio. It is a
method for determining adult weight status and general health in
big populations. BMI has a weak correlation with body fat, but
when combined with a body fat measurement, it provides a fairly
accurate picture of your current weight status. Having said that,
having a BMI greater than 30 increases your chance of acquiring
long-term and disabling illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes,
gallstones, stroke, osteoarthritis, and several types of cancer. BMI
as normally falls into one of the above categories in persons over
the age of 20.

A Word About Calories

A calorie is the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1
kilogram of water through ᵒC equal to one thousand small calories
and often used to measure the energy value of foods. The amount
of energy in the foods and beverages you eat, and drink is
measured by your calorie intake. Calories are really not
necessarily bad for you. You only have to take them in
moderation. Your body requires calorie-based sustenance.
Consuming too many calories might lead to health issues and
weight gain if you do not burn enough calories through physical
activity.

Cardiorespiratory Endurance
Cardiorespiratory endurance is a measurement of how well
your heart, lungs, and muscles work together to keep your body
active over an extended period. (Frey, 2018) Increased
cardiorespiratory fitness has several health advantages, namely:
1) helps improve lung and heart condition;
2) reduces the incidence of heart disease, lung cancer, type 2
diabetes, stroke, and other illnesses;
3) improve the body's ability to endure dynamic exercises; and
(4) boost your sense of well-being.
Warming Up
Warm-up exercise is a "preparation for physical exertion or a
performance by exercising or practicing gently beforehand,
usually undertaken before a performance or practice. ("Warming
up - Wikipedia," 2020)
The benefits of warming up before physical activity can be as
follows:
1) to brace yourself mentally and physically for your chosen
physical activity;
2) to raise your heart rate and blood flow so that more oxygen
can enter your muscles;
3) to enable and prepare your nerves and muscles to enhance
their movement efficiency;
4) to improve your range of motion (flexibility); and improve
your athletic performance.

Cooling Down
Cool-down exercise is "an easy exercise, done after a more
intense activity, to allow the body to transition to a resting or near
resting state gradually" ("Cooling down -Wikipedia," 2020)
After physical activity, the benefits of cooling down may be as
follows:
1) enables the heart rate to return to its resting rate;
2) allows a more gradual return of the blood back to the heart
and reduces the potential for adverse cardiovascular
outcomes; and
3) significantly decrease muscular and skeletal injuries; and
improve your athletic performance.

Resting Heart Rate (RHR)

Resting heart rate (RHR) is "the number of times your heart beats
per minute (bpm) while at complete rest." (Bumgardner, 2019)

A Word About Exercising Safely and Avoiding Injuries

Consult your doctor before commencing an exercise program
if you have a prior of pre-existing health issue. Proper exercise
technique is fundamental for ensuring the safety and
effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to
customize each activity to achieve the best results for your
specific needs. Choose a weight that permits you to maintain
complete control of your body during the exercise. Pay great
attention to your body when undertaking any workout and stop
immediately if you experience discomfort or pain.