Components of Health-related Physical Fitness
Health-related physical fitness involves components of physical fitness associated with some aspect of good health and/or disease prevention.4 Most are familiar with these components because they are the same components for the FITNESSGRAM, which is a program developed by The Cooper Institute, which is the only recognized program for youth by the Presidential Youth Fitness Council, in an effort to improve physical education programs and children’s health. The FITNESSGRAM tests the students on five components; cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.3
The Components According to The American College of Sports Medicine1:
Cardiovascular (cardiorespiratory) fitness (CVF) is related to the ability to perform large muscle, dynamic, moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise for prolonged periods of time (endurance). This is considered a health-related physical fitness component because:
1. Low levels of CVF have been associated with increased risk of premature death from all causes and specifically cardiovascular disease
2. Increase in this are associated with a reduction of death from all causes
3. High levels of CVF are associated with higher habitual physical activity which increases health benefits
Muscular strength is the ability a muscles has to exert a force to overcome a resistance. This is important in day to day life because we need to be strong to perform certain tasks, such as lifting heavy bags or standing up from a chair. Having strength is important for our health because it enables us to avoid injuries, maintain good posture, and remain independent (in older age)
Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle to make repeated contractions over a period of time. This helps with day to day activities such as climbing stairs or cleaning.
Flexibility is the ability to move a joint through its complete range of motion. This is important in our daily life because it helps with reaching for something in a cabinet or off the floor. Flexibility also helps with preventing injuries, improving posture, reducing low back pain, maintaining joints, and balance during movement.
Body composition is simply the breakdown of fat-free body mass (bones and muscles) and fat mass. For testing purposes this is found by a Body Mass Index (BMI) test which brings weight, height, age, and gender into consideration. There are also skinfold tests and hydrostatic weighing that can be used to find your composition. This is a part of the HRF because it helps show whether you fit within the norms of being viewed as satisfactory for health. A range of 10%-22% and 20%-32% for men and women are used, but there is not universally accepted norm.
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The components of health related physical fitness are important because they can help us live a healthy life. We can go longer, be stronger, and do the daily activities we enjoy longer because our bodies will continue to allow us to. I challenge you to try and live with keeping these components in mind so that one day when you are retired you can still enjoy life as a healthy, active person.
1(2016). Retrieved from American College of Sports Medicine: http://www.acsm.org/public-information/articles/2016/10/07/getting-a-professional-fitness-assessment
2(2016, September 28). Retrieved from http://grants.hhp.coe.uh.edu/doconnor/PEP6305/Section%2014.html
3The Cooper Institue. (2016, September 28). FITNESSGRAM. Retrieved from The Cooper Institute: http://www.cooperinstitute.org/youth/fitnessgram
4William D. McArdle, F. I. (2007). Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition, & Human Performance. Baltimore, Maryland: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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