Physically Fit

“Physical fitness is the ability to do the daily task with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue and with ample energy to engage in leisure pursuit and to meet emergency situations.”1 Physical fitness is highly important for activities of daily living. Actions such as standing up from sitting in a chair, reaching for food in a cabinet, or reaching down to pick up little children are all activities that involve activating muscles which is a component of physical fitness. One has to have enough strength to activate a certain muscle group to elicit the certain motor response that is needed to accomplish a certain task.

Physical fitness is a product of exercise. The capacity of performing an activity is defined as physical fitness; how much can one endure during moderate or vigorous activities. That capacity is tested by way of various forms of fitness tests. There are five fitness tests that covers each component of fitness. The components of fitness are Aerobic Capacity, Strength, Endurance, Body Composition, and Flexibility. Examples of the fitness tests are as follows; however, are not limited to these; 12 minute run for aerobic capacity, sit-up test for strength and endurance, skinfold caliper for body composition, and a sit-and-reach test for flexibility. One of the important components mentioned earlier is body composition.

Body composition is defined as a proportion of fat versus fat-free mass. It is indirectly measured by calculating one’s body mass index (BMI). BMI is determined and based upon the individual’s height and weight without regards to one’s muscle mass.2 To truly know one’s body fat percentage with regards to muscle mass, an official tool would be the Underwater Weighing Scale. Underwater weighing is highly efficient because muscle mass weighs much less under water than on land due to it being fat-free; therefore, the scale only detects fat, which sinks thus allowing one to sit down on the scale to determine one’s true weight.

As stated previously, the components of physical fitness are Aerobic Capacity, Strength, Endurance, Body Composition, and Flexibility. The components of motor fitness are Agility, Power, Speed, Balance, Coordination, and Reaction Time.1

1Clarke David H, Clarke Harrison H. Application of Measurement Health and Physical Education. New Jersey: Englewood cliffs prentice Hall Inc., 1989, 3.

2Lara-Pompa, N. E., Williams, J., Macdonald, S., Valente, J., Wells, J. C., Hill, S., & Fewtrell, M. (2015). MON-PP254: Measuring body composition in hospitalized children: Validity, practicality and acceptability of different methods. Clinical Nutrition, 34, S221.

3C. (n.d.). GET IN TOUCH. Retrieved September 26, 2016, from http://www.northhillchiangmai.com/en/our-clubhouse/555/fitness.