Have you ever wondered what it actually means to be fit? Have you ever wondered if you’re fit or not? Is it just being able to run some metres without getting tired or being strong or having a flat tummy? Well, there are five basic components of physical fitness, according to studies.

If you fail to exhibit these five components, oops, sorry, you’re not very fit. You need a standard workout routine and diet plan desperately. LOL

The fact that you have no chronic or visible health issue doesn’t make you fit or healthy. Assess yourself with these components:

1) CARDIOVASCULAR ENDURANCE

This is the ability to engage the cardiovascular system (the heart and the blood vessels), alongside the lungs in a taxing activity without quickly getting tired. In other words, being able to engage in physical activities such as running, jogging, rowing, cycling etc. for a prolonged time and still having the CVS in a good condition.

The best test for cardiovascular endurance is the Cooper Test. It is a test to determine how much distance one can run or walk in 12 minutes. If you can cover a long distance in 12 minutes, well, you’re doing well because you have cardiovascular endurance.

2) MUSCULAR STRENGTH

This is simply being able to lift heavy object or weights. It is the amount of force or power than the muscles can use to lift a particular weight. Muscular strength is what keeps you strong and energetic. Arnold Schwarzenegger could bench press 500lbs, that’s someone with insane muscular strength.

To improve your muscular strength, you need to work with weights, either body weight, free weights (dumbbells and barbells) or machine weights. For example, doing 3 sets of 8-10 reps of push-ups or lifting 6-8 reps of heavy barbell. All of these forms of exercise will help improve muscular strength.

3) MUSCULAR ENDURANCE

Simply put, this is the quality of the muscles being able to stretch itself or undergo prolonged activity. It is the ability of the muscles to undergo contractions that are enough to cause fatigue, but still being able to endure the contractions.

Muscular endurance can also be referred to as STAMINA. Long-distance race is a good example of a sport that requires muscular endurance, so also is cycling and others.

To improve your muscular endurance with weights, you should lift lighter weights with 25-30 reps or do more than 25 reps of push-ups (increase the number of reps with time). Exercises such as plank, wall sit, many reps of squats and so on, will increase the muscular endurance.

4) BODY COMPOSITION

Body composition refers to the amount or ratio of fat mass in comparison to fat-free mass (which are lean muscles, bones and organs too). Your body composition is what determines your body weight.

Meanwhile, when the fat mass is greater than the fat-free mass, it is not a very good situation. So, instead, we should focus on losing the fat and gaining muscles instead. Not only about building very bulky muscles, but it is safer and more beneficial to replace the fat mass with muscles, basically by DIET AND EXERCISE.

So, to be classified as fit, your fat mass must be extremely low whilst the fat-free mass should be higher. The scale cannot give you your body composition, just your body weight. So, it’ll be a good idea to check your body composition, so you can know the right steps to take.

5) FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility is an extremely important component of physical fitness. People tend to ignore it for reasons best known to them. Flexibility has to do with being able to rotate the joints of the body to their full rotary angles. People who have very high flexibility are gymnasts, dancers, athletes etc.

Take a quick test to determine your flexibility: sit on a flat surface, with your legs extended forward and then try to reach your toes. If you’re able to touch your toes, then you’re quite flexible.

Many yoga poses require high flexibility. So, if you’re stiff and you wish to get flexible, yoga is a good solution. Also, constantly practice the sit and reach test above, perform body stretches, pilates, twists, lunges. Flexibility will help you move and work better.

BOTTOMLINE

If you’re able to incorporate into your routine exercises that will help you meet up with these five components, you can rest assured that you’re on your way to fitness glory. Pay the price to achieve the result.

That’s it on this post. Please like, share massively and please do drop your comments below, tell me if you meet these criteria or not, or maybe not all of them. I’d love to know.

Merci 💪