PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS

INTRODUCTION:
“Health is wealth.” This short and common adage is short but means a lot for us in achieving healthy
well-being. A healthy body affects the process of our mind (mental health), our relationship to others (social
health), performing daily tasks and work (physical health), and spiritual health. Thus, we should take good care
of our body to be successful in life pursuits.
Physical Education is an integral part of educational program designed to promote and instill optimum
development of the individual through social body movement in the performance of properly selected physical
activities.
Physical Fitness is one physical education program to maintain a healthy wellbeing. Many people,
particularly the working class, neglect to find time to do physical fitness. These results to sickness and illness
which affect their work productivity and efficiency. Thus, college students, who are future working class need
to fully understand the relevance of physical fitness in their lives.

LESSON 1 – Definition of Physical Fitness

Wonderful old aged people are enjoying their healthy lifestyle as manifested on their smiling
faces. As we grow old, physical activities for remaining fit becomes more and more critical in order to
keep looking and feeling good. Staying in shape after 60 is a must to prevent the age-related illnesses like
heart disease & diabetes and avoid injury from falls.

What is Physical Education?

Physical Education is an integral part of educational program designed to promote optimum
development of the individual, physically, socially, emotionally, and mentally through total body movement in
the performance of properly selected physical activities.
The word physical refers to the bodily characteristics such as physical strength, physical development,
physical health, and physical appearance. It refers to the body as contrasted to the mind. Therefore, when
the word education is added to the word physical, thus forming the phrase physical education. It refers to
the process of education that concerns activities, which develop and maintain the human body. Under
Physical Education, Physical Fitness is one of the topics on attaining physical health.

What is Physical Fitness?

Physical fitness refers to the ability of your body systems to work together efficiently to allow you
to be healthy and perform activities of daily living. Physical Fitness testing is always an important
component of physical education. It is so significant that it has been discussed and conducted since you
were in elementary years.
Physical fitness means many things to different people. Some assume that being physically means being
muscular and being able to lift heavy weights. Others believe that to be fit is too perceived as slim. Physical
Fitness is the ability to function efficiently and effectively, to enjoy leisure, to be healthy to resist disease,
and to cope with emergency situations.
What is Physical Fit individual?
A physically fit person is able to perform schoolwork, meet home responsibilities, and still have enough
energy to enjoy sport and other leisure activities. A fit person can respond effectively to normal life
situations, such as raking leaves at home, stocking shelves at a part-time job, and marching in the band
at school. A fit person can also respond to emergency situations - for example, by running to get help or
aiding a friend in distress.
PHYSICAL FITNESS PRINCIPLES

pick the right kind of activities to affect each component. Strength training results in specific
strength changes. Also, train for the specific activity you’re interested in. For example, optimal
swimming performance is best achieved when the muscles involved in swimming are trained for the
movements required. It does not necessarily follow that a good runner is a good swimmer.

work hard enough, at levels that are vigorous and long enough to overload your body
above its resting level, to bring about improvement.

you can’t hoard physical fitness. At least three balanced workouts a week are necessary
to maintain a desirable level of fitness.

increase the intensity, frequency and/or duration of activity over periods of time in order to
improve.

As you undertake a fitness program, it’s important to remember that fitness is an individual quality
that varies from person to person. It is influenced by age, sex, heredity, personal habits, exercise and eating
practices. You can’t do anything about the first three factors.

ABSTRACTION
A sample Physical Fitness Workout Plan
SPECIFICITY the part of the body needs to be developed is distributed weekly. For instance,
Mondays and Wednesdays are intended for enhancing the upper body. During Tuesdays and
Thursdays, the lower part of the body is enhanced.
OVERLOAD a rest day is provided weekly to relax the muscles and other body parts.
A specific time is given for each fitness program.
REGULARITY doing all the physical fitness workout will result to stress. At least three
balanced workouts a week are necessary to maintain a desirable level of fitness.
PROGRESSION As the week progresses, the gravity of the work-out increased. For
instance, week 1 has 1 mile run, and when it reaches week 8, the program becomes 2-mile run.