PATHFIT 2 Module
PATHFIT 2 Module
( Physical Activity
Towards Health and Fitness )
– EXERCISE-BASED FITNESS
ACTIVITIES
Introduction
- Physical fitness refers to the ability of your body systems to work together efficiently
to allow you to be healthy and perform activities of daily living. Being efficient
means doing daily activities with the least effort possible. A fit person is able to
perform schoolwork, meet home responsibilities, and still have enough energy to
enjoy sport and other leisure activities. A fit person can respond effectively to normal
life situations, such as raking leaves at home, stocking shelves at a part-time job, and
marching in the band at school. A fit person can also respond to emergency situations
- for example, by running to get help or aiding a friend in distress.
You are as fit as you are competent in each of these 10 skills, and a regimen develops
fitness to the extent that it improves each of these 10 skills.
Total fitness can be defined by how well the body performs in each one of the
components of physical fitness as a whole. It is not enough to be able to bench press your
body weight. You also need to determine how well you can handle running a mile etc.
Cardiorespiratory Endurance
Definition: The ability of your heart,
blood vessels, lungs, and blood to deliver
oxygen and nutrients to all of your
body's cells while you are being
physically active. Frequency, Intensity,
Time, and Type depend on the goals of
the individual. Link to FITT for
Cardiorespiratory is coming soon! To
improve your cardiorespiratory endurance, try
activities that keep your heart rate elevated at a safe
level for a sustained length of time such as walking,
swimming, or bicycling.
Muscular Strength
Body Composition
Definition: refers to the ratio of lean body
tissue (muscle & bone) to body-fat tissue. A
person's total body weight (what you see on a
scale) may not change over time. But the
bathroom scale does not assess how much is
lean mass (muscle, bone, tendons, and
ligaments). Body composition is important to
consider for health and managing your weight.
To improve your body composition all the
health-related components of fitness and good
nutrition are critical. Keep in mind that
nutrition impacts exercise, and exercise impacts
nutritional needs. Learn how to eat healthier without eliminating all the important food
Agility
Is the ability to change the position of your body and to control the movement of your
whole body. Agility is an important quality in many sports, because you must change
direction rapidly and always have your body under control.
Balance
Is the ability to keep an upright posture while either standing still or moving. Good
balance in essential in many activities like skating, surfing, skiing, and gymnastics.
Power
Is the ability to perform with strength at a rapid pace. Strength and speed are both
involved in power. Football players, swimmers, shot-putters, discus throwers, and high
jumpers are examples of athletes who typically have a high degree of power.
Reaction Time
Conditioning Exercises
Conditioning Set no. 1
1. Arm swinging – warm-up
Starting position: Stride stand sideward feet flat on the floor, arms cross down in front.
a. Swing arms sideward, shoulder level ct. 1
b. Return to starting position ct. 2
c. Swing arms obliquely upward ct. 3
d. Position ct. 4
2. Bouncing – warm-up
3. Elbow Push Back – strengthens the upper back, shoulder and arm muscles
Starting Position: Stand erect, arms bent in front of chest, palms down, fingertips touching,
and elbows in line with the shoulders.
a. Push elbows back slowly (4 cts.) and let elbows rebound forward returning to starting
position in 4 counts.
b. Repeat the procedure two more times.
c. Arms down
Starting Position: Stride stand sideward, knees slightly bent, toes turn out, arms in reverse
“T” position, palms facing, fingertips pointing upward.
a. Swing body to R rotating only the upper body to the waist 4 cts.
b. Swing body to the L 4 cts.
c. Do (a) and (b) from side to side for 20 times
Starting Position: Stride standing position, knees slightly bent, hands on knees.
a. Twist body to L bending R shoulder down toward the L knee ct. 1
b. Repeat (a) to R twisting body to R ct. 2
c. Repeat (a&b) and get a good stretch through each of 20 turns
Name: ___________________________________________Date:______________________
Course/Yr./Section:_____________________________Score: _____________________
Instructor: ______________________________________
Sequence of
Movements 20%
Execution 15%
Mastery of
Movements 20%
Evaluated by:
_____________________________________________
FREQUENCY
Frequency refers to how often you exercise. Frequency is also dependent upon the
type of exercise you’re doing. For example, if you are targeting cardiorespiratory endurance
at a moderate-intensity the frequency is 3-5 days, whereas vigorous intensity is 3 days.
However, if you’re targeting muscular strength 2-3 times a week is recommended. Just
remember to have a least one day off per week.
INTENSITY
Intensity refers to how hard you exercise.Intensity can be classified as either moderate
or vigorous. There are two ways you can measure intensity: (a) perceived level of exertion
and (b) heart rate. Perceived level of exertion is how you feel while exercising, so it is a
subjective measure.
TYPE
Type refers to the specific kind of exercise you do to achieve the goals you have
set.There are four major types of exercise you should know: aerobic, anaerobic, strength, and
flexibility.
Aerobic exercise- is a type of moderate intensity physical activity an individual can
sustain for an extended period of time. Aerobic means in the presence of oxygen. For
example, jogging, swimming, or cycling.
Anaerobic exercise- is performed at such a high intensity, it is only done in short
quick bursts. Anaerobic means without oxygen. For example, sprinting, power lifting, or a
HITT workout.
Strength exercises- are designed to improve both muscular strength and endurance.
For example, weight training, resistance bands, and body weight exercises.
Flexibility exercises- improve the range of motion of any given joint or series of
joints. For example, stretching, yoga, and Pilates.
2. Abs defined - Abdominal muscles are also known as “abs.” For well-defined abs, most
people need to lose some body fat around the stomach and then build muscle.
Both males and females can achieve well-defined abs, but genetic and hormonal
factors can make it more challenging for females.
External obliques
These are muscles on the sides of the upper stomach. They support the torso to twist
from side to side.
Internal oblique
The internal obliques are on the lower, outer part of the stomach. They work with the
external obliques to support twisting and turning.
Rectus abdominis
The rectus abdominis consists of two bands of muscle that run down from around the
sternum. They have bands of connective tissue between them, which give the abs their
distinctive six or eight pack look.
The rectus abdominis muscle is important for maintaining posture and breathing.
Transverse abdominis
The transverse abdominis muscles are deep muscles that go from side to side. While
these muscles are harder to see, they provide stability and strength to the torso.
Getting well-defined abs requires a combination of diet and exercise, although
genetics also influence how abs grow and look. There are also differences between males and
females.
Certain genetic factors mean that females can find it more difficult than males to get
well-defined abs. For example, males tend to have more muscle mass than females.
Females
Females have less testosterone than males and more estrogen. Testosterone supports
muscle growth, while estrogen can make it harder to burn body fat.
It is still possible for females to have well-defined abs. However, they can be more
challenging to achieve and may require a lower body fat percentage.
It is important for females to avoid allowing their body fat to drop too low. An article
in the journal Human Reproduction suggests that this can affect regular menstruation. It can
also increase the likelihood of fatigue.
Exercises
Building abs will require exercises that target several muscles in the abdomen.
Introduction
Health promotion can be targeted towards priority health conditions involving a large
population and promoting multiple interventions. In current scenarios, with the new diseases
emerging, unfinished agenda of infectious diseases, and the unprecedented rise of
noncommunicable chronic diseases promoting health has become essential.
Although physical therapists are experts in rehabilitation and habilitation, they play a
key role in promoting fitness and wellness by encouraging active living, providing early
diagnosis of disease, prescribing targeted activity interventions to improve fitness and
participation, and helping individuals overcome personal and environmental barriers to lead
an active lifestyle.
Role of the physiotherapists may include education, direct intervention, research,
advocacy, and collaborative consultation. These roles are essential to the profession’s vision
of transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.
Summary
Before starting with an exercise program, if you haven’t exercised for a while, use the
adult pre-exercise screening tool and consult your doctor for a check-up if required.
Consider your fitness goals. Are you starting a fitness program to help you lose
weight or for some other reason?
Start slowly, build up gradually and monitor your progress.
Consulting an exercise professional when designing your fitness program can help you
reduce injury and customise your program to your needs, especially if you are new to
exercise or you haven’t done any physical activity for a while. Points to keep in mind when
designing your program include:
Consider your goals. Are you starting a fitness program to lose weight or for some
other reason?
Think about your likes and dislikes. Choose activities you will enjoy.
Plan a logical progression of activity. If you’re just beginning to exercise, start
cautiously and progress slowly.
Build activity into your daily routine. Schedule time to exercise as you would any
other appointment.
Think variety. By varying your activities (cross-training), you can avoid exercise
boredom.
Allow time for recovery after exercising and make sure you have an adequate healthy
diet.
Put it on paper. A written plan can encourage you to stay on track.
Be sure to pick shoes designed for the activity you have in mind, as well as for your foot
type. If you’re planning to buy gym equipment, choose something that’s practical, enjoyable
and easy to use.
Start with low intensity activities such as walking with a friend or family member.
Be active on most (preferably all) days every week.
Accumulate 2½ to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity or 1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours
of vigorous physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and
vigorous activities, each week.
Do muscle strengthening activities on at least two days each week.
Remember to:
Assess your progress six weeks after you start your program (by measuring the same
parameters as you did to record your baseline fitness) and then every eight to 12
weeks. You may need to adjust the time, intensity and type of exercise you do to
continue improving. On the other hand, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that
you’re exercising just the right amount to meet your fitness goals.
If you start to lose motivation, set new goals or try a new activity. Exercising with a
friend or taking a class at a local fitness centre may help.