5.

Make a general concept of physical fit person; and

Unit II 6. Execute the Physical Fitness Test properly.

PHYSICAL FITNESS The Meaning, Concepts and Components of

Physical Fitness
INTRODUCTION Physical Fitness is the ability to perform one's daily
Physical fitness is but one part of the total fitness that task efficiently without undue fatigue but with extra
includes the mental, emotional, and social aspects of the "reserve" in case of emergency.
individual's total well-being. Physical fitness is the result
of the following factors: Being physically fit means being able to perform
one's daily task efficiently without undue fatigue and
1. Good medical and dental care; still have an extra energy to enjoy leisure activities and
2. Proper nutrition; / or meet emergency demands.
3. Adequate rest and relaxation; and
4. Regular physical activity and or exercises Based on this definition, there are (3) three important
aspects that an individual should be able to meet in
However, no single factor can suffice for meeting the order to be considered physically fit. These include:
needs of our society. Physical fitness is not permanent.
The fitness level of an individual deteriorates once he 1. Being able to perform one's daily tasks without
stops his regular regimen of routinely exercises and getting too tired before the end of the day. These daily
physical activities. Also, this activity will be useless activities include;
without the other factors contributory to the total fitness a) Waking up in the morning to prepare for school or
of an individual. work.
b) Going to school or office on time.
General Objectives: c) Attending classes regularly.
d) Doing assignments in the library.
At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
e) Meeting other individual, classmates and peer
• Define and explain Physical Fitness; groups.
• Differentiate the components/concepts of Physical f) Going home.
Fitness; g) Doing homework and household chores
• Make generalizations on the concepts of Physical 2. Enjoying leisure time in some form of
Fitness; recreational activities. Leisure time is the amount of
• Make general concepts of a physically fit person; and time that is left after the daily routine activities of an
• Discuss the benefits derived in executing the Physical individual have been accomplished. Recreation, on the
Fitness Test. other hand, refers to any activity that is participated in
Physical Fitness Defined by the individual during leisure time on voluntary basis
because it provides an immediate satisfaction to the
The Meaning, Concepts and Components of Physical individual. Recreation takes place in the form of;
Fitness a) Watching TV or movies
A. Health-Related Fitness b) Talking to friends over the phone
B. Performance-Related Fitness c) Reading books and magazines articles
C. Benefits and Parameters of Physical Fitness d) Doing arts and crafts
e) Listening to radio
Specific Objectives: f) Playing sports
1. Define physical fitness; 3. Meeting emergency demands such as:
2. Differentiate health-related fitness from a) Doing important errands
performance related fitness; b) Performing social obligations
3. Discuss performance-related fitness;
c) Attending to visitors
4. Enumerate the benefits and parameters of Physical
d) Attending to household problems
Fitness;
Concepts of Physical Fitness 1. Concentric Contraction — Refers to muscles that
shorten during exercise. There is no movement that occurs
1. Organic Vigor — Refers to the soundness of the
and the length of the muscle remains unchanged.
heart and the lungs, which contributes to the ability to
2. Eccentric Contraction — Refers to the muscle that
resist diseases.
lengthens during an exercise. Muscles exert force due to
2. Endurance — Is the ability to sustain long-
an outside resistance.
continued contractions where a number of muscle
groups are used; the capacity to bear or last long in a The most common example of isotonic contraction
certain task without undue fatigue. is calisthenics exercise. This makes use of a body segment
3. Strength — Is the capacity to sustain the or the entire body weight as a form of resistance during an
application of force without yielding or breaking; the exercise. Some of the most traditional calisthenics
ability of the muscle to exert effort against the resistance. exercises that are being performed to increase muscular
4. Power — Refers to the ability of the muscle to strength are push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups. Another
release maximum force in a shortest period of time. approach to develop muscular strength involving isotonic
5. Flexibility — It is a quality of plasticity, which exercise is through the use of weights.
gives the ability to do a wide range of movement.
Isometric Contractions are another type of
6. Agility — Is the ability of an individual to change
contractions in which the muscles are contracted against
direction or position in space with the quickness and
an immovable resistance. The exercise provides maximum
lightness of movement.
contraction of muscle; however, there is no observed
7. Balance — is the ability to control organic
movement during the exercise. This is done for about 5
equipment neuro-muscularly; a state of equilibrium.
seconds.
8. Speed — is the ability to make successive
movements of the same kind in the shortest period of Isokenetic Contractions are similar to isotonic
time. contractions but the muscles are exposed to fixed
machines with variable degrees of resistance. Through the
Components of Physical Fitness
range of movement, resistance is equal to the force
The components of Physical Fitness are divided into applied.
two categories the health — related components
Two physiological benefits derived from strength
(Flexibility, Cardiovascular Endurance, Muscular
training:
Strength, Muscular Endurance and Body Composition)
and the performance related components (Agility, 1. Increase muscle strength by 10-25% within 6-8
Balance, Coordination, Power, and Speed). weeks; and
2. Increase muscle size or muscle hypertrophy
I. Health-Related Fitness
Health-Related Fitness – Is a function of body's B. Muscular Endurance – Refers to the ability of the
adaptation to exercise. It could be developed and muscle to endure a sub maximal effort for a prolonged
maintain through the regular and proper exercise period of time. Performing a strength exercise such as
program. There are at least five (5) components of Health push-up over a long period of time or performing the same
— Related Fitness. They are as follows: exercise for many continuous repetitions is a
demonstration of muscular endurance. One basic
A. Muscular Strength – Refers to the ability of the
requirement in achieving muscular endurance is muscular
muscle to exert maximum effort in brief duration. It may
strength. Muscle endurance is developed by employing the
be developed through isotonic, isometric, or isokinetic
different strength training exercises mentioned above
contractions.
either for longer periods of time or an increased number of
Isotonic Contractions are voluntary contractions
exercise repetitions.
in which muscles shorten and lengthen alternately. The
C. Cardiovascular Endurance – Refers to the ability
muscle contracts at varying speed against a resistance.
of the heart, blood vessels and the lungs to adapt to
These contractions are of two types:
physical exertion for a prolonged duration. Usually, the
heart rate is increased from the resting pulse rate to target
heart rate that the individual has to sustain for a period of 1. Structure of the joints;
20 to 60 minutes. With high levels of endurance, an 2. Amount of tissues surrounding the joint;
individual has more energy and has the ability to sustain 3. Extensibility of the ligaments, tendons and muscle
different types of activities. It is also likely that coronary tissue that connects the joints.
heart disease (CHO) is prevented
It involves four basic movements, namely: flexion
There are important variables to consider when engaging (bending of a body segment), extension (straightening a
in any cardiovascular endurance program. These are: body segment), abduction (moving a limb away from the
1. Intensity which refers to how stressful the exercise is. body), and adduction (moving a limb toward the body).
2. Duration which refers to how long will the exercise be Body flexibility is achieved through stretching specific
performed. segments of the body. To achieve good flexibility,
3. Frequency which refers to the number of times the exercise should be performed daily. For very tight
individual will exercise each week. muscle-joint area, it is highly recommended that
4. Mode which refers to the kind of activity, selected such flexibility exercises be done at least twice a day.
as brisk working or jogging.
Types of Stretching (Basic Methods Used to Develop
Physiological Benefits of Cardiovascular Training Joint Flexibility)
Program
1. Ballistic Stretching – Uses muscle contractions to
1. Decreased resting heart rate;
force muscle elongation bobbing (i.e. up and down)
2. Decreased recovery time from a bout of exercise;
movement quickly elongates the muscle with each
3. Increased blood volume and red blood cells to transport
repetition; the bobbing also activates the stretch reflex
oxygen throughout the body;
response (Nelson & Kokkonen, 2007). Usually this type
4. Stronger heart muscle allowing it to eject more blood
of stretching uses in sports like gymnastics and performs
(stroke volume) with each heartbeat. If this occurs, the
in a controlled manner.
heart can rest longer between beats;
Example: Ballistic stretching - forward bending done
5. Increased number of capillaries for efficient exchange
in rapid bouncing movement.
of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nutrients between blood
and body cells;
2. Static Stretching – This involves slowly stretching a
6. Decreased rate of respiration;
segment of the body to the farthest point and holding that
7. Increased aerobic capacity which allows the body cells
position for at least 15-30 seconds. This type of stretching
to utilize oxygen for better work efficiency; and
is fairly endorsed by many physical educators and exercise
8. Prevent and/or reduction of the risk of developing
psychologists because stretch is easy and pain free and the
coronary heart diseases.
risk of injury is very minimal.
Activities that develop cardiovascular endurance; It is performed without a partner and each stretch is
easy and pain-free. Once the stretcher has achieved its full
1. Prolonged brisk walking 6. Continuous swimming range of movement and begins to feel a mild discomfort
2. Prolonged jogging 7. Rowing (muscle tension) in the body part being stretched, the
3. Stationary bicycling 8. Aerobic dancing position is held statically.
4. Prolonged skipping rope 9. Hiking Example: Static stretching — seated hamstring stretch
5. Playing basketball 10. Playing football
3. Dynamic Stretching – Is the use of a muscle's own
D. Flexibility – Is the ability of the muscles and joints to force production and the body's momentum to take a joint
go through a full range motion. Flexibility reduces the risk through the full available range of motion (Clark & Lucett,
of injury, enhances performance and prevents muscle 2010a). Dynamic stretching is beneficial for any sport that
soreness. It is achieved through stretching designed to involves dynamic movement, especially in sports like
lengthen or elongate soft tissue structures and thereby athletics, Football etc. that prepare the body to move better
increase the range of motion. Flexibility is influenced by specifically before start of an exercise or competition.
three factors: Mason (201 la) suggested that in performing this
stretching the movement should be in a slow, controlled massive limbs, thus contributing to greater weight than the
way, relaxed, and breath steadily to execute properly. ectomorph body type.
Example: Alternate lunges (right & left) 3. An endomorph body type is characterized by a relative
predominance of soft roundness and large digestive
4. Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) viscera. There is a greater percent of body fat when
– It involves the contract-relax approach to stretching. compared to lean body mass.
During the contract-relax, the partner attempts to move the
limb at its lengthened range of motion and isometrically
resists the partner's attempt to move the limb into a deeper
stretch. Then, the stretcher relaxes the limb and the partner
slowly moves the segment into a new range. This type of
stretching can be done active (i.e. w/o partner) or passive
(i.e. w/ partner).
Example: PNF hold-relax hamstring stretch

Fitness Benefits of Flexibility Exercise Somatotypes are of special interest to fitness

enthusiasts and athletes. It helps the individual understand
1. Increased range of muscle joint motion; the extent of weight reduction or weight gain he/she
2. Reduced muscle stiffness and increased body expects to achieve given a well-defined exercise program.
relaxation; Among athletes, somatotype is highly correlated to
3. Improved blood circulation in specific body segment; excellent sport performance depending on the type of sport
4. Reduced incidence of injury during a major sport event; event. For instance, it has been found that among track and
and field athletes, physical characteristics of those successful
5. Reduced risk of cardiovascular problems in exercise. in shot put differ from those successful in marathon. This
suggests that for one sport event, a specific body type may
E. Body Composition – Refers to the proportion of lean dictate one's superior performance over another. However,
body mass to fat body mass. It stresses one's relative some body type is not only limited to one particular shape
fatness or leanness in relation to height. In recent years, but can be a combination of two body types (e.g.
body composition has gained wide acceptance in exercise ectomorph and mesomorph) for instance, a high jumper
science as one of the components of health-related fitness. athlete in athletics.
Its inclusion was earlier opposed since supporters believe
that fitness is for everyone, including the slim and II. Performance Related Fitness
overweight. In addition, being fat has some genetic
It refers to the quality of one's movement skill. It includes
predisposition that may be quite difficult to alter.
5 general components namely:
Somatotypes
Somatotyping or body typing is a system of classifying 1. Balance – Is the ability to maintain equilibrium in
an individual according to the shape of the body. It was relation to changes in body position. Balance can be
developed by Sheldon during the 1940's and 1950's. He categorized into static and dynamic balance. Static
noted that the physique of the body may be categorized Balance is the ability to maintain equilibrium in a fixed
into three distinct types: a) Ectomorph, b) Mesomorph, position such as standing on one foot or on a balance
and c) Endomorph. beam. Dynamic Balance is the ability to maintain one's
equilibrium while the body is in motion. Walking on a
1. An ectomorph body type is characterized as lean and balance beam is one example of this type of balance.
small body build with greater surface area to mass ratio. 2. Coordination – Is the harmonious working
Bone size is relatively small with slender limbs and low relationship between the skeletal muscle and nerves in
muscle mass. one aspect of movement. Hand-eye coordination is
2. A mesomorph body type has a relative predominance demonstrated in certain sport skills such as catching,
of muscles. The bones are usually large and heavy with passing, dribbling or volleying a ball.
 3. Agility – Is the ability of an individual to quickly
shift or change direction of the body from one point to
another.
4. Speed – Is the ability to perform a task or move
from one point to another in the shortest possible time. It
is also the time spent finishing or completing a
performance after the initial movement has been made.
Speed is influenced by the reaction time which is the time
elapsed when the "go" signal has been made by an official
of the first motor response.
5. Power – Is the ability to perform one maximum
effort in a short period of time. It is a product of both
strength and speed as seen in many sport activities such
as track and field and weightlifting.
6. Reaction Time – Is the ability to react to the
interval of time between the signal to respond (stimulus)
and the beginning of the response.
Benefits of Physical Fitness
1. Vitality. Muscles – Are basic for all body action.
They increase in strength with activity and deteriorate
from lack of it. Fit muscles use less energy to perform
the same task, leading to an increase in vitality.
2. Posture – A physically fit person is able to
maintain his general postural alignment better than one
weak musculature. Good fitness as a program stresses
the development of antigravity muscles, which
maintains good abdominal wall and the arm and
shoulder girdle.
3. Relieves Low back Pain – A lack of physical
activity has been found to be major cause for some
cases of pain in the lower back. Most adults who suffer
from low-back pain are relieved from this pain by
exercises that strengthen the back and abdominal
muscles.
4. Retards Aging Process – Continued
participation in regular exercises of the proper amount
and severity is of considerable value in postponing that
usually takes place as a person grows old.
5. Physical fitness and Ability to Meet
Emergencies – Body that is accustomed to sedentary
living habits can usually operate ineffectively even
though it is operating at near maximum effort.
6. Neuromuscular Skill – The smooth, efficient
coordination of the muscular system is improved as a
result of regular participation in physical activity.
7. Relaxation – Overactive minds in underactive
bodies often need physical outlets for accumulated
emotional and muscular tensions that seem to be
relieved by actions of the skeletal 'Muscle.
8. Improvement of Personality and Social Skills –
Participation in games and sports aids in improving the
personality and in developing desirable social skills.
9. Mental Fitness – Because of the mental and
physical relaxation that often results from physical
activity, regular exercise is thought by many to be of
considerable value in aiding the natural mental
processes to function with increased efficiency
10. General Growth – The physically fit person
usually possesses a high degree of general resistance,
which enables him in successfully avoiding minor
illness.
The Parameters of Physical Fitness
Many proponents of physical education have various
ideas on how to measure physical fitness. Educators on
physical education today separate the various disciplines
into four measurable parameters, which are:
1. Muscular Endurance
2. Muscular Strength
3. Cardio – Respiratory Endurance
4. Joint Flexibility
The above parameters are considered the hard core of
physical fitness. Without strength, participation in
physical activity is not possible and the fitness of the
individual is limited. When muscles are weak or lack
endurance, all movements are curtailed, since all
movements depend on the strength of the muscle or
groups of muscles.
A fit individual can maintain a lower heart rate during
activity which can supply a greater volume of blood with
each contraction of the heart and can recover more
quickly after exercise than a less fit individual.
As the late president John Fitzgerald Kennedy said,
"Physical Fitness" is not only one of the most important
keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic,
creative, and intellectual activity in that intelligence and
skill can function at the peak of their capacity when the
body is healthy and strong."