The Concept of Physical Fitness

FIT ME
Basic aim of P.E.
Physical educators agree that the basic aim is Fitness

Fitness is the ability to live a healthy, satisfying, and useful life. This kind of life is what
the educational philosophers and thinkers term as the good life. This is the ultimate goal
of education. Fitness has the following aspects;
1. Physical fitness – refers to the ability of an individual to perform his daily task
efficiently without undue fatigue and has some extra reserve in case of
emergency.
2. Social fitness – is the ability to mingle with different types of people and with
interest and concern for others.
3. Emotional fitness – refers to the ability of an individual to control his emotion or
feelings.
4. Mental fitness – is the ability to cope up with the common problems of everyday
living.
THE CONCEPT OF PHYSICAL FITNESS

Physical fitness is the primary specific objective in teaching physical education.
The specific components of physical fitness are:
1. Organic Vigor – refers to the soundness of the heart and lungs which contributes
to the ability to resist disease.
2. Endurance – is the ability to sustain long continued contractions where a number
of muscle groups are used; the capacity to bear or last long in a certain task
without undue fatigue.
3. Strength – is the capacity to sustain the application of force without yielding or
breaking; the ability of the muscle to exert effort against a resistance.
4. Power – refers to the ability of the muscles to release maximum force in the
shortest period of time.
5. Flexibility – is a quality of plasticity which gives the ability to do a wide range of
movement.
6. Agility – ability of the individual to change direction or position in space with
quickness and lightness of movement.
7. Balance – ability to control organic equipment neuro – muscularly; a state of
equilibrium.
8. Speed – ability to make successive movements of the same kind in the shortest
period of time.
There are two basic components of physical fitness: The health related
components and the skill related components. Health related fitness pertains to the total
functioning of the body.
Health – Related Components:
1. Cardio – respiratory Endurance – The ability of the heart and lungs to function
efficiently and effectively over a prolonged period of time.
2. Muscular Strength – The ability of muscle group to contracts against a
resistance.
3. Muscular Endurance – The ability to continue selected muscle group movements
for a prolonged period of time.
4. Flexibility – The functional capacity of a joint to move through a normal range of
motion. The muscular system is also involved.
5. Body Composition – One of the newer attributes in physical fitness components.
It refers to the relative distribution of lean and fat body tissues.
Each health related components of physical fitness has a direct relationship to good
health and reduced risk of hypokinetic disease.
Hypokinetic disease or condition – hypo means under or too little, and kinetic means
movement or activity. Thus, hypokinetic means too little activity. A hypokinetic
disease is one associated with lack of physical activity or too little regular exercise.
Examples of such conditions include heart disease, low back pain, adult-onset
diabetes and obesity.
Possessing a moderate amount of each component is essential to disease
prevention and health promotion. High levels of Health related fitness relate to
performance than health benefits. Example: moderate amount of strength are
necessary to prevent back and posture problems. Whereas high amount contribute
to improve performance such as job that requires heavy lifting and for sports like
football.
Skill – Related Fitness

1. Balance – It involves vision, reflexes, and the skeletal muscular system which
provides the maintenance of equilibrium. Example: water skiing, performing on
balance beam or working as a riveter on a high rise building are activities that
require exceptional balance.
2. Coordination – It is the ability to integrate the senses with muscles so as to
produce accurate, smooth, and harmonious body movement.
3. Agility – It is the capacity to change the direction of the body quickly and
effectively. Ability to rapidly and accurately change direction of the movement
Skiing and wrestling requires exceptional agility.
4. Speed – It is the ability to move one’s body from one point to another in the
shortest possible time.
5. Power – Power is sometimes confused with strength. Speed of contraction,
likewise, is the basic ingredient which, when combined with strength, provides
and explosive type of movement. Ability to transfer energy into a force at a fast
rate. Example : throwing the discus
6. Reaction Time – The time required to respond or initiate a movement as a result
of a given stimulus. Example: driving a racing car and starting a sprint race
require good reaction time.
The skill related components of physical fitness are more associated with
performance than good health. They are called skill related because people who
posses them find it easy to achieve high levels of performance in motor skills, such
as thus required in sports and in specific types of job.
Importance of Physical Fitness
Through regular exercises, physical fitness helps the individual:
1. Proper growth of young bones and muscles.
2. Improve the ability to avoid and recover from illnesses and accidents.
3. Improve posture and appearance by strengthening muscles that support the
body.
4. Minimize stress response.
5. Maintain proper body weight.
6. Prevent heart ailment.
7. Improve organic functions.
8. Delay the aging process.
9. Feel good and younger as a human being.
10. Experience joy of participation in any recreational or sports activities.
Factors which affects physical fitness

1. Proper nutrition
2. Good mental and emotional health
3. Freedom from disease
4. Adequate rest and relaxation
5. Physical activity and recreation
6. Health and personal hygiene
Physical signs of lack of fitness
Many factors can contribute to being unfit. The two important ones are inactivity
and over eating.
1. Fatty deposits to the different parts of the body.

2. Poor muscle tone.
3. Poor posture.
4. Slowed reactions and reflexes.
5. Lowered energy for work and social enjoyment.
6. Depression, feeling of inadequacy and imaginary illness

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FIT ME

Basic aim of P.E.

Physical educators agree that the basic aim is Fitness

THE CONCEPT OF PHYSICAL FITNESS

Skill – Related Fitness

Factors which affects physical fitness

Physical signs of lack of fitness

1. Fatty deposits to the different parts of the body.

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