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Exercise is Medicine on Campus Month
Being physically active has a many health benefits and helps in maintaining a better quality of life. But you may wonder how one measures how physically fit they are?
Join our Fitness Assessment Day and find out how physically fit you are! Physical fitness can be divided into 5 different health-related components, which can be a useful guide to help you achieve physical fitness and promote good health. Each of these components will be assessed during our Fitness Assessment Day, to give you a clear overview of your own level of fitness.
The five components of physical fitness can be divided into: Cardiovascular endurance, Muscular strength, Muscular endurance, Flexibility and Body composition.
Body Composition
Having too much body fat and not enough muscle can lead to health problems. Looking into your body’s ratio of fat mass to fat-free mass like muscle and bone, helps determine your physical fitness. Too much body fat has been linked to a greater risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Test: Bioelectric Impedance Analysis
Muscular Strength
Muscular Strength is how much force your muscles can exert or how heavy they can lift. Being physically strong can make day-to-day tasks much easier, as being stronger helps you move and lift heavier objects with more ease. It is advised to to prioritize muscular strength training of all major muscle groups.
Test: Back Strength Dynamometer Test
Muscular Endurance
Muscular endurance is the ability of your muscles to perform contractions for extended periods of time, rather than just lifting or carrying something for a few seconds. Increasing the performance of these muscles means they can continue to work against resistance, allowing you to withstand exercise for longer without getting fatigued.
Test: YMCA Bench Press Test
Flexibility
One of the most important components of physical fitness is flexibility, the ability to move muscles and joints through a full range of motion. Flexibility training ensures that your body can move through its entire range of motion without pain or stiffness, which helps you perform daily tasks easier and maintain better balance.
Test: Sit and Reach Test
Cardiovascular Endurance
Cardiovascular endurance is your body’s ability to keep up with exercise that forces your cardiovascular system to work for prolonged periods of time. Good cardiovascular endurance allows you to perform activities for longer because your heart and lungs are able to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your working muscles throughout your body.
Test: 3-min Wattbike Aerobic trial
