Fitness Focus

Health Areas vs. Skill Areas of Fitness

 

Some of the values of being physically fit are:

 

Meeting emergencies – able to run for help (distance or speed), self-defense, assisting anyone/anything

 

Being healthy - reduces risk of heart disease, back problems, obesity, diabetes

 

Working efficiently – work and play with less fatigue and more efficiency

 

Enjoying leisure ‑ have energy to enjoy your leisure time

 

Examine the relationship between health areas of fitness and skill areas of fitness.  Fitness knowledge, proper training, and practice can help someone improve in all of these areas.

 

Health Areas of Fitness

 

1. Cardiovascular endurance – ability to efficiently move the entire body for long periods of time without stopping

 

     2. Muscular strength ‑ the force a muscle or group of muscles can exert

 

3. Muscular endurance‑ ability of muscle(s) to repeat an action for long periods of time

 

4. Flexibility – the range of motion (how far) of a joint in the body

 

5. Body composition – ratio of body fat to the rest of your body

(written as a percent of body fat)   

 

Skill related fitness could be changed if we first understand how people learn

skills.  Only knowledge, time, and effective practice separate people from learning and improving skills.  Heredity and maturity influence skill related fitness.

 

Skill Areas of Fitness

 

1. Agility – ability to stop, start, and change body position quickly

 

2. Balance – ability to keep an upright posture

 

3. Coordination – two or more muscle actions combined for one act

 

4. Power – ability to apply strength quickly

          

5. Reaction time ‑ time it takes to respond to a stimulus

 

6. Speed – distance a body moves in a given amount if time

                                   (over)

 

 

 

LESSON REVIEW

 

1.  Describe 3 of the 4 values listed of being physically fit. 

 

2.  Describe at least one value (not listed) for being physically fit.

 

3.  What health areas of fitness are you strongest in?  Why?

 

4.  What skill areas of fitness are you best at? Why?

 

5.  Which area of fitness (health or skill) do you think is more important for a lifetime of good health?  Why?