PHYSICAL FITNESS, WELLNESS & LIFESTYLE
Meaning of Physical Fitness
An individual can do his regular work effectively with joy and pleasure, after the work is over he still
has sufficient capacity to do more work without any exertion. Moreover, his recovery is faster and quicker.
The person who remains energetic, enthusiastic, and cheerful in doing his work is said to be physically fit.
The level of physical fitness varies from person to person. It depends upon the nature of work, size, shape,
and structure.
Meaning of Wellness
Wellness is related to good health, the balance of mind and body and spirit of the overall feeling of well-being.
It gives us the motive to live most, serve the best. Thus gives a healthy and happy life.
James Randi, “Wellness is a health-related practice to optimise individual ability with the balance of physical,
psychological, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual aspects of life.”
Meaning of Lifestyle
Today our environment is polluted, due to this our life is full of stress. Poor diet has made the situation
more bad.The sedentary lifestyle also led to many health problems like cardiac disorder, diabetes, cancer,
asthma, obesity and many more problems.
Changes in lifestyle can improve the health of an individual. Changes such as regular physical activity, eating
nutritious food, avoid fried and junk food, drink sufficient water, mental personal hygiene, maintain good
posture, proper rest and sleep, manage stress and tension, no intoxicants etc.
Importance of Physical Fitness and Wellness:
⮚ Total work Efficiency improves.
⮚ Better quality of work.
⮚ Optimum growth and development.
⮚ Better utilisation of time.
⮚ Healthy environment.
⮚ Prevent health hazards and health problems.
⮚ Improve physiological functioning.
⮚ Good posture.
⮚ Improvement in physical ability.
⮚ Development of social quality.
⮚ Prevent premature ageing.
⮚ Preparedness of emergency.
⮚ Decrease Stress.
Components of Physical Fitness
Strength: Strength is the ability to overcome resistance or act against resistance. It is the total amount of
force a muscle can exert to do any work.
Different sports require different levels and types of strength, which can be improved through specific
training. Strength can be measured in pounds or Dynes.
Types of strength:
Strength is divided into the following types:
● Static Strength
● Dynamic Strength
Static Strength: It is the ability to act against resistance from one position without any movement, it is
also called Isometric Strength e.g., arm wrestling, powerlifting, wall pushing.
Different sports require different levels and types of strength, which can be improved through specific
training. Strength can be measured in pounds or Dynes.
Dynamic Strength: It is the ability to act against resistance with movement, it is also called Isotonic
Strength. Movements are visible when someone is doing dynamic strength training.
It is divided into three parts.
1. Maximum Strength: It is the ability to act against maximum resistant. It is required in weightlifting,
throwing, wrestling, etc.
2. Explosive Strength: It is the ability to overcome resistance with high speed. It is the ability to do the
forceful movement at a quickest possible time. It is generally required in jumping activities. This
Strengthcan be measured by a Dynamometer.
3. Strength Endurance: It is the ability to overcome resistance for a longer period under conditions of fatigue.
Endurance
Endurance is the ability to sustain or continue the activity. In other words, it is the ability to resist
fatigue for a longer period.
Endurance is required for almost all the major sports. It is one of the important components for middle
and long-distance races, football, hockey, basketball, handball, etc.
Types of Endurance
It is required for all kinds of races, swimming, cycling, and mountaineering.
Speed Endurance
This is the type of endurance in which the activity is done with high speed and intensity. This endurance is
for a shorter duration (from 30 to 60 sec) with 80℅ to 90℅ of top speed ability.
This type of Endurance required in medium distance races, swimming, basketball, tennis, badminton etc.
Strength Endurance
In this type of endurance, activity is done powerfully and forcefully for a longer duration. This duration is
from 2 to 3 minutes. Strength endurance is generally performed in absence of oxygen. It is required in
wrestling, boxing, Judo, etc.
Long term Endurance
This type of Endurance is required when the activity is done for a longer duration and the speed is slow. It
delays fatigue. This endurance is required for long-distance running, cycling, cross country, marathon,
football, etc.
Speed
Speed is the ability to do the movement at a faster rate or minimum possible time. Speed depends on
heredity but can be developed through proper training.
Types of speed
i. Reaction Time: It is the time taken by the body to respond immediately after getting stimulus.
It is the first reaction to bring our body into action.
ii. Acceleration Ability: It is the time taken by the body to reach its maximum speed.
iii. Speed of Movement: It is the total time taken by the body to perform complete action.
iv. Locomotor ability: It is the ability to maintain maximum speed for a longer period.
v. Speed endurance: It is the ability to perform any movements with high speed under conditions of fatigue.
Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability to do the movement with a greater range of joint.
It is affected by muscle length, ligaments and tendons. Good Flexibility helps in preventing injuries,
Improving Posture, make the joint healthy, Improving balance.
Types of flexibility
Passive Flexibility: Joints can move to its maximum range with external help, e.g., stretching
with a partner.
Active Flexibility: This flexibility exercises are performed without external help
Active flexibility further divided into two parts:
⮚ Static Flexibility: It is the flexibility performed from a static or stationary position. e.g.,
Chakrasana, toe touching
⮚ Dynamic Flexibility: It is the flexibility performed when a person is in motion. This flexibility
is required for gymnastics, diving, etc.
Coordinative Ability
It is the ability to perform the movement with perfection and efficiency. It is the ability to do a
sequence of movements smoothly and accurately.
Coordination is the proper combination of strength, speed, endurance, and flexibility during movement.
Components of Wellness
i. Physical Activities: It makes the person fit and healthy, which improves growth and development.
ii. Balanced emotional life: Well balanced and controlled emotional life is required for wellness
iii. Intellectual attitude: Wellness required positive intellectual attitude. It improves our behaviour,
intelligence, alertness, etc.
iv. Active social life: Active social life improves our social qualities and helps us to adjust well in society.
v. Managing stress: Wellness needs proper management of stress. It keeps us calm and controls our anxiety.
vi. Spiritual well-being: It makes the person ethically and morally right.
vii. Occupational wellness: It helps a person to do hard work and earn a livelihood with honesty.
viii. Environmental wellness: Wellness promotes a good environment which is safe, clean, and healthy.
Components of Health-Related Fitness
Cardiovascular Endurance:
It is the ability to do work for a longer period. It requires a strong heart, healthy lungs, and clear blood
vessels to supply oxygenated blood to the whole body.
Muscular strength:
It is the ability to overcome resistance with muscular force. It is measured by how much weight a person can lift.
Muscular Endurance:
It is the ability of a muscle or to perform repetitive muscular contractions against a force for a longer period.
The more your muscular endurance is, higher numbers of repetitions you could complete.
Flexibility:
It is the ability to use joints in its full range of movement. It depends upon long muscles and flexible joints.
Body Composition:
It is the percentage of body fat compared to other body Tissue. People who have a high percentage of fat are
more likely to fall sick.