Chapter Four:
Becoming Physically
Fit
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Basic Concepts
 Physical fitness
 A set of attributes that people have or achieve
that relates to the ability to perform physical
activity
 Physical activity
 Any bodily movement produced by skeletal
muscles that results in energy expenditure
 Exercise (subset of physical activity)
 Planned, structured, and repetitive activity
designed to improve or maintain physical fitness
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Five Components of Physical
Fitness
1. Cardiorespiratory endurance
 Aerobic vs. anaerobic exercise
2. Muscular Strength
3. Muscular Endurance
4. Flexibility
5. Body composition
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Cardiorespiratory Endurance
 Ability of the heart, lungs, and blood
vessels to process and transport oxygen
over a period of time
 Produced by exercise involving
continuous, repetitive movements
 Examples: brisk walking, jogging, cycling
 Aerobic (with oxygen) energy production
 Structural and functional benefits
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Muscular Fitness
 Strength: Ability to contract skeletal
muscles to a maximal level
 Endurance: Ability to contract skeletal
muscles repeatedly over a long period of
time
 Improved by performing repeated
contractions at less than maximal levels
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Flexibility and Body Composition
 Flexibility: Ability of your joints to move
through an intended range of motion
 Body composition: The make-up of the body
in terms of muscle, bone, fat, water, and
minerals
 Fitness experts are most concerned with
percentages of body fat and fat-free weight
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Developing a Personalized Fitness
Program: Key Principles
• Overload: Placing increasing amounts of
stress or resistance on the body causes
changes that improve fitness
• Specificity: The type of exercise must be
specific to the outcome that is targeted for
improvement
• Reversibility (regression): “Use it or lose it”
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Cardiorespiratory Endurance
Training Factors
1. Mode
2. Frequency
3. Intensity
4. Duration
*FITT (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type)
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Developing a Cardiorespiratory
Endurance Program
1. Mode of activity
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Continuous activity
Using large muscle groups
Aerobic in nature
Enjoyable
Cross-train and/or vary activities to maintain
motivation
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Developing a
Cardiorespiratory Program
2. Frequency (How often should I train?)
 3-5 times/week
 More than 5 times/week will not create further
improvement
 Less than 3 times/week will not show significant
improvement
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Developing a
Cardiorespiratory Program
3. Intensity (How hard should I train?)

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Target heart rate (THR) = Between 65% and
90% of maximum heart rate
Maximum heart rate can be estimated by
subtracting your age from 220
Target heart rate range = (220 – age) x 65-90%

Sample calculation for a 20-year-old:
220 - 20 = 200 x 0.65 = 130 bpm
220 - 20 = 200 x 0.90 = 180 bpm
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Developing a
Cardiorespiratory Program
4. Duration
•
•
ACSM recommends 20-90 minutes of
continuous activity
The lower the intensity, the longer the
duration should be
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Muscular Fitness
Types of Muscular Fitness Exercises
 Isometric (“same length”): Muscle contraction
without movement
 Isotonic (“same tension”): Muscle contraction with
movement against a specific fixed resistance
throughout the full range of motion
 Isokinetic (“same motion”): Muscle contraction with
movement against variable resistance through the
full range of motion at a fixed speed
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Muscular Fitness: Equipment
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Muscular Fitness
 Frequency: 2 or 3 times/week
 Repetitions: 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions (10-15
repetitions for adults over 50) of 8-10 exercises
 Multiple sets could provide greater benefits
 Sufficient resistance to fatigue major muscle
groups (legs, arms, shoulders, chest, back)
 Training recommendations
 Isotonic or isokinetic exercises
 Full range of motion at a slow to moderate speed using
rhythmic breathing
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Major Muscle Groups
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Flexibility
 Failure to maintain flexibility can result in
reduced range of motion and injury
 Two forms of stretching motions:
 Static stretching: Slow lengthening of a muscle
group to an extended stretch, followed by a hold of
the extended position for 15-60 seconds

Recommended
 Ballistic stretching: A bouncing form of stretching in
which a muscle group is lengthened repetitively to
produce multiple quick, forceful stretches
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Flexibility Training
 Stretch all major muscle groups
 At least 2 to 3 times/week
 Should be done following a warm-up
 Static stretching is preferred over ballistic
stretching
 Hold each stretch for 15-60 seconds
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Body Composition
 Measurement of percent body fat is often
included in a fitness program
 To reduce body fat, an exercise program
should maximize caloric expenditure
 ACSM recommends exercise sessions expending
2000 calories per week
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
The Workout Routine
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Warm-up (5-10 minutes of slow, gradual,
comfortable movements related to the upcoming
activity; can end with a period of stretching)
Conditioning (cardiorespiratory endurance,
strength training, and/or flexibility workout
following ACSM guidelines)
Cooldown (5-10 minutes of relaxing exercises to
return the body to a resting state; can end with a
period of stretching)
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Exercise Over the Life Span:
Children
 Research and recommendations for
children’s physical activity
 U.S. children and teenagers lead very sedentary
lives
 Increased percentage of children and teenagers
are overweight
 Need at least 60 minutes every day of moderateto-vigorous intensity physical activity
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Exercise and Aging
 Change is gradual
 Individual differences occur
 Greatest change is noted in
areas of complex function
 Homeostatic decline occurs
with age
 Stay physically active to slow
physical decline
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Changes in Midlife Adults
 Period between 45 and 64 years of age
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Decrease in bone mass and density
Increase in vertebral compression
Degenerative changes in joint cartilage
Increase in body fat
Decrease in capacity to engage in physical work
Decrease in visual acuity
Decrease in resting energy requirements
Decrease in fertility
Decrease in sexual function
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Changes in Older Adults
 Decrease in bone mass and changes in bone
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structure
Decrease in muscle bulk and strength
Decrease in cardiorespiratory endurance
Loss of nerve cells
Decrease hearing and vision abilities
Decrease in sensory modalities
Slower reaction time
Gait and postural changes
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Exercise for Older Adults
 Exercises for younger adults may be
inappropriate for people over aged 50
 Supervision from a certified instructor may be
necessary
 Physical exams are recommended before
beginning a program
 Well-designed programs should start slowly
 Recognize signs of distress
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Special Health Concerns
 Low-back pain
 Affects 4 out of 5 adults at least once in their
lifetimes
 Mechanical (postural) problems tend to be the
main culprit
 Regular physical activity greatly reduces the
occurrences of low-back pain
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Special Health Concerns
 Female athlete triad
 Disordered eating,
amenorrhea, and
osteoporosis
 Signs include: reduced
cognitive function,
altered hormone levels,
early onset of
menopause
 Early physician referral is
vital
 Pregnancy
 Exercise should be
continued barring
complications
 Avoid overheating,
impact exercises, and
excessive bouncing or
jarring motions
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Special Health Concerns
 Osteoporosis
 Decreased bone mass;
may lead to fractures
 80% of suffers are
women
 Lower level of estrogen
may decrease calcium
absorption
 Adequate calcium and
vitamin D intake; weight
bearing exercise
 Osteoarthritis
 Joint inflammation
 Common in older adults
 Often occurs in weightbearing joints
 Genetic predisposition is
also a key factor
 Regular physical activity
may reduce the risk for
osteoarthritis
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Training Recommendations
 Drink enough fluid before,
during, and after activity
 Wear comfortable clothing
that promotes
temperature regulation
 Use appropriate safety
equipment
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Effects of Steroids
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Exercise Injuries: Strategies
for Prevention and Care
1. Start at a low level and progress gradually
2. If you stop exercising for an extended time,
do not restart at the level at which you
stopped
3. Listen to your body
4. Follow rehabilitation instructions carefully
5. Develop a preventive approach to all
injuries
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Chapter Four:
Becoming Physically Fit
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.