Your body will do what you train it to do.That’s why it’s important to define your goals and focus them.
Here are some fitness components that will help you define your goals and choose your fitness program.
Muscle Strength is the maximum force that you
can exert against resistance at one time.Your
muscle strength comes into play when you pick up a
heavy bag of groceries or lift a small child. It is
developed when a localized muscle is worked both
positively (concentric) and negatively (eccentric) at a
resistance - great enough so you can perform only
five to eight repetitions of the exercise before the
muscle fails. Each set of repetitions is followed by a
rest interval that typically runs three times longer
than the set. Later, between exercise sessions, the
muscle overcompensates for the stress and usually
increases in both strength and size.
Muscle Endurance is the ability to perform
repeated contractions. It comes into play when you
cross-country ski or work on your feet all day.
Endurance training addresses the slow twitch,
endurance muscle fibers,which depend on oxygen
for energy.To develop muscle endurance, use low
resistance and high repetitions - about 15-20
repetitions in each set, three sets to each exercise,
working the muscle only to fatigue.
Muscle Power is the combination of strength and
speed of the muscular contraction. This is often
misinterpreted as a)being directly associated with
certain skill or sport and/or b) meaning that you
must move fast. Load is actually a more important
factor than speed when attempting to improve
power. When training to achieve muscular power,
pick a resistance that fatigues you in the 3-5
repetition range. When performing these reps, it is
more important to think of contracting the muscles
faster rather than attempting to move faster.
Performing sport simulation exercises usually results
in a deterioration of the motor pattern or skill.The
biomechanically sound method of improving power
in your sport is to train for power using the correct
joint movements, as described in this manual.Then
practice the skill associated with your sport, learning
to apply this newly achieved power.
Body Composition is the ratio of fat weight (fat) to
lean weight (muscles, bones and tissue). As you age,
the ratio shifts. The fat weight increases and the
lean weight decreases. Training for muscle strength
will generally increase muscle size and aerobic
conditioning will help burn extra calories.
Performing these two forms of exercise, either at
different times or together, will create the greatest
changes in body fat weight.
Balanced Stre n g t h and alignment are the result of
equal strength developed in all parts of the body. I t
c omes into play in your standing and sitting posture,
and in your ability to perf o rm just about any activity
s a fe ly and effe c t i ve ly. An ove r - d eve l o pment of the
b a ck will round the shoulders; weak or stre t ch e d
a b d o minals can cause lower back pain.You want a
balance of mu s cle strength in front and back .I n
a d d i t i on , you need a balance of strength betw e e n
your middl e,l ow e r, and upper body.
Flexibility is the ability of a muscle or group of
muscles to move the joint through a full range of
motion. Flexibility comes into play when you
execute an overhand serve or stretch for the top
shelf in the kitchen. It is a cooperative movement of
opposite muscle groups. When a muscle contracts,
its opposite muscle group must relax for the action
to occur.Increased flexibility means an increased
range of motion, made possibly by this simultaneous
contracting and relaxing. Good flexibility is
important in protecting the body from injury and
can be achieved through the balanced strength
training programs that are included in this manual.
C a rd i o vascular Endura n c e is the ability of the heart
and lungs to supply oxygen and nutrients to
e xe r cising mu s cles over an extended period of time. I t
c o mes into play when you jog a mile or ride a bike. I t
is a cri t i cal com p onent of ove ra ll fitness and health.
16
Define Your Goals
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