Key Fitness Components

Throughout the history of time, a vast amount of information concerning physical fitness and health has been accumulated. In fact, more health and fitness information is being produced today than in any other period of time.

For someone who has not spent a considerable amount of time giving thought to, and researching, matters related to health and fitness, the breadth of information can seem somewhat overwhelming and intimidating.

One of the biggest concerns that individuals face when they make that initial decision to take an active interest in their overall level of physical fitness and health is that they simply do not know where to start.

In many instances, it is at this initial step where many individuals give up. However, in reality, embracing and beginning a lifestyle that is filled with good health and fitness is easier than most people think.

The goal of this section of our website and its associated articles is to help you sift through the large amount of health and fitness information that is currently available so that you can determine the key fitness components that are most important to you.

Thereafter, you will be able to make a more informed decision regarding the specific activities in which you'll participate. We have chosen to define these fundamental building blocks of good health and fitness as key fitness components.

By understanding the key fitness components associated with health, fitness and mental well-being, you will be able to actively embark on a lifestyle that is conducive to good health. This is one the first sections of our website that you should explore if you are new to the idea of taking an active role in your personal health and fitness.

The Seven Fundamental Key Fitness Components

1. Cardiovascular/Aerobic Conditioning

2. Strength Training and Muscular Development

3. Stretching - Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons

4. Core Stability

5. Nutrition and Supplementation

6. Mental Rest and Relaxation

7. Sleep

Physical Fitness

Physical fitness encompasses a large number of fitness activities. For instance, engaging in physical fitness can include, but is by no means limited to, any of the following activities: walking, weight training, biking, swimming, aerobics, sports, martial arts training, and much more.

The best way to think of a physical fitness activity is to think of any activity that physically works the muscles, tendons, ligaments, cardiovascular system, and balance and coordination of the human body. Physical fitness activities that simultaneously work all of the areas listed above are highly recommended.

For instance, an individual may choose weight training and mountain biking as their means of exercise. This choice in physical activities will promote development and support of cardiovascular and aerobic conditioning, muscular development and toning, stretching, and core stability. Another individual may choose swimming and martial arts training. This combination of physical activities would address the health and fitness benefits associated with cardiovascular and aerobic conditioning, stretching and core stability.

As you can see, the combinations of physical activities are virtually endless. Hence, it is recommended that you choose the physical activities that you personally enjoy, so long as they support all of the areas listed above. By doing so, you will not only improve your overall health and fitness, but also your probability of making these physical activities a part of your regular lifestyle.

Nutrition and Supplementation

The importance of nutrition and supplementation can never be overstated. In fact, the saying "you are what you eat" has never been more true. The human body is the greatest and most complex device ever created.

The internal workings of the human body and the continual activities that are taking place around the clock to sustain life, ward off disease, and to provide physical and mental functioning are truly amazing.

In order for your body to perform these functions on a daily and ongoing basis, you need to feed it with the nutrients it needs. This means that we need to provide our bodies with the appropriate fuel so that they can operate and function at an optimum level.

With the hectic and busy lifestyles of most individuals, this aspect of our health has become more and more challenging. Consuming fast food, processed foods, foods that have been depleted of their nutrients, and foods that are filled with pesticides, hormones and chemicals only facilitates the ill health of many individuals.

One common-sense approach to consuming a healthy and nutritious diet is to focus on only eating foods that are of the Earth. More specifically, if you could not go out into nature and physically gather a given food, then you should not eat it. For example, one could go into nature and gather all types of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. In addition, one could gather fish, chicken and beef. On the other hand, one could not venture out into nature and gather a candy bar, a piece of white bread or a fast food hamburger.

Although many of these foods have ingredients that are found in nature, they are derivatives of real whole foods and are not the types of food that appropriately fuel the human body. One evidence of this fact is that while the United States has the highest rate of obesity in the world, most individuals are severely nutrient-deficient as well.   

Proper nutrition is so important to overall health and well-being that we have dedicated an entire section of our website solely to research and data associated to nutrition.

Rest, Relax, Rejuvenate

Physical and mental rest and relaxation are probably the most overlooked aspects associated with good health. The human body and mind need time to rest, relax and rejuvenate as there are several bodily functions that occur when the body is in a state of relaxation. These bodily functions are vital to good health, fitness, and mental well-being.

There are several physiological consequences associated with the lack of a lifestyle that regularly supports and receives physical and mental relaxation.

For example, if an individual does not take the proper time to relax, it will immediately begin to have a negative impact on their body.

The basic activity of the nervous system will immediately kick in and become more active. When this occurs, other responses will immediately fall in behind this activity in order to assist in the maintenance of the nervous system and the signals that it is sending back and forth between the nerves, brain and other areas in the body.

Blood pressure levels in the body will also increase. Prolonged and/or frequent occurrences of this condition can result in the development of coronary heart disease, and failure of vital organs including the kidneys, heart and even the brain. When blood pressure levels escalate, it means that the blood is pushing against the insides of the arteries in which it flows. This can be extremely detrimental to the body following prolonged exposure to constant elevated blood pressure levels.

In addition, the body will develop a need for more oxygen. This subsequently causes an increased level of breathing. Finally, various muscles throughout the body will experience increased levels of tension, rigidity and fatigue.

Being that the physical and mental rest and relaxation of the human body is so paramount to overall good health, an entire section of our website has been set aside to focus specifically on topics and research related to these items. The yoga and meditation section of our website is designed to discuss all aspects associated with physical and mental rest and relaxation.

There are several types and styles of yoga. While each type and style of yoga may vary, all types of yoga focus on strengthening and stretching the muscles, ligaments and tendons, calming and centering the mind, and creating a sensation of balance and inner peace.  

The Importance of Sleep

The final key fitness component is sleep. In the past, the importance of sleep was often ignored by doctors and patients alike. Today, however, research has shown that inadequate levels of sleep will greatly reduce our level of overall health and well-being.

In fact, when individuals consistently sleep for less than 6 or 7 hours per night, their risk for developing a whole host of diseases begins to significantly increase. A few of the health benefits associated with obtaining the proper amount of sleep include a healthier heart, a decreased probability of cancer, a reduction in stress, a reduction in inflammation, an increase in mental alertness, an improved memory, a greater rate of weight loss, a reduction in depression and an increase in cellular repair.

The information provided in the articles under the topic of key fitness components, and throughout our website, is intended to provide you with all of the information necessary for you to actively implement a lifestyle that will facilitate your personal fitness and health goals. This will include information on a myriad of topics related to four key fitness components: physical fitness, nutrition, physical and mental rest and relaxation, and sleep. 

As with any activity in life, knowledge of the activity, its benefits, and the process of how to participate will only make your experiences more effective and, hopefully, more enjoyable. Before you will be able to utilize much of the information that is presented on our website, you will need to have a firm understanding of the basic components of true health and fitness.

Hence, our intent is to provide you with all of the information necessary for you to determine the optimum fitness, health and well-being approach that is specifically tailored to your personal goals. In addition, a firm understanding of these key fitness components will also provide you with a sense of purpose and direction.

Once you are familiar with the key fitness components, the more advanced articles on our website will begin to make far more sense. Thereafter, you will begin to put the entire concept of good health, fitness, and mental well-being together and directly apply it to your specific lifestyle.

This section of our website is an excellent area on which to focus should you begin to lose motivation, become frustrated, or become confused regarding a certain method and/or theory of physical fitness. In the event that this occurs, it will be beneficial for you to realign your focus on the basic concepts associated with overall fitness.