5 Aspects Of Fitness You Need To Know Before Starting A Training Programme

If we undergo any training programme to improve our fitness levels, it may be deliberated that fitness is a very misunderstood concept. Basically, there are five aspects to a better understanding of the human body. Since physiologically, all humans are born equal, these five aspects play an important role in improving the fitness goal of an aspiring runner. Here are the five aspects:

Cardiovascular Endurance

This is the ability of the cardiovascular and respiratory system to transport oxygenated blood to the skeletal muscles for an extended time-frame without feeling the effects of fatigue.

This component of fitness is enhanced by first doing low intensity exercises like walking for 20 minutes without stopping. Such exercises are aerobic in nature which involve low intensity muscular activities. Once the aspiring runner can do the same activity for 60 minutes, the intensity should be increased either by increasing speed (running faster), inclination (walking or running on hills) or resistance (wearing resistance band on both legs while running).

Cardiovascular endurance is important, since without it, muscular endurance cannot be challenged. Once cardiovascular fatigue sets in, it is impossible to use the body’s muscular strength. This is the reason, while running a marathon, if your lungs are not receiving enough oxygen, your legs will get tired.

Muscular Endurance

This simply means the ability of a skeletal muscle or a group of skeletal muscles to continuously contract at normal levels for an extended length of time without getting exhausted. Running would entail muscular endurance in the lower body. In order to achieve uniform muscular endurance throughout the body, exercises are required for both the upper as well as lower body such as devoting three days a week to different physical exercises like running on Monday, swimming on Wednesday and calisthenics on Friday. This will ensure that all parts of the body get conditioned by muscular endurance.

Without muscular endurance, the cardiovascular endurance cannot be challenged. If a person has great cardiovascular endurance, but does not have a good muscular endurance in his legs, he will not be able to run long distances. Also, lack of muscular endurance in the leg muscles can cause difficulties for a person while climbing stairs for a longer period, despite a normal heart-beat.

Musculoskeletal Strength

This is described as the ability of a group of skeletal muscles to generate force in one maximal contraction. A decrease in this component of fitness leads the body to early degeneration such as osteoarthritis and spondylitis. Weakness of the musculoskeletal system also exposes the body to a high risk of injuries while performing any task involving force against resistance, like running a half marathon on a tar road, without hurting your knees, ankles or lower back.

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In order to prevent injuries, it is of utmost importance to have a good musculoskeletal strength. Weight-training exercises should be done by starting off with a pair of 3kg dumb bells and increasing it to 5kg and beyond after the added strength is derived from this kind of weight training.

Flexibility

This is the capability of the body to sustain a full and complete range of motions around the joints. This is achieved by not allowing the skeletal muscle to lose their elasticity. Adequate flexibility is necessary to prevent injuries. A stiff muscle that has lost its elasticity is more likely to tear in the event of a movement trying to go through a full range of motions around a joint.

Lack of flexibility would result in injuries while running. For instance, a person with stiff calves and hamstrings will sustain knee and lower back injuries while running. Stretching exercises must be done after every running workout for the body’s safety.

Ideal Body Composition

This is the ability of the individual to maintain the ideal ratio of adipose (fat) tissue to lean body mass. A normal woman has about 5% more adipose (fat) tissue than a normal man. Lean mass has tone and shape, whereas fat is untoned and shapeless.

Accordingly, an increase in lean mass causes the body to be in shape and stay firm and toned. Lean mass is metabolically active, whereas fat does not directly contribute to energy expenditure due to its metabolic inactivity. However, it acts as an energy storehouse in the human body during calorie deficit or during periods of prolonged stress like running an ultra marathon. An increase in lean mass increases the strength of the musculoskeletal system, whereas an increase in fat leads to an increase in cardiovascular diseases. To aid in having an ideal body composition, adequate nutrition in the form of protein, carbohydrates and fats should be consumed in the appropriate quantity. In short, exercise coupled with correct nutrition gives the person an ideal body composition.