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What is Physical Fitness?

The term physical fitness is used quite often, but is not fully understood. The most widely used concept of fitness "involves a condition of living that characterizes the degree to which a person is able to function efficiently in daily life.", per the book Fitness as an Important Dimension of Human Health.

People's ideas of fitness are widely spread. Some believe that fitness can be a substitute for health, while others may believe that it is in direct relation to skill, speed, and power. Yet others may believe that fitness means a slim, shapely figure. Essentially all of these ideas are correct, the qualities of fitness support all of these beliefs.

There are two categories of fitness qualities; Health-Related and Skill-Related. Click on the titles to review the qualities and their definitions.

"People who posses optimal physical fitness tend to look better, feel better, and experience good health, which all contribute to the quality of life."

As with any exercise program, the more often you exercise, the more you will see the and feel the results. This we will term as the Effects of Exercise.

There are no shortcuts on the road to physical fitness. But with regular exercise, you can enjoy the rewards of fitness. Regular exercise has been determined to produce many beneficial effects. The effects range from short-term, or transitory, long -term. Short-term effects are more immediate and have little long-term consequence, while long-term effects are long-lasting and have many significant benefits.

When you consider the impact of regular activity on health, it is easy to see that exercise is where prevention and rehabilitation cross over. The following list shows factors that affect health are also affected by exercise.

• Lower blood pressure
• Cessation of smoking
• Lower cholesterol
• Complete body conditioning
• Diabetes Stress management
• Control of body weight

 

As Pam Etheridge, director of the Fitness Center, would say,"We are geared towards wellness. Feel as good as you can feel!"