When was the last time you went for a run? How long did it last? Did you feel exhilarated or angry, tired, and uninspired?
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) gives the following definition of health-related physical fitness: Physical fitness is defined as a set of attributes that people have or achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity.
Author: Wilder Rp, Greene Ja, Winters Kl, Long Wb rd, Gubler K, Edlich Rf
Publish Year: 2006
From this definition we understand physical fitness as a state of being, having ability and necessary attributes that allow the person to execute a physical activity. If you have the required attributes needed for the task you are fit! But how many of us outside the world of sport, recreation, and health know this definition, state of being, or care about what this means?
It’s a sad reality that as time passes more of us are becoming sedentary and more people are experiencing avoidable health issues that could potentially be avoided through regular physical activity and balanced dietary habits. The Muslim community that I am a part of; the Black community that I’m a part of, the Mental Health community that I am a part of, these communities, and many other communities within the U.K. are in need of guidance in the area of fitness.
Being disabled doesn’t necessarily mean one has to stay home and rot to death, just scrolling YouTube to see the Paralympic successes of people from different backgrounds and health issues should be a reminder to all, able-bodied and disabled, of just what can be achieved with dedication.
Do you think of fitness and think “nah, too many man too many many man!?” Fitness is more than a gym membership, slinging weights. Fitness for you could take the form of many different activities, things you actually enjoy doing. However, strength training be it by barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, TRX, or resistance bands, should have a place in your life because of the benefits they will give your body.
If running is more your thing that’s good. If swimming is how you’d like to burn calories and tone your body then that will also work, the important thing is to find the grove that will help you in other aspects of your life and especially as you get older in life and muscular mass starts to degrade.
The words ‘fitness lifestyle’ mean and involve different things depending on the person just like the words ‘Hip-Hop Culture,’ but if we break it down I feel it’s safe to say ‘maintaining a life/lifestyle where you stay fit and able to achieve your desired goal through physical, bodily exertion and/or movement’ would sum-up the meaning from a physical activity standpoint. Clothing, food, books, audio, and video tutorials are also related to Fitness so without a doubt Fitness is more than lifting weights and I’d encourage the reader to find what works for them when it comes to physical activity.
Physical Fitness Definition Source: