When you think about physical fitness, what comes to mind? Many of us think of physical fitness as being thin or looking good, but there are actually five components of physical fitness: muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and body fat. Therefore, a comprehensive physical fitness program needs to focus on improving or maintaining all of those components.
One of the tell-tale signs of a healthy person is cardiovascular endurance. If you tire easily, especially when completing routine, daily tasks, and there is no underlying cause, then you probably need to improve your cardiovascular endurance. A comprehensive physical fitness program will aim to improve cardiovascular endurance.
A common way to measure physical fitness is by looking at strength. Do you have the muscular strength to easily complete daily activities? Moreover, even if you are capable of significant explosive muscular strength, do you have the muscular endurance to repeat that action multiple times? Even if you are happy with your current muscular strength and endurance, they are part of an effective physical fitness program because both naturally decline with age.
Many people think of body fat reduction as the primary goal of a physical fitness program. While that is not true, there are some health risks associated with being overfat, if not overweight. A comprehensive physical fitness program includes the goal of getting your body fat percentage into a healthy range.
The final component of physical fitness is flexibility. Many people overlook this aspect of physical health, but flexibility is actually very important, because flexibility reduces your chances of injuries like sprains, strains, and tears. Flexibility also helps ensure mobility as you age.
At The MAX Challenge, we focus on total health. Visit our Springfield, NJ location and we can discuss a personalized comprehensive physical fitness program that focuses on all five components.
