Download Physical Activity for Everyone: Components of

Fitness Focus:
Components of Physical Fitness
What does it mean to be physically "fit?" Physical fitness is a set of attributes a person has in
regards to a person's ability to perform physical activities that require aerobic fitness,
endurance, strength, or flexibility and is determined by a combination of regular activity and
genetically inherited ability. In other words, it is more than being able to run a long distance or
lift a lot of weight at the gym. Being fit is not defined only by what kind of activity you do, how
long you do it, or at what level of intensity. While these are important measures of fitness, they
only address single areas. Overall fitness is made up of five main components:
Cardiorespiratory Endurance, Muscular Endurance, Muscular Strength, Body Composition
and Flexibility
In order to assess your level of fitness, look at all five components together.
WHAT IS "CARDIORESPIRATORY ENDURANCE (CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS)?"
Cardiorespiratory endurance is the ability of the body's circulatory and respiratory systems to
supply fuel (energy) during continual physical activity1. To improve your cardiorespiratory
endurance, try activities that keep your heart rate elevated at a safe level for a sustained
(continual) length of time such as walking, swimming, or bicycling. The activity you choose does
not have to be strenuous to improve your cardiorespiratory endurance. Start slowly with an
activity you enjoy, and gradually work up to a more intense pace.
The mile run and/or the pacer test are used in the FitnessGram to assess Cardiorespriatory
endurance.
WHAT IS "MUSCULAR STRENGTH?"
Muscular strength is the ability of the muscle to exert force during an activity1. The key to
making your muscles stronger is working them against resistance, whether that happen from
weights or gravity. If you want to gain muscle strength, try exercises such as lifting weights or
rapidly taking the stairs.
The push-up, pull-up and crunches are all tests used by the FitnessGram to assess muscular
strength. With push-ups, the test is evaluating whether you have the strength to lift your body
weight.
6.4.2 Develop a one-day personal physical fitness plan specifying the intensity, time, and types of physical activities for each
component of health related physical fitness.
WHAT IS "MUSCULAR ENDURANCE?"
Muscular endurance is the ability of the muscle to continue to perform without fatigue1. To
improve your muscle endurance, try cardio-respiratory activities such as walking, jogging,
bicycling, or dancing.
The push-up, pull-up, mile run, pacer and crunches are all tests used by the FitnessGram to
assess muscular endurance by seeing how long and how many times your muscles can perform the
activity.
WHAT IS "BODY COMPOSITION?"
Body composition refers to the relative amount of muscle, fat, bone, and other vital parts of
the body1. A person's total body weight (what you see on the bathroom scale) may not change
over time. But the bathroom scale does not assess how much of that body weight is fat and how
much is lean mass (muscle, bone, tendons, and ligaments). Body composition is measured with
skin calipers, underwater weighing and others. Body composition is important to consider for
health and managing your weight!
The Body Mass Index (BMI) which looks at your height and weight is used by the FitnessGram
to assess body composition.
WHAT IS "FLEXIBILITY?"
Flexibility is the range of motion around a joint. Good flexibility in the joints can help prevent
injuries through all stages of life. If you want to improve your flexibility, try activities that
lengthen the muscles such as swimming, yoga, gymnastics or a basic stretching program.
The Sit and Reach as well as the Right and Left Shoulder Stretch are used by the
FitnessGram to assess your body’s flexibility.
1. USDHHS, 1996 as adapted from Wilmore & Costill, 1994)
6.4.2 Develop a one-day personal physical fitness plan specifying the intensity, time, and types of physical activities for each
component of health related physical fitness.
Name________________________________________________
Period_________
The Fitness Components – 6th grade
Directions: Use the article to answer the questions below. The answers must be in your own words to show understanding, not
just a word for word recitation of what you read. If you cannot answer a question from lack of information, use the internet or
a dictionary to help. Answers must be in complete sentences.
1. What are the 5 fitness components?
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2. How do you improve your cardiorespiratory endurance? What activities do we do at Lawson to help improve
cardiorespiratory endurance?
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3. What is the difference between Muscular Strength and Muscular Endurance?
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4. What is the most effective way to build your muscular strength? What tests are used to assess your muscular
strength?
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5. How do you improve muscular endurance? What tests are used to assess your muscular endurance?
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6. What is body composition? How can you help improve your body composition?
6.4.2 Develop a one-day personal physical fitness plan specifying the intensity, time, and types of physical activities for each
component of health related physical fitness.
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7. Why is having good flexibility important? What tests are used to see how flexible you are?
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6.4.2 Develop a one-day personal physical fitness plan specifying the intensity, time, and types of physical activities for each
component of health related physical fitness.