Last year we defined Physical fitness as "The ability to do a daily
physical workout without feeling too tired".A more accurate definition
would be "The ability to perform daily physical activity
efficiently, without demanding a strenous effort to the body."
But for a weightlifter, the concept of fitness is different from the marathon runner. As you know form previous courses, physical fitness has four major components: Strength, Stamina, Suppleness and Speed. These are often referred to as “The 4 Ss”.
But for a weightlifter, the concept of fitness is different from the marathon runner. As you know form previous courses, physical fitness has four major components: Strength, Stamina, Suppleness and Speed. These are often referred to as “The 4 Ss”.
Improving fitness:
The physical fitness of the human body can always be improved. This can be done by following a training programme. Some programmes are more effective than others, and a programme can produce different effects in different people.
Factors affecting fitness:
a) Psicological and social skills:
-A relaxed attitude and a mind free from stress is basic for well-being.
-A positive attitude is desirable in all people, but essential in a sportsperson. Attitude includes trust in your skills, will, discipline and respect for one´s opponents and fellow partners.
b) Physical exercise:
-Participation in physical activity develops the components of physical fitness, and it is well known that a sedentary lifestyle damages your health.
c) Rest:
-Sufficient good quality sleep is an essential part of any sportsman or sportswoman. Also, you need to rest properly between your daily activities (classes, evening activities and sports)
The physical fitness of the human body can always be improved. This can be done by following a training programme. Some programmes are more effective than others, and a programme can produce different effects in different people.
Factors affecting fitness:
a) Psicological and social skills:
-A relaxed attitude and a mind free from stress is basic for well-being.
-A positive attitude is desirable in all people, but essential in a sportsperson. Attitude includes trust in your skills, will, discipline and respect for one´s opponents and fellow partners.
b) Physical exercise:
-Participation in physical activity develops the components of physical fitness, and it is well known that a sedentary lifestyle damages your health.
c) Rest:
-Sufficient good quality sleep is an essential part of any sportsman or sportswoman. Also, you need to rest properly between your daily activities (classes, evening activities and sports)
d) Diet:
A healthy and balanced diet is vital for the body. It must provide you with nutrients to:
-Obtain energy to create movement
-Construct and repair all types of body tissues
-Regulate human body functions (temperature, metabolism...)
A healthy and balanced diet is vital for the body. It must provide you with nutrients to:
-Obtain energy to create movement
-Construct and repair all types of body tissues
-Regulate human body functions (temperature, metabolism...)
For a correct diet, you must:
- Have a varied diet, eating all
kinds of foods, not only the ones you like most.
- Have a balanced diet, without an excess or lack of nutrients.
- Eat five times a day: breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, tea or afternoon snack, supper.
- Drink regularly: a correct hidration is fundamental. Thirst is a symptom of dehidration, so drink properly before, during and after exercicing.
- Eat fruit often
- Avoid factory baked goods and junk food.
e) Age:
Physical fitness develops parallel to your body, and decreases with age. A healthy lifestyle makes your body funtions to decrease slower.
f) Genetics:
Some aspects affecting health and physical fitness can be genetically inherited, such as muscular fibre type, but work and perseverance can also make us increase our abilities and skills.
g) Drugs:
The use of drugs is acceptable if they are to overcome illness, such as asthma. But here we use the term drugs to refer to tobacco, cannabis, alcohol and other stimulant and sedative drugs. These always have side effects, despite they are more or less accepted socially. Tobacco causes damage to the respiratory and circulatory systems, and alcohol kills neurones and affects the central nervous system, blood pressure, liver, stomach and reaction time.
- Have a balanced diet, without an excess or lack of nutrients.
- Eat five times a day: breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, tea or afternoon snack, supper.
- Drink regularly: a correct hidration is fundamental. Thirst is a symptom of dehidration, so drink properly before, during and after exercicing.
- Eat fruit often
- Avoid factory baked goods and junk food.
e) Age:
Physical fitness develops parallel to your body, and decreases with age. A healthy lifestyle makes your body funtions to decrease slower.
f) Genetics:
Some aspects affecting health and physical fitness can be genetically inherited, such as muscular fibre type, but work and perseverance can also make us increase our abilities and skills.
g) Drugs:
The use of drugs is acceptable if they are to overcome illness, such as asthma. But here we use the term drugs to refer to tobacco, cannabis, alcohol and other stimulant and sedative drugs. These always have side effects, despite they are more or less accepted socially. Tobacco causes damage to the respiratory and circulatory systems, and alcohol kills neurones and affects the central nervous system, blood pressure, liver, stomach and reaction time.
Effects of training and exercise
The bones, joints and muscles
Immediate effects when first exercising:
Muscles
contract more often
Blood
flow to muscles increases
Muscle
temperature rises
Little
effect on bones and joints
Effects of regular training:
Muscles
increase in size (hypertrophy)
Muscular
endurance improves
Muscles,
tendons and ligaments around joints get stronger
Joints
become more stable and flexibility at joints.
Bone width and density increases.
The cardiovascular system
Immediate effects when first exercising:
Heart
contracts more often – increased heart rate.
Heart
contracts more powerfully – increased stroke volume, which is the volume
of blood pumped from heart with each beat.
Blood
diverted to muscles, eg it is diverted from the digestive system to the
muscles.
Blood
temperature rises.
Blood
vessels near skin open to allow heat to be lost.
Effects of regular training:
Heart
muscle increases in size and strength.
Cardiac
output increases. Cardiac means relating to
the heart so this is the amount of blood that the heart pumps out to the body.
Lower
resting heart rate, quicker recovery from exercise.
Reduced
risk of heart disease.
Increased
number of capillaries in muscles.
Increased volume of blood
and red blood cells.
The respiratory system
Immediate effects when first exercising:
Increased
rate of breathing
Increased
depth of breathing – rise in tidal volume
Effects of regular training:
Increased
strength of diaphragm and intercostal muscles.
Greater
number of alveoli.
Increased
ability of the lungs to extract oxygen from the air.
Increased
vital capacity.
Increased amount of
oxygen delivered to, and carbon dioxide removed from, the body.
PHYCOLOGICAL EFFECTS.
Mood Enhancer
When we exercise aerobically, our bodies produce
little chemicals called endorphins Scientifically speaking, endorphins are
polypeptides, which are able to bind to the neuron-receptors in the brain to
give relief from pain.Endorphins are believed to produce four key effects on
the body: they relieve pain, they reduce stress, they enhance the immune system
and they postpone the aging process. Reduce
Anxiety, Depression and stress.
