Fitness Is Broader Than You Think

When it comes to fitness, most of us picture lifting heavy weights in the gym while making grunting noises as we work out. While that is not an inaccurate depiction of fitness for some, it is, however, a narrowly defined aspect of fitness. Fitness entails a lifestyle that is made up of healthy choices over unhealthy ones. Fitness is about more than working out in the gym. Fitness is broader than you think.
This article will shed light on what fitness is. Its benefits and different types. 

Fitness

According to the National Academy of Sports Science:
“Fitness is the condition of being physically fit and healthy and involves attributes that include, but are not limited to mental acuity, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, and flexibility.”

Endurance

Endurance mainly consists of two types, cardiovascular, and muscular. Both are an essential cog of fitness. According to Medical News Today:
“Cardiorespiratory endurance indicates how well our body can supply fuel during physical activity via the body’s circulatory and respiratory systems.”

There are several forms of cardiovascular exercises that challenge our respiratory functions. One of the best cardiovascular exercises with low impact on muscles is jump rope.

Jump rope is a low-impact cardiovascular exercise that burns up to 10 calories per minute. Furthermore, it is low impact, therefore, it does not exert fatigue onto your muscles.

Muscular Fatigue on the other hand, is achieved by pushing your muscles to failure. It usually involves high intensity workouts that involve little to no rest. This prevents the muscles from getting any rest and thus results in tremendous amounts of fatigue.

Play

A form of exercise not usually attributed to fitness. What exactly is play? Play is indulging in recreational sports activities that push your body to work while you enjoy a particular team sport. Sports like football, basketball, and hockey are taxing on our bodies. However, our minds are distracted with the spirit of the game. Do not underestimate the power of indulging in play. Playing your favorite sport once or twice a week can be a great way to get your endurance exercise in. Therefore, it is recommended to add recreational sports to your fitness routine.

Strength Training

Last but not least, strength training. The benefits of strength training are endless and deserve a separate post for itself. So, we will keep this short. Strength training is about your muscles exerting force during an activity. Some of the main benefits of strength training include injury prevention as well as overall strength gains. Meaning you are a stronger being and can perform better physically. If a muscle is stressed upon consistently it gains in strength over time. That is why you get stronger gradually and can reap the physical rewards. A large part of that is changing body composition as well as muscle structure. Our bodies when put under physical stress respond by changing. This change involves increase in muscular mass as well as size.

In general, your fitness must always be more than just lifting weights. You should look to incorporate a well-rounded fitness routine that challenges all aspects of your body.