What is fitness component that refers to the ability of the muscles to perform continuous activity without fatiguing?

Components Of Fitness

The five components of physical fitness are:

• Cardiovascular endurance

• Muscle strength

• Muscle endurance

• Flexibility

• Body composition

These five components of physical fitness help measure your body’s ability to use oxygen as fuel, your muscular strength and endurance, the flexibility of your joints and your total body fat. A range of fitness test are undertaken to measure these fitness.

These fitness tests can be used to tailor a fitness programme to an individual in relation to current levels of fitness outlined in fitness components listed below.

Cardiovascular Endurance

Cardiovascular endurance refers to the ability of your heart and lungs to work together to fuel your body with oxygen. The treadmill test is most used to test cardiovascular endurance. Aerobic conditionings, like jogging, swimming and cycling, are often types of training to improve cardiovascular endurance.

Muscle Strength

Muscle strength refers to the amount of force a muscle can exert, in a single effort. Exercises like the bench press, leg press or bicep curl might be used to measure muscle strength.

Muscle Endurance

Muscle endurance refers to the ability of a muscle to perform a continuous effort without fatiguing. Cycling, step machines and sit up tests are often used to measure muscular endurance.

Flexibility

Flexibility refers to the ability of each joint to express its full range of motion. Flexibility can be tested by stretching individual muscles or by performing exercises such as the lunge or the sit and reach.

Body Composition

Body composition refers to the amount of body fat you have in direct coloration to the amount of lean muscles, bones and organs. There are several tests that can be used to measure body composition. The pinch test and girt measurement with tape are often used to get an indication of body composition.

Improving Individual Components

Once clients five components of physical fitness have been documented and measured, the information collected can be then used to form the foundation of an individual fitness exercise plan which will include their goals and objectives

An effective exercise programme should include all five components of physical fitness.

While it may be necessary to emphasize certain exercises for one or more weaker components depending on the individual, it is fundamental not to over neglect the other components.

During the participation of any exercise programme the recovery blocks should also be prioritized and should allow 24 to 48 hours of recovery depending on which component of fitness is trained. All training goals should be SMART.

S- Specific (every goal should be clearly defined)

M-Measurable (a clear way to asses your progress)

A-Attainable (specific steps that will enable you to successfully complete your goal)

R-Realistic (there is no quick fix)

T- Time (set a timed ultimate goal and smaller timed goals along the way, which will lead to the ultimate goal in a set time period

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommendations for cardiovascular training

Frequency – 3-5 times per week
Intensity – 60-85% of max HR
Time – 150- 200minutes per week
Type – Aerobic ( running, cycling, swimming)

ACSM for muscular endurance

Frequency – 2-3 times per week
Intensity – 40-60% of 1 rep max
Time – 2-4 sets 8-12 reps
Type – Weights( free, machine, body weight)

ACSM for muscular strength

Frequency –  2-3 times per week
Intensity – 70-90% of 1 rep max
Time – 1 set 1-10 reps
Type – Weights( free, machine, body weight

ACSM for flexibility

Frequency – 2-3 times per week
Intensity – To point of tightness or slight discomfort
Time – 20-20 second bouts building up to 60 seconds on major muscle groups
Type -Static, dynamic, ballistic, PNF

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Tancred (1995)[1] believes that: "One of the misconceptions in the sports world is that a sports person gets in shape by just playing or taking part in their chosen sport. If a stationary level of performance and consistent ability in executing a few limited skills is your goal, then engaging only in your sport will keep you there. However, sportsmen and women must participate in year-round conditioning programs if they want the utmost efficiency, consistent improvement, and balanced abilities. The bottom line in sports conditioning and fitness training is stress, not mental stress, but adaptive body stress. Sportsmen and women must put their bodies under a certain amount of stress (overload) to increase physical capabilities."

Health & Fitness

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its constitution of 1948 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity".

Fitness is the ability to meet the demands of a physical task.

The Components of Fitness

Basic fitness can be classified into four main components: strength, speed, stamina and flexibility. However, exercise scientists have identified nine components that comprise the definition of fitness (Tancred 1995)[1]:

• Strength - the extent to which muscles can exert force by contracting against resistance (e.g. holding or restraining an object or person)
• Power - the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movements. The two components of power are strength and speed. (e.g. jumping or a sprint start)
• Agility - the ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing directions (e.g. Zigzag running or cutting movements)
• Balance - the ability to control the body's position, either stationary (e.g. a handstand) or while moving (e.g. a gymnastics stunt)
• Flexibility - the ability to achieve an extended range of motion without being impeded by excess tissue, i.e. fat or muscle (e.g. executing a leg split)
• Local Muscle Endurance - a single muscle's ability to perform sustained work (e.g. rowing or cycling)
• Cardiovascular Endurance - the heart's ability to deliver blood to working muscles and their ability to use it (e.g. running long distances)
• Strength Endurance - a muscle's ability to perform a maximum contraction time after time (e.g. continuous explosive rebounding through an entire basketball game)
• Coordination- the ability to integrate the above-listed components so that effective movements are achieved.

Of all the nine fitness elements, cardiac respiratory qualities are the most important to develop as they enhance all the other components of the conditioning equation.

Physical Fitness

Physical fitness refers to an athlete's capacity to meet the varied physical demands of their sport without reducing the athlete to a fatigued state. The components of physical fitness are (Davis 2000)[2]:

• Body Composition
• Endurance
• Flexibility
• Strength
• Speed

Motor Fitness

Motor Fitness refers to an athlete's ability to perform successfully in their sport. The components of motor fitness are (Davis 2000)[2]:

• Agility
• Balance
• Coordination
• Power (speed & strength)
• Reaction Time

Improving your condition

Identify the most important fitness components for success in your sport or event. Then, design sport/event specific conditioning and training programs to enhance these fitness components and energy systems.

Conditioning Exercises

The following are examples of general conditioning exercises:

Why should I exercise regularly?

Not convinced about the benefits of a regular training regime, then read the benefits of exercising page.

I am new to training, so what should I do?

Visit the general fitness training program page to get an insight into a simple weekly training program that will help develop your general fitness level.

Tests for fitness components

In their research, Suni et al. (1996)[3] found that the following tests appeared to provide acceptable reliability as methods for the field assessment of health-related fitness for adults:

• Standing on one leg with eyes open for balance
• Side-bending of the trunk for spinal flexibility
• Modified push-ups for upper body muscular function
• Jump and reach and one leg squat for muscular leg function

References

1. TANCRED, B. (1995) Key Methods of Sports Conditioning. Athletics Coach, 29 (2), p. 19
2. DAVIS, B. et al. (2000) Training for physical fitness. In: DAVIS, B. et al. Physical Education and the study of sport. London: Harcourt Publishers, p.121-122
3. SUNI, J. H. et al. (1996) Health-related fitness test battery for adults: aspects of reliability. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 77 (4), p. 399-405

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

• MACKENZIE, B. (1997) Conditioning [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/conditon.htm [Accessed