"I run every morning to stay fit". "I do yoga 6 days a week to stay fit". "My sister takes zumba classes and does Pilates for fitness". "I don't feel fit if I don't swim or cycle". "My mom eats healthy to stay fit". " I am trying to lose weight to look fit". Most of us might have come across similar statements at some time or the other. We do have a certain understanding of what fitness is. Let us break down the concept a bit so that we can delve into its understanding and make it a lot easier to apply it in our daily lives.
Fitness is the ability of the body to physically adapt to the external environment and cope up with daily activities. It is a set of attributes that people achieve that help perform a physical activity. Many components need to come together in our quest in getting fit. The most important among them are the BIG FIVE; Endurance, Strength, Flexibility, Balance and Rest.
Endurance: Literally, endurance is the capacity of something to last or to withstand wear and tear. In athlete terms, 'endurance' is doing something that demands great physical stamina. Endurance activities are also referred to aerobic activities which need a certain level of increase in breathing and heart rates. Brisk walking, jogging, running, dancing, climbing stairs or hills are few examples of aerobic activities. These help to improve the health of cardiac, respiratory and circulatory systems which in turn improve the oxygen utilization in the skeletal muscles which ultimately give effect to an activity.
Strength: Strength is the ability of muscles to apply force. Systematic training helps to improve or increase muscular strength thereby making it easier to perform routine as well as exertional activities. It develops the capacity to expend a lesser effort for the same physical activity, improves speed and improves balance.
Flexibility: Also referred to as the ability to stretch a muscle unit or joint. Stretching exercises improve mobility and decrease stiffness.
Balance: It is the ability to control the body's centre of gravity in relation to its support base. Balancing exercises help the mind be aware of the body and its posture.
Rest: It is perhaps the most underestimated and rather one of the most important aspects of fitness. It allows the body time to recover, damaged tissues to repair and stimulated units to strengthen. It also helps the athlete recover psychologically. Sleep is a very important part of rest and recovery. Tissue repair and growth is maximum in sleep, thereby having maximal benefit when the body is well rested. Less sleep increases stress hormones which gives rise to tissue breakdown rather than growth.
Adequate rest - anabolism > catabolism
Less rest - catabolism > anabolism
There there .... too technical, right? But I guess, it all makes sense. Let us read it again, and again, and again, and again, and again. Let it seep in, let us get aware of it, let us understand it, let us follow it! It is about time we stop focusing on a single aspect of fitness and work on fitness as a whole.
stay tuned for more ...
Readers can contact the author regarding Running tips, tricks, hacks & training on email: akashwin@gmail.com
