When it comes to a physical fitness program "one size does not fit all".To develop a physical fitness program to fit your needs and lifestyle, there are variables and principles that you control Health related fitness is an individual quality that varies from person to person, our bodies are different, we place different demands on our body, we have different fitness and health goals. You can even tailor your program to focus on specific skills required to participate in leisure activities and sports. Three essential variables you control:
Having an understanding of these variables and using them effectively will help you reach the level of fitness that you desire. The duration and frequency guidelines for a physical fitness program are very straight-forward and easily defined. But, intensity is often left to interpretation. Duration Duration refers to the amount of time an activity or exercise session should be conducted. The effect of increasing duration is easiest demonstrated in aerobic type activities. “When one increases the length of a walk, the muscles need more oxygen and the heart must work harder even when ones walks at the same pace”. Frequency Whether your physical fitness program involves cardiovascular, resistance or flexibility training, it is expressed in times per day or days per week. Intensity Intensity refers to the amount of energy needed to perform a particular activity or exercise. Intensity can be completely different from one individual to another. What may be hard for one person could be quite easy for someone else. The principles of exercise, explain how variations in your physical fitness program affect your body’s response.
Personalize them to what you want to achieve. Overload The principle of overload states that a greater than normal stress or load on the body is required for training adaptation to take place. If you can do something without much effort your body does not need to adapt. Overload to the cardiovascular system and muscular system stimulates changes in strength and endurance as one repeats it. In order for a muscle (including the heart) to increase strength, it must be gradually stressed by working against a load greater than it is used to. To increase endurance, muscles must work for a longer period of time than they are used to or at a higher intensity. One can accomplish an overload through several means; the most common being is to increase the intensity, duration, and frequency of the activity. “You may be able to walk around the block without too much stress, if you increase the speed or lengthen the distance the increased effort overloads the system slightly”. Since your body gradually adapts to the overload principle, you should vary only one of these variables at a time for best possible results. A certain amount produces a good training response, while too much overload increases the chance of injury. Progression The basic concept of this principle is that in order for the body to adapt properly, one must progress slowly and appropriately. The principle of progression states that as the body adapts to the exercise program you must gradually increase the overload to continue to adapt. To promote continued fitness gains, one must consistently subject the body and its respective systems to progressively greater workload. If a person walks 20 minutes a day at the same speed, at some point that person will only be maintaining there cardiovascular fitness, not advancing it. “This is good if you have reached the level you desire”. As you have adapted to a certain level of fitness, one or more of the "variables" can than be modified. It is critical that all progressions are gradual and small in nature to prevent over loading the body's ability to recover. One of the most common causes of injury in any physical fitness program is improper progression, increasing the overload too quickly. If your present level of activity is low do not start at a vigorous level. Reversibility The reversibility principle states that if you stop exercising you will lose the physical capabilities that you are no longer using. Reversibility is the “use it or lose it” concept. The principle also applies to long periods of inactivity, a person can reverse the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. The longer you have been inactive, the more you will have to adjust your physical fitness program start-up level. With regular activity the body adapts and gains strength, endurance and flexibility, regardless of the age at which one starts exercising. Specificity Specificity is one of the reasons you need a balanced physical fitness program with cardiovascular, strength and flexibility exercises. The specificity principle simply states that exercising a certain part or component of the body develops that part. Your body will make adjustments according to the type of training you perform and in the muscles that you exercise. If one performs strength exercises for the arms, one gains strength in the arms. The specific purpose of the exercise you are doing is to provide muscular resistance to the arms. Someone who walks a lot could be quickly out of breath when swimming. Walking moves the arms and legs in a certain way, with the legs doing most of the work, the swimming motion is entirely different, and one primarily uses the arms. This principle will help guide you in designing your fitness training program that will help you meet your goals. To improve your endurance, strength and flexibility you must perform activities your body will adapt to. When developing a strength training program, it is important to balance muscle development by including exercises that train all major muscle groups of the body. You can also train for a specific activity or a sport you are interested in, optimal performance is achieved when the muscles are trained for the movements required for that activity or sport. Your physical fitness program should be specific to your goals. People involved in recreational activities like golf can develop both health related fitness components and performance-related components related to that specific activity. Recovery Each activity or exercise session provides a specific stress to your body’s systems. The body then requires rest to in order to recover and recuperate between such sessions. This is necessary if you want to adapt to the stress of exercise and eventually improve your fitness and conditioning level. A recovery period is especially important with respect to resistance training, due to the physiological stress your muscles experience. Your muscles recover and grow stronger during these rest periods, not when you are exercising. This is why one should never train the same muscle group on two consecutive days; this practice will often lead to a state of over-training and injury. No matter what your age, it’s never too late to start a physical fitness program, even if you have never worked out before, do not let that stop you.
Each type of activity provides its own unique health, fitness and weight-control benefits. Next: Cardiovascular Fitness
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