5 components of Physical Fitness

*Cardiorespiratory Fitness

*Muscular Strength and Endurance

*Flexibility

*Body Composition

*Skill-Related Components

I don’t think anyone is going to argue with both the medical as well as the fitness industries (certainly I'm not going to!). I do think sometimes we get so caught up with all the technical jargon we are SUPPOSED to know that we forget what it actually means, and what will really help us.

And so often we take those different aspects out of balance from one another. Take “Body Composition” for example. There are five components listed above, but we really only think of one.

Am I fat?

While our fat content IS important, it is not the end-all/be-all of true fitness. It is very possible, even common, for someone who is “thin” to be in TERRIBLE shape! I run into it all the time.

…but of course, we don’t think like that.

We wouldn’t DARE criticize someone for being thin, and I certainly know from experience that being overweight is destructive, both physically AND emotionally.

What are the 5 components of physical fitness, then, that will help rather than confuse? They are:

Safety - First and foremost, when pressing toward the goal of becoming a Fitness Woman, we must keep safety in mind. This cannot be stressed enough! Unfortunately, this is something we often do not consider until we have pulled or injured a muscle.

Warm Up and Cool Down– Too often these are overlooked. I cannot tell you how frequently I see them given little or no attention. A proper warm up AND cool down are essential for both minimizing soreness as well as preventing injury.

(Click thumbnail to watch
a short 5-minute Warm Up)

(To see full size,
click on "Warm Up" above.)

Flexibility- (Yes, I stole one from the doctors!) This one is key in preventing injuries, and even makes tying your shoes easier!

Cardio, or Heart Health – A foundation of true health, and one that everyone should be concerned with. Ironically, it is one of the easiest ones to address and the one that makes everything we do harder, if we don’t have it.

Strength training – This wraps up both the muscular strength, as well as the muscular endurance, and breaks it down into chewable bites. Speaking of chewing, this component helps burn Calories, even while you REST!

Do you see a trend? The first 3 out of the 5 components of physical fitness are all related to keeping you healthy enough to keep getting healthy. Hitting the gym isn’t going to do you a bit of good if you twist your ankle or pull a ligament.

And perhaps you noticed I never mentioned anything about “body composition”. That is because if you live healthy, and follow these 5 components of physical fitness, the body composition will take care of itself.

…At least until you reach “the next level”.

So take some time and let us know what those goals are. What are your favorite or least favorite exercises?

Do you have before and after pics you want to post? Submit them.

Even if you just have a fun or interesting story you would like to share, that's okay too. Take a couple minutes and let us know!

What are YOUR personal fitness goals?

What are your fitness goals? Tell us about them, and how you are going to get there!

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Back to top of 5 Components of Physical Fitness

Go to Step Aerobics Videos Page

Home to Fitness-Woman.net