FITT 2

• Fitness


  Condition that helps us look, feel and do our best; foundation for health and well-being
• Exercise


  Planned, structured, repetitive movement of body designed to improve or maintain physical fitness
• Hypokinetic


  Describes many of diseases and conditions associated with inactivity and poor fitness and first originated in the book Hypokinetic Disease (Kraus & Raab,1961)
• Hypokinetic conditions


  • Obesity
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Osteoporosis
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Lower back pain
  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Physically active people have 33-50% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with inactive people
• The preventative effect is particularly strong for those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as it can reduce their risk of developing the disease by up to 64%
• Physical activity programs can help reduce the risk of falling, and therefore fractures, among older people
• Physical activity is effective in the treatment of clinical depression and can be as successful as psychotherapy or medication, particularly in the longer term
• Physical activity is associated with a reduction in overall risk of cancer. In colon cancer the most active individuals have, on average, a 40-50% lower risk than the least active
• Women with higher levels of physical activity have about a 30% lower risk of breast cancer than the least active
• Physical activity is a major independent protective factor against coronary heart disease in men and women
• Inactive and unfit people have almost double the risk of dying from coronary heart disease compared with more active and fit people
• People at high risk of coronary heart disease may benefit even more from physical activity compared with people at lower risk
• Physical activity also significantly reduces the risk of a stroke and provides effective treatment of peripheral vascular disease
• Aerobic / Cardiovascular exercise

  Low to moderate in intensity using slow twitch muscle fibres; primarily utilise energy created from the aerobic energy system and typically use large muscle groups in a rhythmical movement for extended periods of time
• Aerobic / Cardiovascular exercises


  • Cycling
  • Swimming
  • Running
• VO2 max


  The maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and use oxygen during exercise; Widely accepted as the single best measure of cardiovascular fitness and maximal aerobic power
• Absolute values of VO2 max are typically 40-60% higher in men than in women
• Standard VO2 max tests

  • Cooper VO2 max test (12 minute maximum run)
  • The multi stage fitness test (bleep test)
  • Queens college step test
  • Rockport Fitness walking test
• Anaerobic / Resistance exercise

  Resistance exercises are a form of strength training at a moderate to high intensity using fast twitch muscle fibres to apply effort or force to overcome a specific load; Energy for resistance training is primarily anaerobic (without oxygen) in both the ATPPC and lactate systems
• Types of muscle contractions in resistance training

  • Isometric - contracting muscles stay the same length whilst applying a force
  • Concentric - muscles shorten as they contract under tension to apply force
  • Eccentric - muscles lengthen under tension to apply a force
• Long Term Benefits of Resistance Training

  • Increased bone density
  • Increased resting metabolic rate
  • Decreased body fat percentage
  • Increased creatine phosphate & adenosine triphosphate stores
  • Decreased blood pressure
  • Decreased blood cholesterol markers
  • Muscular hypertrophy
  • Improved posture
  • Improved core stability
  • Decreased risk of injury
  • Increased range of movement
  • Improved power
  • Improved strength
  • Increase in number and size of mitochondria
  • Improved motor unit firing and ability to recruit motor units
• Long Term Benefits of Cardiovascular Training

  • Increased lung capacity/increase in VO2 max
  • Hypertrophy of cardiac tissue
  • Increased blood volume and red blood cell count
  • Increased cardiac output and stroke volume
  • Increased number of capillaries (capillarisation)
  • Reduction in blood pressure
  • Increased number of mitochondria
  • Increase in bone density
  • Lower blood cholesterol markers (reduction in HDL count)
  • Reduction in body fat
• Posture


  Position in which you hold your body in relation to gravity
• Exercise requirements to improve Lordosis


  • Strengthen Abdominals
  • Strengthen Gluteals
  • Strengthen Hamstrings
  • Stretch Hip Flexors
  • Stretch Quadriceps
  • Stretch Erector Spinae
• Exercise requirements to improve Kyphosis

  • Strengthen Posterior Deltoid
  • Strengthen Trapezius
  • Strengthen Rhomboid
  • Strengthen Infraspinatus and Teres Minor
  • Stretch Latissimus Dorsi
  • Stretch Pectorals
  • Stretch Anterior Deltoid
• Exercise requirements to improve Flat Back

  • Strengthen Posterior Deltoids
  • Strengthen Trapezius
  • Strengthen Rhomboids
  • Strengthen Infraspinatus and Teres Minor
  • Strengthen Hip Flexors
  • Strengthen Quadriceps
  • Stretch Gluteals
  • Stretch Hamstrings
  • Stretch Pectorals
  • Stretch Abdominals
• Factors affecting fitness


  • Diet
  • Activity level / type
  • Physical disabilities
  • Illness and fatigue
  • Drugs
• Warm-up


  Exercise that gradually builds in intensity at the beginning of a workout to prepare muscles, heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature for the forthcoming exercises
• Cool-down


  Exercise that gradually decreases in intensity at the end of a workout to return the body to a pre-exercise state and reduce the risk of injury
• Types of warm-up


  • Passive Warm Up - increases body temperature by some external means
  • General Warm Up - increases body temperature by using general rhythmical body movements which use large muscle groups
  • Exercise Specific Warm Up - increases body temperature while mimicking the movements of the upcoming exercise
• Warm up


  • Increases range of motion by making muscles more extensible
  • Increases oxygen and essential nutrients to muscle tissue due to increased blood flow
  • Enhances neural pathways and speeds up reaction time
  • Secretes synovial fluid to lubricate joints
  • Psychological preparation for physical activity/exercise
• The risk of injury can be reduced by about one third and the risk of severe injuries by as much as a half
• Types of warm up

  • Passive warm up
  • General warm up
  • Exercise specific warm up
• Passive warm up


  Increases body temperature by some external means (e.g. bath or massage)
• General warm up


  Increases body temperature by using general rhythmical body movements which use large muscle groups (e.g. jogging, cycling, rowing)
• Exercise specific warm up

  Increases body temperature whilst using specific muscle groups that are going to be used within the exercise following the warm up (e.g. football drills and exercises)
• Cool down


  Returns body to a pre-exercise state through a gradual decrease in intensity, allowing a gradual decrease in temperature, heart rate and blood pressure
• Types of stretching for warm up

  • Static
  • Dynamic
  • Ballistic
• Types of stretching for cool down

  • Static (Maintenance)
  • Static (Developmental)