Today, our world is experiencing a true technological revolution that has greatly enhanced various aspects of life.
However, this progress has not been without its negative consequences. People have replaced their legs with swift modern transportation vehicles, and they control advanced machinery using remote devices instead of utilizing their own arms.
Additionally, chefs have become adept at preparing calorie-rich fast foods that lack proper nutritional value.
Numerous health issues have been documented, including sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), drug-related problems, smoking-related illnesses, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and widespread fatty conditions across all societies.
Consequently, engaging in sports, adopting healthy habits, and fostering a culture of wellness stand as the ideal solutions to counteract these mounting challenges.
Physical education has been and remains a vital method for enhancing physical fitness. Its significance spans across all levels and forms of education, persisting as a requirement for graduation within various international universities.
This includes institutions like King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. Furthermore, the subject of health education and promoting well-being has transformed into a necessity, gaining prominence in the decision-making processes of esteemed academic institutions.
The Goal of Physical Fitness
Living below your health potential is unwise. You require more than the bare minimum effort to accomplish your tasks, especially during emergencies. The active coordination of body systems, including the heart, respiratory system, and muscles, empowers us to effectively perform our daily activities.
Our emotions, nerves, glands, lungs, heart, and muscles synergistically constitute a marvelously intricate organism—akin to a bodybuilder's creation. Physically fit individuals not only appear better but also experience an enhanced sense of well-being.
They possess the essential attributes for a fulfilling and joyful life brimming with activity. However, the decline of fitness stems from adopting a sedentary lifestyle that leads to lethargy and unfitness. Coupled with this, our consumption of rich foods laden with cholesterol, fat, sugar, and calories contributes to the problem.
These excessive calories can transform into unsightly layers of fat. Nevertheless, an intelligently devised fitness regimen based on individual preferences and needs stands as the rational remedy to counteract the negative influences imposed by contemporary sedentary tendencies prevalent in advanced industrial and technological societies.
Humanity, in its pursuit of technological advancement, has crafted machines and grown increasingly dependent on them, ultimately becoming captives of their dominion.
This reliance on machines has facilitated the fulfillment of daily necessities with minimal physical exertion. Concurrently, the demands of our daily endeavors are accompanied by unrelenting pressure, as we perpetually race against time to meet deadlines.
The contemporary way of life necessitates our participation in practical and social gatherings involving consumption of food, drink, and even tobacco at times. These practices amplify stress and tension.
Many researchers have documented the harmful effects of sedentary work environments and modern conveniences, linking them to weight gain and low fitness levels. Since 1990 ad obesity doubled in the United States of America, despite a 110-calorie reduction in eating. This clearly shows that simply cutting calories is not enough to avoid weight gain. Physical exercise increases the metabolic rate five times more than a relaxed condition, especially for beginners (45).
Each of us deserves an opportunity to develop skills and enjoy a fulfilling life. Therefore, I signed up for the 8 Fitness Program. It will provide individuals with knowledge about the physiological processes of the body. The best time to establish fitness habits is during childhood. A sense of the importance of physical fitness begins in the early twenties. At this point, when maturity is reached, your body can achieve its peak of healthy physiological activity.
However, we notice the decline of this peak vital activity in some young people due to the negative effects of an inactive lifestyle. Increased body fat, loss of muscle activity, and shortness of breath are obvious signs of physiological regression.
It has been proven that limited activities do not fully utilize the lungs and give no stimulation for the heart to form a training effect. Regular stimulation of the whole body through exercises generates characteristics associated with good health.
And these qualities cannot be acquired by watching sports on TV or sitting on the bench all day, or eating fast food (33). Some experts argue that exercise is the least costly preventative treatment in the world, and many specialists in physiology and education emphasize that fitness efforts are essential to maintaining effective physical health.
People who exercise are also less likely to need to see a doctor or be admitted to the hospital compared to others.
It is clear that we also need food, rest, and sleep. Alongside these, intense exercise daily is necessary to maintain our physical capabilities.
Exercise provides the foundation for integrated physiological health and the ability to enjoy a lifestyle that only the trained can achieve. Achieving physical fitness requires intense exercises for the whole body, and the results obtained are worth the effort and sweat spent.
The excuse of not having time for exercise is the number one reason given for not engaging in it. However, with a little modification in lifestyle and determination, the goal can be achieved. Making exercise a necessity involves scheduling it just like any other appointment or commitment within the day.
Numerous studies have been conducted across various countries regarding the theories discussing how physical fitness affects longevity.
These countries include Canada, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom. All these studies have reported an inverse relationship between the level of fitness and the causes of death (4-6).
This relationship holds true for both men and women of different age groups. Strong and interconnected evidence supports the inverse correlation between cardiovascular diseases, especially coronary artery disease, and physical activity (7-36).
These findings are based on years of research, leading experts to believe that the lack of engagement in sports activities is causally linked to cardiovascular diseases (20-25-37).
Physical exercises undoubtedly improve fitness levels and play a crucial role in reducing chronic diseases (3; 8), consequently lowering the rates of premature mortality. Regular exercises also impact the modification of cardiovascular systems, skeletal muscles, and neural networks. This enhances work capacity with lower blood pressure and heart rate during physical activities.
It has been demonstrated that individuals engaging in any type of physical activity, whether through their work nature or lifestyle choices, are more likely to enjoy better health. Limited participation in sports activities also affects individuals who have certain factors such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and smoking habits; this can lead to gains during physical activities.
Just as athletes strive to enhance their performance through practical training programs, non-athletes can also benefit from physical training programs to enhance their professional performance. This is particularly relevant for those engaged in tasks that don't require significant physical effort, such as electrical or computer-related work; these tasks accumulate and can lead to disorders like neck pain, lower back pain, joint strain, or fatigue.
Major companies in Europe have been offering physical fitness programs to their employees since the 1960s. This idea has spread to Canada, the United States, Japan, and some developing countries. Such programs have been claimed to enhance mental performance and physical health.
Observations have shown decreased absenteeism, increased productivity, and the cultivation of a healthy and practical employee attitude. Moreover, it has the added benefit of reducing healthcare costs.
Benefits of Physical Exercise
There are numerous health benefits that can be gained from engaging in regular physical exercises. Some of these benefits are listed below:
- Increased Strength: Physical exercise enhances muscular strength.
- Enhanced Flexibility: Regular workouts improve flexibility.
- Muscle Mass Gain: Engaging in exercise helps increase muscle mass in the body.
- Improved Lung Capacity: Exercise enhances the vital capacity of the lungs.
- Efficient Oxygen Exchange: Physical activity improves the efficiency of oxygen exchange.
- Reduced Body Fat: Regular exercise leads to a reduction in body fat.
- Lower Blood Pressure: Physical activity contributes to reducing blood pressure.
- Resting Heart Rate Reduction: Exercise lowers resting heart rate.
- Enhanced Cardiovascular Efficiency: Physical workouts improve cardiovascular efficiency.
- Improved Blood Clotting Systems: Exercise enhances blood clotting mechanisms.
- Reduced Risk of Colorectal Cancer: Physical activity decreases the risk of colon or rectal cancer.
- Stress Management: Exercise aids in better stress management.
- Enhanced Self-Image: Regular physical activity boosts self-esteem.
- Improved Quality of Life: Engaging in exercise leads to an improved quality of life.
- Increased Heart Size and Strength: Exercise results in an enlargement and strengthening of the heart.
- Enhanced Blood Vessel Size and Strength: Physical activity increases the size and strength of blood vessels.
- Increased Blood Volume to the Heart: Regular exercise raises the volume of blood delivered to the heart.
- Elevated Blood Volume: Physical workouts lead to an increase in blood volume.
- Higher Red Blood Cell Count: Exercise contributes to an increased count of red blood cells.
- Lower Blood Lipids (Cholesterol and Triglycerides): Regular physical activity helps reduce blood lipid levels.
- Increased High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol: Exercise raises HDL cholesterol levels.
- Reduced Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Cholesterol: Physical activity decreases LDL cholesterol levels.
- Improved Post-Exercise Recovery: Engaging in exercise enhances post-workout recovery.
- Reduced Muscle Soreness: Physical activity reduces muscle soreness after exercise.
- Lower Back Pain Reduction: Regular workouts decrease the likelihood of experiencing back pain.
- Hormonal Regulation: Exercise improves hormone regulation.
- Enhanced Cardiac Electrical Synchronization: Physical activity improves the heart's electrical synchronization.
- Improved Blood Sugar Regulation: Engaging in exercise enhances blood sugar control.
By incorporating physical exercise into your routine, you can enjoy these multifaceted health benefits and lead a more balanced and healthier lifestyle.
What is physical fitness
There are many variations to the definition of fitness. Here are some of these definitions:
- Absence of disease.
- The ability to perform tasks.
- The ability to perform daily work and other activities with additional energy for emergency situations.
- The ability to withstand the accompanying burnout of everyday life.
- Healthy feeling and appearance.
- The absorbing ability of the heart, blood vessels, lungs and muscles to work to their maximum potential.
In general, physical fitness can be easily understood by revealing its five components. Namely:
1. Body structure.
2. Muscular strength.
3. Muscular endurance.
4. Flexibility.
5. Respiratory circulatory fitness.
In the coming chapters we will explain in more detail each of these components. And anyone will be able to measure the components of their physical fitness. He will be able to develop his own program to improve all the components according to his personal level.