• > What is Fitness?
• Benefits of Exercise
• Improving Fitness
• Maintaining Fitness
• Barriers to Exercise

What is Fitness?

The capacity of the heart, blood vessels, lungs and muscles to function at optimum efficiency. (Pate 1983)

To improve fitness levels allow 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity three times a week.

Components of Physical Fitness

• Cardiovascular - heart, lungs, circulatory systems.
• Muscular strength - Heavier/more weights and less repetitions.
• Muscular Endurance - Light weights and more repetitions.
• Flexibility - Full range of movement of muscles.
• Motor Fitness - balance, agility, speed etc (skill related)

Skill related fitness is relevant to sports enthusiasts who wish to improve their performance in competitive environments.

If a general balance of fitness is required all the above areas should be addressed.