The three powerful aspects of fitness – actually, make that four
There are three well-known aspects to fitness
·??????Endurance
·??????Strength
·??????Flexibility
These are also referred to as the ‘Three S’s’ of fitness
·??????Stamina – for endurance (cardiorespiratory and muscular)
·??????Strength – meaning muscular strength
·??????Suppleness – a synonym for flexibility starting with the letter S
Ideal fitness routines have a balance of these three aspects
I’m sure you can envisage from the terms what the three aspects are and whether your routines cover them all.
In this article I’ll briefly explain these in more detail and propose what I believe to be an equally important fourth aspect of fitness.
Endurance
This form of exercise increases our ability to sustain physical activity and the list of benefits to health is long.
Obviously, the duration and intensity of your endurance exercise depends on the outcomes you want.
Training for general health and easy performance of daily living activities or getting around a golf course looks quite different to training for an endurance event like a triathlon.
While there are different forms of endurance training, for most people it involves continuous activity at a sustainable pace for an extended period (> 30 minutes).
Endurance training examples
Activities such as lap swimming, running, cycling, and brisk walking are common examples.
Some people prefer a long session on a piece of cardio equipment like a rower, cross trainer, stationary bike, or treadmill.
Endurance training can also be done at higher intensity for shorter periods of time with lots of options available for giving it a try.
A key indicator of improvement in this area is decreased resting heart rate (slow pulse).
People with a high level of endurance fitness can have resting heart rates less than 50 beats per minute whereas the normal range is 60 – 100 beats per minute.
Muscular endurance
The endurance training I’ve described so far is mostly about the heart and lungs, but it also builds stamina in the muscles used to do the activities.
And muscular endurance has standalone importance.
Our muscles need staying power to maintain posture and do everyday activities as well as the leisure and physical activities we enjoy.
Muscular endurance can be improved through strength training which leads me to the second aspect of fitness.
Strength
This one is all about muscles – keeping them strong and powerful.
Muscular strength is important for the same reasons as muscular endurance, but also for maintaining balance and mobility.
Falls and resultant injuries among the elderly population is a big issue for the community which can be avoided through preservation of strength.
We improve strength by doing movements against resistance.
Resistance can be our own bodyweight, weights, or bands.
I reckon most people think about gyms when the idea of strength/resistance training comes up, but there are many ways to do this type of exercise without setting foot in a gym.
Hypertrophy
Improvement in muscle strength with resistance training comes with hypertrophy, which is increase in muscle size.
I’m not talking about body builder hypertrophy, that requires a very specific regime of lifting.
The increase in muscle size that goes with general strength training is commonly called ‘definition’ or ‘toning’.
Strength training can be neglected in favour of endurance but remember, a well-rounded fitness routine covers the three aspects of fitness – including flexibility.
领英推荐
Flexibility
Flexibility or suppleness is the range of movement we have about our joints and is a key component to the mobility we need for both daily living and leisure activities.
You may already be experiencing the fact that flexibility decreases with age.
The good news is that flexibility, and therefore mobility, can be maintained and improved by keeping both muscle and connective tissue healthy through exercise.
And of course, it’s important to:
Stretch
If you’re not already, add 3 – 5 minutes of stretching to the end of your workouts.
I spend up to 10 minutes stretching after all my workouts. I love stretching.
My sessions with clients always conclude with stretching.
You can do stretching even if you’re not currently exercising. Spending 5 minutes per day having a stretch is a starting point.
If you’re in need of a really good stretch, try a yoga class.
I also swear by regular (monthly) remedial massage to release tight spots and contribute to my suppleness.
There are objective measures of flexibility, but you’ll be able to tell subjectively by improvements in mobility and the range of things you can do.
So, what is my fourth powerful aspect of fitness?
It’s difficult to define because it’s a vibe.
A good feeling, like you’ve got plenty of energy and composure.
Maybe it’s because exercise is a great outlet for stress.
You force yourself to take time out from your stressors or demanding routine.
If I had to assign it an S word to make it the ‘Four S’s’ of fitness I’d pick:
Serenity
This might seem absurd – how can doing vigorous exercise be calming?
I don’t necessarily mean that the activities themselves are soothing.
Although exercise can sooth – I’m thinking of swimming, yoga, an easy paced run or walking in a lovely location – it’s not the participation time I’m talking about.
It’s the feeling that carries through after the workout and into your everyday life – the vibe.
I believe this is equally important
The three well-known facets of fitness relate to physicality whereas my fourth goes beyond the tangible.
It’s great to have these clearly defined physical aspects of fitness and feeling good physically is important.
However, the nebulous good feelings I’ve suggested here are critical to overall wellbeing and of equal importance to the physical benefits of exercise.
Rapid benefits
While it might take weeks or months of training to improve endurance, strength or flexibility, the benefit of serenity can be felt much more quickly after commencing exercise.
Rather than taking a fitness test of some objective measure to gauge improvements in the other three strands, my fourth domain of fitness can be assessed by simply asking yourself how you feel.
Just feeling good is reason enough to exercise
Many of us find it hard to get going with exercise despite knowing that it’s vital for our health.
Let’s reframe our reasons for exercise and just do it to feel good.
Keep in touch
You can email me at?[email protected]?or connect via social media.