PLANNING FOR PERFORMANCE

HEALTH & FITNESS

MEANING OF HEALTH

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely
the absence of disease or infirmity, according to the World Health Organization. It is a
resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept
emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities. Mental,
intellectual, emotional, and social health refer to a person’s ability to handle stress,
acquire skills, and maintain relationships, all of which form resources for resiliency and
independent living.
BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical activity is good for the mind and the body. It has many well-established mental
health benefits, including improved brain health and cognitive function, a reduced risk
of anxiety and depression, and improved sleep and overall quality of life. Physical
activity can also play an important role in mental well-being and can even relieve
symptoms of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. While the physical
health benefits of exercise are frequently discussed, the link between exercise and
mental health is often overlooked. Regular moderate-intensity exercise can increase the
size of the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved with learning and memory3.
Physical activity can also help you maintain a healthy weight, improve your overall
health, and boost your self-esteem.
MEANING OF FITNESS
Fitness is a term that refers to the state of being physically fit and healthy. It is the
ability to perform daily activities with optimal performance, endurance, and strength
while managing disease, fatigue, and stress and reducing sedentary behavior. Fitness
is not just about being able to run fast or lift heavy weights, but it encompasses
various components of physical health, including cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular
strength, muscular endurance, body composition, and flexibility. Fitness can also refer
to an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment or the
quality of being suitable to fulfill a particular role or task.
LINK BETWEEN HEALTH & FITNESS
Health and fitness are closely linked. Staying fit can lead to good health, and if you’re
unhealthy, you’re unable to have a full life. Exercising regularly is the single most
important thing you can do for your health. In the short term, exercise helps to
control appetite, boost mood, and improve sleep. In the long term, it reduces the risk
of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, depression, and many cancers. Physical
activity helps maintain healthy blood pressure, keeps harmful plaque from building up
in your arteries, reduces inflammation, improves blood sugar levels, strengthens
bones, and helps stave off depression. A regular exercise program can lead to better
quality sleep, reduce your risk of some cancers, and is linked to longer life.
PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND MENTAL BENEFITS OF EXERCISE
Exercise has many benefits for physical, mental, and social well-being. Some of the physical benefits of regular
exercise include better heart health, lower blood pressure, stronger and more toned muscles. Exercise also has
many well-established mental health benefits, including improved brain health and cognitive function, a reduced
risk of anxiety and depression, and improved sleep and overall quality of life. Physical activity can also play an
important role in mental well-being and can even relieve symptoms of mental health conditions like depression
and anxiety. While the physical health benefits of exercise are frequently discussed, the link between exercise and
mental health is often overlooked. Regular moderate-intensity exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus,
an area of the brain involved with learning and memory.

Exercise also has social benefits. A trip to the gym can lead to meeting new people and learning new skills
together. One of the most obvious social benefits of physical activity is having others to help push you to your
limits and reach new all-time bests. Exercise can be a lonely experience, especially when all you can listen to is the
voice in your head telling you to stop and give up. But having a friend say ‘you’ve got this’ can be all you need to
keep going¹. Being a part of a community can provide you with the physical, mental, and social benefits of exercise,
and give a huge boost to your motivation beyond the one that comes with the physical benefits of a workout.
HEALTH RELATED FITNESS AND SKILL RELATED FITNESS
Health-related fitness and skill-related fitness are two different aspects of physical fitness. Health-related
fitness refers to the components of physical fitness that are important for overall health and well-being.
These include cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body
composition. These components of fitness are crucial for physical health and lend themselves to positive
lifestyle outcomes, especially for those who meet the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM)
physical activity guidelines.

On the other hand, skill-related fitness refers to the components of physical fitness that are important for
athletic performance. These include agility, balance, coordination (hand-eye and/or foot/eye), power,
reaction time, and speed. These components of fitness are important for improving performance in sports
and other physical activities. They are not all beneficial to everyone.

In summary, health-related fitness focuses on overall general health, while skill-related fitness is related to
enhanced physical performance in any given activity.
FACTORS AFFECTING FITNESS
There are many factors that can affect fitness, including genetics, age, sex, lifestyle, diet, and exercise habits. Some of these
factors are within our control, while others are not. For example, genetics play a role in determining our natural athletic
abilities and physical traits. Age and sex also play a role in our fitness levels, with men generally having more muscle mass
and women having more body fat. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and stress can also affect our
fitness levels.

Diet and exercise habits are two factors that we have more control over. Eating a healthy diet that is rich in nutrients and
low in processed foods can help improve our fitness levels1. Regular exercise is also important for maintaining good
physical fitness. Engaging in activities that challenge our cardiovascular system, build muscular strength and endurance, and
improve flexibility can all contribute to better overall fitness.

Environmental factors such as living location, access to workout facilities, financial level, and social groupings can also
influence physical fitness. The more negative these elements are for an individual, the less likely it is that they will be
physically fit.
SOMATOTYPING
Somatotype is a theory proposed in the 1940s by the American psychologist William Herbert
Sheldon to categorize the human physique according to the relative contribution of three
fundamental elements which he termed somatotypes, classified by him as ectomorphic,
mesomorphic, and endomorphic. He created these terms borrowing from the three germ layers
of embryonic development: The endoderm, (which develops into the digestive tract), the
mesoderm, (which becomes muscle, heart, and blood vessels), and the ectoderm (which forms
the skin and nervous system). Later variations of these categories, developed by his original
research assistant Barbara Heath, and later by Lindsay Carter and Rob Rempel, are still in
academic use.