It can’t be overstated that fitness is essential for everyone, the benefits are too many and they cover nearly all major aspects of life ranging from physical prowess to mental well-being. Most people take the right step when they decide to start leading a fitter life; however, they seem to struggle initially when they’re planning their workout. Without proper knowledge or guidance, this is not possible.
This is where these 5 components of physical fitness should be considered:
- Cardiovascular endurance
- Muscular strength
- Muscular endurance
- Flexibility
- Body Composition
Not just beginners, every person leading or at least trying to lead a healthy life should be well aware of these components. Considering all the stated categories in a workout program can promote good health in many areas like healthy aging and prevention of diseases.
Here is a more in-depth explanation and techniques for the fulfillment of all the stated components:
Cardiovascular Endurance
Cardiovascular endurance, or cardio: the body’s ability to maintain the state of exercise without getting tired for longer periods of time. Technically, it is the heart’s ability to deliver oxygen to the body’s tissues; the better the cardio, the more able your heart is to deliver oxygen to different parts of the body.
Exercises like jogging, running, swimming, etc. challenge the cardiovascular systems of the body. It is suggested to fit in a cardio session for at least one day in your workout program to maintain a healthy heart with better blood flow to the muscles. It is easier to perform any cardiovascular exercise as they require minimum or no equipment and nearly all gyms provide the needed essentials for cardio.
Muscular Strength
Muscular Strength is the ability of the muscles to exert the most force to lift or carry weights. Precisely it is the most amount of weight a body can lift in one effort. It is the main ground for building bigger muscles, therefore it is a popular component among gym-goers and does not need to be explained further as most of them focus more on muscular strength than other components.
Weight and resistance training exercises mainly focus on building muscular strength, the set and rep range can be modified to focus on muscular endurance. If you can easily do 10-12 repetitions in your last set, it is probably time to test yourself with a higher weight to build muscular strength. It is recommended to train Strength for at least 3 days a week, to effectively target all muscle groups.
Muscular endurance
Muscular endurance, in contrast to muscular strength, measures the time till which you can hold on to the weights and carry on the exercise. It is simply the number of repetitions a body can perform with a weight that does not have to be the most it can lift. This should not be confused with cardio as cardiovascular exercises do not necessarily include weighted resistance.
Building muscle endurance goes hand in hand with strength as practicing a higher rep range also adds to the strength. If you think that your strength curve is plateauing, then you should consider increasing your rep range with the lower weights from your initial sets. This will eventually help you in lifting the higher weight you desire. When you have completed your final set of an exercise, try doing an endurance-focused set with the weight of your first set with as many repetitions as possible; this will promote better muscle quality.
Flexibility
An overlooked but equally important component of fitness, Flexibility refers to the range of motion of a joint without pain. It can also refer to the joints in a muscle group or all joints in general. The body is more prone to injury without good flexibility. It also affects balance, agility, and mobility.
After every workout, you should stretch your muscles of the targeted muscle group. It is advisable to follow a stretching routine that targets the entire body in order to maintain good overall flexibility. A stretched position should be kept for 8-10 seconds to ensure proper loosening of muscles after a rigorous workout.
Body composition
Body Composition is the ratio of fat to fat-free mass in the body. Too much fat in the body can cause adverse health effects, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, therefore maintaining a healthy body composition is important in every fitness routine.
Regular exercises that include cardio may help keep a proper body composition, but the most important factor to consider here is diet. You can not exceed your calorie budget or consume a lot of carbohydrates and saturated fats in your food. Your diet must consist of sufficient proteins and dietary fibers.
End Note
The stated 5 components are the targetted aspects that make up the framework of nearly all successful fitness routines. Here are the main focus points for respecting all the components:
- Your workout plan should include neglected components like cardio and stretching (flexibility).
- While increasing muscular strength by lifting heavier, you must also test and reinforce the endurance of your muscles by lifting for longer.
- Following a healthy diet along with working out regularly is the key to attaining perfect fitness that respects all the components.
You now know enough to prepare a holistic training pattern that will help you make the best out of staying fit.
Aryan Singh 
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