HEALTH RELATED COMPONENTS OF

FITNESS AND PRINCIPLES OF

EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION
 The health related physical fitness components are
characterized by the ability to perform daily tasks with
vigor and alertness without undue fatigue and
 are demonstration of physical traits associated with
minimal risk of developing hypo kinetic diseases.
These types of fitness components are:
 Cardiovascular endurance/ cardio respiratory fitness
 Flexibility
 Muscular endurance
 Muscular strength and
 Body composition.
 Cardiorespiratory (CR) fitness, sometimes called CR
endurance, aerobic fitness, or aerobic capacity, is one of
the 5 basic components of physical fitness.
 it is a condition in which the body’s cardiovascular
(circulatory) & respiratory systems function
together.
 it is needed for prolonged, rhythmic use of the body’s
large muscle groups.
 A high level of CR fitness permits continuous physical
activity without a decline in performance
 Any activity that continuously uses large muscle groups
for 20 minutes or longer taxes these systems.
 It reflects efficiency of the heart, lungs, and blood
vessels to supply blood, oxygen and nutrients to the
body and the removal of waste from the body.
 It is also a measure of the muscle’s ability to take up
and use the delivered oxygen to produce the energy
needed to continue exercising.
 It requires delivery & utilization of oxygen.
 It involves both the respiratory & CVS systems.
 Of all the components of physical fitness, none is more
important than cardiovascular endurance.
 It reduces the risk of heart disease, other hypo kinetic
conditions & early death.
 Increase longevity
 It can reduce risk for those who are obese & overweight
 It enhances the ability to perform various tasks

 Decreased recovery time following exercise

 Decreased serum cholesterol levels
 Increased metabolic rate during and after exercise
sessions
 Decreased total body fat
 Decreased blood pressure
 Only aerobic exercises that require breathing in large volumes of
air improve CR fitness.
 Good aerobic activities for improving cardio respiratory
endurance:- Walking, Jogging, Running, Swimming, Cycling,
Rope skipping, Aerobic dance exercises etc.
 The frequency and duration are 3 to 4 days/ week and 20 to 60
minutes/day, respectively
 Intensity of workouts for CR fitness determined by exercising at
their training heart rate (THR).
 The exercise intensity to improve CRF is between 60% and 80%
of VO2 max (73-87% HR max). There are several formulas that
allow you to identify training target heart rate.
 With this method, the THR is figured using the estimated maximal
heart rate. you must first determine your maximum heart rate
(MHR).
 An approximate estimate of MHR for both young boys and girls is
that maximal heart rate is thought to be about 220 beats per minute.
 However, MHR is related to age, and as you get older, your MHR
will decrease and vice versa.
 Athlete determines his estimated maximum heart rate by
subtracting his age from 220.

FORMULA:- MHR = 220 – age

% x MHR = THR
• Example, if a 20 years old is interested in working at 70%
of his MHR, the target heart rate can be
THR=(220-20) 0.70 = 140 beats per minute.
• The proper exercise intensity will maintain your heart rate
within 5 beats per minutes above or below your
calculated target heart rate.
• For example, for the above 20 years person the actual heart rate
during exercise should be between 135 and 145 beats per minute.
• Another commonly used formula that takes in to account
to determine your current level of fitness is the Karvonen
equation which is;
• THR= RHR + [Intensity (MHR-RHR)]
Training techniques to improve
cardiovascular fitness
The lower your endurance at the start, the
more you will improve.
Without oxygen the body is incapable of
producing energy for an extended period.
Several methods can be used to improve
cardio respiratory endurance;
Continuous training
Interval training
Fartlek training
Any aerobic activities.
 Muscular fitness is the kind of fitness that
requires your muscles to overcome some type of
resistance or /and fatigue , whether from
 your own body weight,
 hand-held weights, or
 Special machines and equipment.

 There
are two components of muscle fitness:
muscular strength and muscular endurance.
 it is the greatest amount of force a muscle or muscle group
can exert in a single effort.
Is the maximal ability of a muscle to generate force.
 It is evaluated by how much force a muscle can generate

during a single maximal contraction. Practically, this

means:-
→how much weight that an individual can lift during
one maximal effort.
 Weight training results in an increase in the size and strength of
muscles.
 Is the ability of a muscle group to continue muscle
movement over a length of time.
 It is the ability of muscles to perform or sustain a muscle
contraction repeatedly over a period of time. i.e.
→The capacity of the muscle or group of muscles to
work continuously.
A fit person can repeat movements for a long period
without undue fatigue.
 muscular strength and muscular endurance are related they
are not the same.
 Example of muscular strength is a person lifting a heavy
barbell during one maximal muscular effort.
 In contrast, muscular endurance is illustrated by a
weightlifter performing multiple lifts or repetition of a
lightweight.
 Muscular strength & muscular endurance is important in
almost all sports.
 Even non-athletes require some degree of muscular
strength & muscular endurance to function everyday life.
 Enhanced muscular strength and endurance :
 improve performance,
 injury prevention,
 maintain/improve body composition,
 reduce lower back pain and joint and muscle pain.
 Postpones loss of muscle tissue due to ageing and
sedentary lifestyle.
 Helps prevent osteoporosis.
 Improves metabolic fitness (insulin metabolism, blood
pressure and clotting control)
MUSCLE
Red flesh of the body
Forms half of our body weight.
They produce body movement.
They have got at least two attachments.
They are made of muscle fibers.

Muscle Structure:
Skeletal muscle is a collection of long thin cells called

fibers.
These fibers has surrounded by a dense layer of connective

tis­sue called fascia that holds the individual fibers together

and separates muscle from surrounding tissues.
 Muscles are attached to bone by connective
tissues known as tendons.
 Muscular contraction causes the tendons

to pull on the bones, thereby causing movement.

 Muscles work in pairs to move limbs and
provide the organism with mobility
Muscle Contraction:
 Muscle contraction is regulated by signals coming from

motor nerves.
 Motor nerves originate in the spinal cord and send nerve

fibers to individual muscles throughout the body.

 Note that each motor nerve branches and then connects
with numerous individual muscle fibers.
 The motor nerve and all of the muscle fibers it controls is
called a motor unit.
 Neuromuscular junction:- where the nerve and muscle

fiber meet.
 A muscle contraction begins when a message to contract

(called a nerve impulse) reaches the neuromuscular

junction.
 Recall that muscular contraction requires energy; this
energy is supplied by the breakdown of ATP.
 Muscle contractions are classified into two major
categories: isotonic and isometric.
 Isotonic (also called dynamic) contractions: are those
that result in movement of a body part.
 Isotonic Type of muscle contraction in which the muscle
changes in length, either shortening (concentrically) or
lengthening (eccentrically).
 Concentric contractions are isotonic muscle
contractions that result in muscle shortening.
 The upward movement of the arm is an example of a
concentric contraction. Or when a joint is bent and two
body parts move closer together.
• Eccentric Contractions Isotonic muscle contractions in
which the muscle gets longer as it contracts that is, when
a weight is gradually lowered and the contracting muscle
gets longer as it gives up tension.
• Eccentric contractions are also called negative exercise.

Isotonic Type of muscle contraction

 An isometric (also called static) contraction: requires the
development of muscular tension but results in no
movement of body parts.
• Type of muscle contraction in which the muscle remains
the same length.
• During isometric exercise no movement’s takes place
while a force is exerted against an immovable object (also
known as static contraction or constant length).
 Isometric contractions occur commonly in the postural
muscles of the body during sitting or standing; for
instance, they are responsible for holding the head
upright.
 A classic example of an isometric contraction is, the
individual exerting force against an iron bar mounted on
the wall of a building; the muscle is developing tension
but the wall is not moving and therefore neither is the
body part.

Isometric contraction
 are concentric or eccentric contractions performed at a
constant speed.
 That is, the speed of muscle shortening or lengthening is
regulated at a fixed, controlled rate.
 In this case there is a relaxation and
contraction of muscles but a constant
speed and mainly performed by devices.
 Or it’s done with machine that
regulates movement speed and resistance.
 Thereare three types of skeletal muscle fibers:
Slow twitch, fast twitch, and intermediate.

 These fiber types differ in their speeds of

contraction and in fatigue resistance.

 Most human mus­cles contain a mixture of all

three fibers types.
 slow-twitch
fibers contract slowly and produce
small amounts of force; however,
 these fibers are highly resistant to fatigue.
 are red in appearance,
 have
the capacity to produce large quantities of
ATP aerobically,
 making them ideally suited for a low-intensity
prolonged exercise like walking or slow jogging.
 Fast-twitch fibers contract rapidly and generate great
amounts of force but fatigue quickly.
 These fibers are white and have a low aerobic capacity,
but they are well equipped to produce ATP anaerobically.
 With their ability to shorten rapidly and produce large
amounts of force, fast-twitch fibers are used during
activities requiring rapid or forceful movement, such as
jumping, sprinting, and weight lifting.
 Are although more red in color, possess a combination
of the characteristics of fast- and slow-twitch fibers.
 They contract rapidly, produce great force, and are fatigue
resistant due to a well-developed aerobic capacity.
 Intermediate fibers contract more quickly and produce
more force than slow-twitch fibers but contract more
slowly and produce less force than fast-twitch fibers.
 They are more fatigue resistant than fast-twitch fibers but
less fatigue resistant than slow-twitch fibers.
 Most weight-training experts believe that muscular strength
and muscular endurance are closely related.
 As one improves, there is a tendency for the other to
improve also.
 It is generally accepted that when one exercising weight
training for strength, heavier weights with a lower number
of repetitions should be used.
 Conversely or on the other hand, muscular endurance
trainer’s uses relatively lighter weights with greater number
of repetitions.
 Resistance training is the most effective means to develop
muscular strength and muscular endurance.
 There are a number of different techniques of resistance
training for muscular strength and endurance development
based on change in muscle length. Among these:
 Isometric exercises
 Isokinetic exercises
 Isotonic exercises
 Circuit resistance exercises
 Plyometric exercises
 Functional balance exercises
 If you're a beginner, you only need to choose 1-2 exercises for each
muscle group in the upper body and 3-4 moves for the lower body.
 Below is a list of muscle groups along with sample exercises.
 Chest: bench press, chest press machine, pushups,
 Back: seated row machine, back extensions, lat pull downs
 Shoulders: overhead press, lateral raise, front raise
 Biceps: bicep curls, hammer curls, concentration curls
 Triceps: tricep extensions, dips, kickbacks
 Lower Body: Squats, lunges, leg press machines, dead lifts, calf raises
 Abdominals: crunches, reverse crunches, oblique twists
 For any given exercise, the amount of weight selected should be
sufficient to allow 6 to 8 repetitions maximum (RM)
 Do three sets with a recovery period of 60 to 90 seconds between
sets
 Initial selection of a starting weight may require some trial and
error to achieve this 6 to 8 range.
 When progressing weight, an increase of about 10% of the current
weight being lifted.
 A particular muscle or muscle group should be exercised
consistently every other day. work all of your muscle groups each
week.
 The ability to move the body joints through the full
range of motion (ROM) without discomfort or pain.
 Range of motion:- the mobility of the joint; the
direction and the extent to which it bends.
 Stretching after your workout, when your muscles are

warm and pliable, is a great way to increase flexibility

and keep your body protected from injury.
 Having flexibility in your muscles allows for more
movement around the joints .
 Good flexibility can help a survivor accomplish such

physical tasks as lifting, loading, climbing, parachuting,

running, and rappelling with greater efficiency and less
risk of injury.
 Stretching is the best and common type of exercise to
develop flexibility.
 Why stretch?

 for both injury prevention and injury treatment.

 it is an important part of your exercise program
 Improved performance
 Reduced soreness and lower back pain
 Increased blood flow to the body
 Improved coordination
 Keeps you active and mobile as you age
 Though there are a number of stretching
techniques, three kinds of stretching techniques
are commonly used to increase flexibility:
1. ballistic,
2. static, and
3.proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation.
 involves movements such as bouncing or bobbing to attain
a greater range of motion and stretch.
 it often forces a muscle to stretch too far and may

result in an injury. Individuals should not use ballistic

stretching.
 i.e. extending a joint beyond its normal limit, and repeats

this rhythmically over a period of 20 seconds.

 Involve movement
 It has the potential to cause musclo-skeletal injuries;

e.g. muscle tear

 Consists of stretching muscle tissue to a comfortable
position and hold this position for a period of time.
 i.e Extending a limb beyond its normal range.

• Static stretching refers to a slow, gradual, and controlled

stretch through a full range of motion.

• This is a steady-intensity, long duration technique.
 It is a safe and effective method for improving flexibility.
 assume each stretching position slowly until he feels
tension or tightness.
 hold each stretch for ten seconds or longer.
 Static stretching should not be painful.
 The trainer should feel slight discomfort, but no pain.
 When pain results from stretching, it is a signal that he is
stretching a muscle or tendon too much and may be
causing damage.
 It is a relatively new technique for improving
flexibility.
 (PNF) combines stretching with alternating

contracting and relaxing of muscles.

 The trainer performs a series of intense

contractions and relaxations using a partner or

equipment to help him stretch.
 PNF has been shown to be safer and more

effective in promoting flexibility than ballistic

stretching.
 studies have shown PNF programs to be equal to,
or in some cases superior to, static stretching for
improving flexibility.
 However, one disadvantage of PNF stretching is

that some stretches require a partner.

 thisallows for greater muscle relaxation following

each contraction & increases the trainer's ability to
stretch through a greater range of motion.
• Stretching should be done daily, before and after activity. It can
also be done in short breaks throughout the day.
• Often, there is a limited time for exercise and stretching
adequately is often neglected in favor of weight training or
cardiovascular training.
• When this is the case, it is important to always do an adequate
warm-up, proceed to an abbreviated stretching routine,
emphasizing the specific muscles soon to be used, then easing into
a workout of low-to-moderate intensity.
• Stretching between sets of weight training or during short breaks
while running can be helpful.
 Increase physical efficiency and performance.
 Decrease risk of injury.
 Increase blood supply and nutrients to joint

structures.
 Improve nutrient exchange.
 Increase neuromuscular coordination.
 Improve muscular balance and postural
awareness
 Decrease risk of low-back pain.
 Enhance enjoyment
 The relative percentage of body fat compared to lean body
mass (muscle, bone, water, etc...)
 Exercise can influence body mass, fat mass, and lean

mass
• Aerobic activities help improve body composition
• A fit person has a relatively low, but not too low,

percentage of body fat (body fatness).

• Women typically have more fat mass than men
 The ideal weight and fat-lean ratio varies considerably for
men and women by age.
 The average healthy adult body fat range regardless of
age is 15 to 20 percent for men and 20 to 25 percent for
women.
 A woman with more than 32 percent body fat and males
with more than 25 percent body fat are considered to be at
increased risk for disease.
 Doctors often prescribe medications to treat cer­tain
diseases, and for every individual there is an appropriate
dosage of medicine to cure an illness.
 Similarly, for each individual, there is a correct dosage of
exercise to effectively promote physical fitness, called an
exercise prescription.
 Exercise prescriptions should be tailored to meet the
needs of the individual.
 It should include fitness goals, mode of exercise, a
warm-up, a primary conditioning period, and a
cool-down.
 Set your fitness goals based on why you are training.
 Establishing short-term and long-term fitness goals is an
important part of an exercise prescription.
 Rank and prioritize as general goals, long-range goals,
season goals, and monthly goals.
 Goals serve as motivation to start an exercise program.
Further, attaining your fitness goals improves self-esteem
and provides the incentive needed to make a life­time
commitment to regular exercise.
 Divide your workout into three distinct warm-up,
workout, and cool-down phases.
 Every exercise prescription includes at least one mode of
exercise that is, a specific type of exer­cise to be
performed.
 For example, to improve cardio respiratory fitness, you

could select from a wide variety of exercise modes, such

as running, swimming, or cycling.
 Key factors to consider when selecting an exercise mode

are enjoyment, availability of the activity, and risk of

injury.
 Variety is the spice of life…particularly when
applied to optimizing training.
 contributes to health by mixing things up and
bringing balance
 It only takes 15 minutes of light exercises to increase muscle blood
flow and your body temperatures.
 Don't skip this step - a good warm-up and stretching session will
reduce the possibility of injury.
 Warm up your whole body. Slowly stretch and move your muscles,
tendons, and ligaments.
 Finish your warm up with stretching exercises.
 The purpose of a warm-up is to elevate muscle temperature and
increase blood flow to those muscles that will be engaged in the
workout. And ---
 Also reduce the strain on the heart imposed by rapidly engaging in
heavy exercise and may reduce the risk of muscle and tendon
injuries.
 The major components of the exercise prescription that make up
the primary conditioning period are the mode of exercise
(described earlier), frequency, intensity, and duration.
 The recommended frequency of exercise to improve most
components of health-related physical fitness is three to five times
per week.
 The method for deter­mining the intensity of exercise varies with
the type of exercise performed.
 In general, research has shown that 20 to 30 minutes per exercise
session (performed at least three times per week) is the minimum
amount of time required to significantly improve physical fitness.
 Note that the duration of exercise does not include the warm-up or
cool-down.
 The cool-down is essential to complete your workout.
 Your cool-down should last about as long as your warm-
up - 15 minutes.
 It is basically a reverse of the warm-up.

 Gradually decrease your exercise intensity.

 Cool-down by light calisthenics, stretching and walking.

 A cool-down period accom­plishes several goals.

 one primary purpose of a cool-down is to allow blood to
be returned from the muscles back toward the heart.
 some fitness experts argue that post-exercise muscle
soreness may be reduced as a result of a cool-down.