The Importance Of Fitness

Physical fitness is the state of physical well being and, more importantly, the ability to do everyday activities and parts of sports well. Generally, physical fitness is achieved through regular moderate-to-vigorous activity, proper nutrition and adequate rest. It is also important to note that our minds need rest as much as our bodies. The mental and physical aspects of fitness are interdependent. Therefore, if one aspect is neglected, the other is most likely to be affected.

There are many components that make up fitness. These components include muscular strength, muscular flexibility, bone mineral density, cardiovascular capacity, body composition, and muscular endurance. For instance, muscle tone is the result of both loss and gain of lean muscle mass; bone density and body composition affect physical performance and body health; cardiovascular capability is directly related to one’s lung capacity, while body fluid and muscle elasticity are associated with functional flexibility.

One of the simplest and most obvious examples of fitness is walking. Walking, unlike many other forms of exercise, is both inexpensive and easy to learn and do. In addition to its low-cost advantage, walking is an example of a low-impact physical activity and it therefore has no obvious impact on joint injury and stiffness. Therefore, if you want to improve your fitness level, a simple walk is your best option.

Another example of an easy to do, low-impact physical activity that you can do every day is exercise. Aerobic exercise is an effective way to improve your fitness level. You do not need to purchase expensive equipment for this type of exercise. An hour or so of brisk walking or jogging will do the trick. As a matter of fact, you can easily fit in an hour or two of exercise into your daily schedule.

You can also increase your fitness level simply by increasing the amount of muscle that you use. When you exercise, you cause tension and stress on various muscles in your body. This increases your body’s metabolic rate (the rate at which it burns energy) and causes those muscles to become tired. If you allow these muscles to rest, their fibers will become damaged and atrophy will occur. Over time, this atrophy will lead to the loss of all your muscle fibers.

If you want to increase your fitness level, you should focus on developing your core muscles. The muscles of the abdomen, lower back, hips, and pelvis are all important components of the core muscles group. Core exercises (like crunches, leg extensions, and sit ups) directly affect your abdominal, lower back, hips, and pelvis muscles. These core exercises are excellent for your overall fitness.